D-day for PNCR leadership: Murray or Corbin?

Aug 22, 2009 News

Robert Corbin

By Gary Eleazar

The highly anticipated 16th Biennial Congress of the People’s National Congress Reform opened yesterday under the theme ‘People’s victory through local democracy’ and was replete with talk of unity as the incumbent leader Robert Corbin and party stalwart, Winston Murray, will battle for the leadership of the Party

Winston Murray

Corbin, whose leadership will be challenged today by former Chairman Murray, received a vociferous welcome by most of the persons present at the party’s headquarters at Congress Place, Sophia.

In his address to the delegates and observers, Corbin said that the Congress has attracted much national and international attention and he was of the belief that one of the reasons is the high expectations of all Guyanese.

He said that Guyanese expect that the PNCR will arise, like the proverbial phoenix, and stressed that “this Congress we are ready and able to rescue our Nation from the misery brought upon its people by the PPP’s criminalised regime, just like our Party did in 1964 when our country, still a British colony, but led by this very PPP Government, was divided by racial violence, strife and economic ruin.”

According to Corbin, many of the goals that were set out in the previous Congress such as the transition of leadership to a cadre of young leaders could not be implemented, for which he took full responsibility as leader, and challenged the current Congress to seek to address the issue of implementing decisions taken by the various party organs.

“Congress provides us with the opportunity to examine our successes and our failures and to account for our stewardship in the context of the mandate given to us by the last Congress. Of even greater importance, however, Congress is a time for analysing our circumstances, both within the party and nation, and planning an effective programme for the period ahead.”

Corbin also in a not so subtle swipe at Dr Richard Van West Charles said that the party was aware of the significant sums of money expended by some in the pursuit of the quest for leadership positions, “and I daresay that these actions are misguided as those sums could have been spent in more worthwhile ways such as providing assistance to the party programmes.”

He said that the money could have been used to execute activities such as empowerment programmes for the party supporters, “particularly our youths, and one specific example is our literacy programmes in Sophia and Den Amstel.”

Whilst emphasising that there was no glory to be had without sacrifice, Corbin pointed out that the Congress was being held at a time when the global recession, has had a severe adverse impact on all countries of the world forcing them to initiate policies and implement programmes to ensure their survival.

He said that many of the measures adopted by the developed countries have resulted in negative consequences for the developing nations and that the PPP administration, despite the urging of the PNCR to retain a group of experts to urgently plan and implement appropriate responses for Guyana, initially claimed that Guyana was immune from any negative consequences of the global recession.

“As the crisis became more manifest, they belatedly and hurriedly sought to implement programmes that were unimaginative at best and have so far had little effect in cushioning the hardships experienced by our citizens. This colossal failure to implement appropriate responses has resulted in additional burdens on the people of Guyana and exacerbated the already existing problems.”

Corbin also told the delegates that the fragile crime and security situation continues to be of grave concern for all citizens and was even more dangerous, given the evidence made available in recent hearings in a New York Court, implicating the Guyana Government and named officials of “collaboration with drug lords and the narcotics trade, as well as the State-sponsored execution of over two hundred Guyanese youth.”

“This recent evidence explains why the Jagdeo Administration has persistently refused to heed calls from most respectable Guyanese organisations and citizens for independent inquiries into these matters, even when a Minister of their Cabinet and members of his family were executed.

It must be also a matter of grave concern that all the witnesses and potential witnesses were eliminated before the truth could be known, including the lone living witness and accused killer of that Minister. It took the US Government to deal with this matter by ensuring the protection of their witnesses for evidence to be made available to the people of Guyana.”

Corbin pleaded with the Congress as well as society as a whole saying “no decent nation can allow this matter to be swept under the carpet as so many similar issues have been dealt with in the past. It would be an indictment upon us all, political parties, religious organisations, and civil society generally, if we permit this administration to get away with these heinous crimes.

We must relentlessly pursue an independent, international inquiry and perhaps criminal proceedings against Government Officials, even if we have to reach the International Criminal Court and even if it takes as long as it did, to bring Charles Taylor of Liberia to trial.”

Corbin also warned that members of the Party must fully understand that the party’s ultimate objectives and ensure that every action of the Party contributes to that goal.

He noted too that the PPP is in love with power and is trying to retain it at any cost.

“They will not release an iota of power unless forced by circumstances. I am not, however, recommending the examples of Fiji, and the recent ones in either Kenya or Zimbabwe. We must always allow constructive thoughts to guide us.”

Meanwhile Murray, who is challenging Corbin for leadership of the party but was not allowed a chanced to speak at the opening in a last-minute bid to appeal to the delegates, distributed flyers with his appeal.

On the flyer, Murray stated that he became a member of the PNC over 35 years ago and during those years he has been privileged to serve in several important capacities as Head of the Public Service and the Presidential Secretariat under President Burnham; as Minister of Trade and Industry and Deputy Prime Minister under President Hoyte and, since 1992, as a Member of Parliament and the Shadow Minister of Finance.

“In asking for your support, I pledge to work with you to heal the divisions within our ranks as the first step in mending the fractures in our relations with each other.

This task demands the energies of every one of us as members, supporters and well-wishers. I humbly ask your support so that together, we can begin this exciting work of building a new tomorrow.”

He noted that, “We owe it to this generation to bury the hopelessness and despair that has engulfed our citizens but now requires us to move forward to a future of bright promise. A Party that is dynamic, strong and full of purpose and energy can only be built by our collective efforts. Our task is not simply to challenge the government on its sorry performance, but also to construct the foundations of a new politics of participation, involvement and accountability. Comrades, the choice is clear, you can vote to stand still, business-as-usual and more of the same, or you can vote for change and the dawning of a new day.”

Murray also hosted a cocktail reception following the opening to give all of the delegates and observers of the Congress, the chance to meet with himself and Dr. Van West Charles before making a decision today as the delegates head to the ballot boxes.