-cites personal reasons
People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) long-time member Vanessa Kissoon has resigned from the party, citing personal reasons.
Kissoon, who has been with the PNCR for nearly two decades, confirmed her resignation yesterday to the Sunday Stabroek but declined to elaborate on her decision.
“I did tender my resignation… at this point, I would want to leave it at that. Once I think it’s necessary, I will make a public statement, but at this moment, I would prefer to leave it as it is,” she said.
A key figure in the party’s Linden base, she also made it clear that she has no intention of joining another political party.
Kissoon, a former Member of Parliament for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), currently serves as a Constituency Councillor on the Linden Mayor and Town Council.
Her resignation comes months after she accused PNCR Leader Aubrey Norton of sexual harassment ahead of the party’s 2024 congress. Norton had denied the allegations and an internal investigation was launched. These results were not released.
Kissoon had previously faced internal party conflicts. In 2014, she was suspended from the PNCR following a verbal confrontation with then-General Secretary Oscar Clarke. That suspension remained in place until 2021, when the party’s Central Executive Committee overturned it on a motion moved by Gary Best and seconded by Norton.
While Kissoon declined to link her resignation to any specific incident, Stabroek News understands that she received a hostile reception from some PNCR supporters during a visit to Congress Place last week for an event. That visit was reportedly her first return to the party’s headquarters since making allegations against Norton.
Kissoon, however, would not comment on the incident or whether it played a role in her decision to resign.
