Is Robert Corbin in violation of PNCR rules?

Sep 30, 2010 Letters

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Dear Editor,
Now that the PPP/C has announced the procedure under which they will elect the next PPP/C Presidential Candidate, we are now anxiously awaiting a similar announcement from the PNCR.
During the last PNCR General Council, a motion was moved and unanimously passed; and called for an inclusive committee to be set up for the purpose of advising the General Council on a system and procedure to be used in the selection of the PNCR Presidential Candidate to contest the 2011 General Election.
This committee should have been established since August 31 last, and should have presented their recommendation to the next General Council meeting which was scheduled for September 25.
But because of the failure to get the committee functioning, the General Council had to be postponed. According to the 2010 calendar, the 3rd quarter would end on September 30th, so the failure to hold the 3rd General Council by that date, constitutes a direct violation of the Party’s constitution.
Now, for those Corbin lackeys who have been touting the adherence to rules, this seems to be a clear case of deliberate violation of the Party’s highest law, to subvert a process which the Corbin leadership is at best in no hurry to comply with.
Mr. Editor, the postponement of such an important meeting, appears to be a deliberate attempt at delaying the selection process of the PNCR Presidential Candidate, and a blatant violation of the PNCR Constitution Rules 16 3(a) and 16 3(b) which state that the General Council shall be the governing body of the Party between Biennial Delegates Congresses; and that It shall meet at least once every quarter of each year, at such time and place as the Central Executive shall decide.
A specific date was given for the General Council to meet: September 25, 2010…this date has already passed. Is this just the inefficiency of those managing the Party, or is it an attempt to deny its members the opportunity of deciding what’s best for their party and country?
The more I think of it, the more I’m inclined to believe that the PNCR under Corbin is being run more like a feudal system rather than a democracy. If so, this is yet another reason for change in the Party’s leadership.
In Kaieteur News, September 27, Sonia Clark accused me of wanting to “destroy the PNCR and Robert Corbin”. Similar sentiments were shared in the same publication by B. Beniprashad Rayman who said that I continue to “write hate speeches attacking the leader of the PNCR and the party.”
These women just don’t get it. It is not necessary for me to “destroy” Corbin, for he seems to be doing a pretty good job at destroying himself; unfortunately, he’s taking the PNCR Party with him. As I’ve said before, my beef is with Corbin and not with the PNCR Party.
But by deliberating labeling my disagreement with Corbin’s leadership as an attack on the entire PNCR is misleading, and clearly illustrates they either do not understand the difference, or they are convinced that Corbin is the PNCR, and perhaps God Himself.
Let me see if I can illustrate this another way so that any dummy can understand:
Imagine a star-studded cricket team goes off to play in a regional tournament. Match after match they suffer humiliating defeats. But the team is good, for individual players all have the experience and ability to amass a winning score. Like Brian Lara, the captain loses the respect of the players and fails to mold brilliant players into a winning team; a cry goes out from cricketing fans, supporters and patriots yearning for victory, and criticise the lack of leadership that seem to impede progress. As the losing streak continues, there is immense pressure to replace the captain before another tournament begins.
Apart from the captain’s immediate family, his wife or girlfriend, who remains optimistic and continues to believe in his ability to lead the squad, most disappointed fans would stay home resulting in a poor turnout at the games and a loss of revenue to the organisers; but those same fans will return in droves at the stadium if a Clive LLoyd is ever selected to replace him. We love our team…we just want them to win. Now just think of Corbin as the captain, and the PNCR as the cricket team…Get the message now?
It is often said and accepted by political pundits throughout the Caribbean, that the late Forbes Sampson Burnham was a man ahead of his time. As one who has had the privilege of knowing this great visionary, I concur with this widely expressed opinion of him. Burnham had a dream to eradicate poverty and bring prosperity to this land; he wanted us to be independent and self-sufficient, and to be proud to be called “Guyanese”.
He wanted us to excel in education and sports, and to appreciate and preserve our national heritage. He wanted us to be one people, one nation, with one destiny; and second to none in the region…but despite his efforts, Guyana was not ready for that. I believe the time has finally come to bring that dream to fruition; a dream Burnham had hoped for, but found impossible to achieve. The PNCR now has a unique opportunity to fulfill the dream of our Founding Father…to feed, clothe and house the nation; and to make the small man a real man. Burnham had a dream…but it requires a love of country above self; and the courage to select the formidable Winston Murray in a party dominated by, and supported by Afro-Guyanese, to forge the unity among our people, in a country torn apart by racial divides, to finally make this dream a reality.
Harry Gill

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