– Sources say withdrawal of key contenders for leader not recognised
Up to press time last evening the PNCR was yet to announce the results of its congress even though voting was said to have concluded at around 8pm but the party assured those results for key positions, inclusive of party leader, would come swiftly.
Current Leader Aubrey Norton went into the elections unchallenged as his contenders and other executives pulled out of the race or declined nominations for a number of reasons ranging from inconsistencies and discrepancies in preparations for the elections, concerns about the list to downright laxed transparency and accountability.
“Up to 7pm about 100 persons were left to vote. Almost 2000 persons voted…,” Congress Administrator Sherwyn Benjamin said as he gave an update last evening.
He said that when the voting was completed the tallying would be done swiftly to at least give declarations for the positions of “Leader, Chairman and Vice chairman but the Central Committee will be decided later or perhaps tomorrow.”
Benjamin explained that the process for the Central Committee members would take longer because there were “110 persons names on the ballots for Central Committee and you have to count the highest 15.”
“So that is going to take some doing but at least by the end of the evening you will have a declaration of Leader Chairman and Vice Chairman,” he said.
While only Aubrey Norton contested for the position of Leader following the withdrawal of Roysdale Forde and Amanza Walton-Desir, Benjamin said that Chief Elections Officer for the party’s elections Vincent Alexander said “that they did not receive any formal withdrawal notice.” It is unclear how this could be when the letters were made public.
PNC stalwarts Carl Greenidge and Volda Lawrence had declined nomination.
The weeks leading up to the PNC/R’s congress have been marked by controversy, scandal, and withdrawal of key members. The party’s General Secretary, Dawn Hastings-Williams, resigned just days before the congress, citing dissatisfaction with arrangements for the event, financial matters, and humiliating incidents.
In her resignation letter, Hastings-Williams listed a series of problems that she had with the party’s leadership, including the lack of planning time for the congress, which she believed was insufficient. This sentiment was echoed by other PNCR members, who also expressed concerns about the short notice given for the event.
The controversy was further fueled by allegations of sexual harassment leveled against party leader Aubrey Norton by a party member, Vanessa Kissoon. Norton has denied the allegations, which are currently being investigated by party elders.
Meanwhile, Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Amanza Walton-Desir and Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde withdrew their candidacies for the position of party leadership just days before the congress. Walton-Desir cited concerns over transparency and in the electoral process, including issues with the delegate list and unreasonable timelines in the electoral process as reasons for suspending her campaign. Forde, on the other hand, cited irregularities imposed for the congress.
The situation has led to a highly charged atmosphere within the party, with acrimony erupting on social media as members traded charges and counter-charges. The absence of Walton-Desir and Forde from last Friday’s opening ceremony of the Congress was also notable.
Despite their withdrawal from the leadership race, both Walton-Desir and Forde have stressed their commitment to the PNCR’s values and have called for unity among members. They have also urged reforms to ensure democratic standards are upheld in future elections.
The controversies surrounding the PNCR congress have raised questions about the party’s ability to govern effectively and has cast a shadow over its future prospects.
