The PNC and the present leadership conundrum

Feb 11, 2009 Letters

---

Dear Editor,
Over the past months, there has been much discourse and numerous articles penned by many authors about the question of leadership in the People’s National Congress (PNC). Coupled with this, many citizens, supporters, well wishers and members of the PNC are expressing serious concern particularly about (i) the leadership capabilities of Party Leader, Robert Corbin, and, (ii) the PNC as a viable political entity in contemporary Guyana.
Some members of the PNC, who seem to support the present status quo, have expressed the view that the matter of the Party’s leadership is an internal problem that it should not be brought in the external domain.
If I am not mistaken, that seems to be the perspective of Mr. Corbin. If, indeed, that is so then my considered judgment is that such a perspective borders on political infantilism, sheer hypocrisy and outright stubbornness to recognise the changing times.
We have to disabuse our minds of the false notion that we must have one set of values that would guide the conscience of the Party and another set of norms that would govern the public persona of the Party.
Under the leadership of Robert Corbin, the PNC has taken political body blows that have rendered it weak, stultified and directionless.
The Party is now bereft of the capacity to flourish and enlarge itself, to inspire and aspire, and to instill passion and the will to survive in its constituencies.
To cloud its glaring shortcomings, it seeks refuge in secrecy and obfuscation. I am arguing that now, more than ever, the PNC has to become open, accountable and transparent. It has to be like Caesar’s wife, as the PNC Founder-Leader would say – above reproach in all its dealings.
It has to demonstrate in a clear and unambiguous manner that it is really transforming itself into a political machinery that is in keeping with modern day thinking and practices. It is not too late in the day for the PNC to take the high moral ground. There must be no equivocation on this.
In that context, I am contending that with the Party machinery opening itself to public scrutiny, with Party members having a real stake in articulating strategies and policies, and with Party allies forging a common national outlook there will be hope for the PNC to become a serious contender that would assist in rescuing the nation from its present political plight – occasioned by the Jagdeo regime – and enhancing the national weal.
It is well known by now that the Biennial Congress is the supreme authority, the highest decision making forum of the Party. It has the power, through Party’s delegates to elect the Party Leader and the Central Executive Committee of the Party.
But the fact that the general population does not elect the Leader, the Central Executive and the members of General Council it does not mean that they are mere bystanders to the process. After all, the PNC is a national, historical institution.
But more than that: the citizens of the country will have the last say as to the level of comfort or discomfort with the persons elected, their orientation and, more generally, the values of the Party. They will pronounce on the capabilities of the Party Leader who is the first among the other leaders in the Party, other Party officials, their sense of justice and fair play and world outlook, and their empathy with the issues that confront the country.
Hence the individual consciences of Messrs.
Robert Corbin, Winston Murray, Basil Williams, Lance Carberry, Aubrey Norton, Clarissa Riel, Larry London, Melanie Cornette, Dr. Aubrey Armstrong, Dr. Ivor Mitchell, and other Party leaders, must reflect the collective soul of the PNC.
It is the citizens who, placing a value on the individual and collective conscience of a movement, elect that movement to govern them.
This is the very foundation of democracy which the PNC Leader fulminates about publicly but abhors privately.
I would like to follow up on this thought by asserting that the Members of the Central Executive would be foolish to think that they can raise the issue of electoral fairness, transparency, accountability, and verification at the national level while, at the same time, they seek to deny Party delegates that right with respect to the Party’s internal electoral process.
That would be the essence of hypocrisy and immaturity in this day and age. If, indeed, they are (i) unable to stand up to the machinations of the Party Leader, who is hell bent on “electing” himself at the next Party Biennial Congress, and (ii) ensure that electoral process of the PNC is fair and just and meeting the criteria of transparency and accountability, then they not only betray the ideals of the Party Founding Fathers but the hopes of citizens of Guyana.
They will have to hang their heads in shame and await the judgment of the people in the upcoming General Elections.
I would like to return to the leadership of the PNC under Mr. Robert Corbin. At the commencement of his tenure,  there was much hope that he would have strengthened the Party; that he would have been inclusive; that he would have been tolerant of differing points of views; that he would have encouraged that environment where Party operatives are free to express their views; that the arms of the Party (the National Congress of Women and the Guyana Youth and Students Movement) would have been strengthened; that the financial standing of the Party would have been improved; that the Party would have been more strongly connected to the issues of the people on the ground; that the Parliamentary representation would have grown (instead it has decreased); and that the Parliamentary Group would have been well prepared and grounded to function as Shadow Ministers in the National Assembly, among other things.
In all of those areas, Robert Corbin has not been able to demonstrate much wisdom, vision and leadership – either as Party Leader or as Leader of the Opposition. In essence, his overall grade on both counts is an “F”.
It has become a consensus among right thinking people that the PNC leader has given an almost free rein to the Jagdeo regime to ride rough shod over the rights of Guyanese of all class, ethnic origin, religion and creed.
One only had to be reminded how the Office of the President micro-manages the country on a daily basis.
Indeed, the country comes to a near halt when President Jagdeo is not in Guyana. Crime, corruption, mismanagement, ethnic discrimination, nepotism, victimization are all hallmarks of the Jagdeo regime.
And, sad to say, Robert Corbin’s best form of attack against all the transgressions of the human rights of Guyanese citizens is to issue a Press Release from Congress Place or make a Statement in Parliament.
I am, therefore, compelled to inquire whether the PNC, in its present manifestation, is prepared to re-engineer itself to take political power in collaboration with other political forces or whether it has become impotent to mount a serious challenge to the present PPP regime – thereby taking the people of Guyana for a ride to nowhere while PNC Parliamentarians and PNC Regional officials sit comfortably enjoying the perks and privileges without giving the people the representation they deserve.
Finally, I would like to address Members of the PNC Central Executive Committees – Messrs. Winston Murray, Basil Williams, Lance Carberry, Debbie Backer, Amna Ally, Aubrey Norton, Clarissa Riel, Volda Lawrence, Larry London, Melanie Cornette, Dr, Aubrey Armstrong, Dr. Ivor Mitchell and others: the time has come when you would have to stand up for the PNC and not Robert Corbin; you have to evaluate Corbin’s role as Party Leader and Leader of the Opposition without fear or favour; you have to draw up plans to strengthen the Party and to secure the financial means to do so; you have to inspire hope, not only among Party members and supporters and well wishers, but also the citizens of Guyana as a whole; and you have to envision the PNC in Government again with other political and social forces in Guyana.
I would ask you to remember the Founder-Leader’s exhortation of years ago which is still relevant at this juncture of our history: we have a nation to build, a destiny to mould.
Heath Retemyer

---

---