Granger beckons return of lost PNCR leadership

Aug 01, 2012 News

…says party won’t go it alone at next election with him at the helm

By Gary Eleazar

The Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR) this year celebrates its 55th anniversary and at the conclusion of its recently concluded 17th Biennial Congress, Brigadier (rtd) David Granger emerged as the New Party leader.
It was not a typical PNCR internal election usually characterized with boisterous bitterness being on full display.
Logistics did pose a problem as both candidates for the Leadership post, Granger and former Finance Minister, Carl Greenidge, reportedly expressed concerns over the process.

PNCR’s newly elected Leader, Brigadier (rtd) David Granger

Voting was delayed for a bit and contrary to reports that there was a ruckus, it proceeded fairly smoothly throughout the day, taking into account limitations on the part of the organizers.
The result in terms of vote count had only been finalized in the wee hours on Monday morning by which time Attorney-at-Law, Basil Williams, had secured the Chairmanship of the party.
‘Cammie’ Ramsaroop was the incumbent.
Volda Lawrence and Dr. George Norton have both secured the Vice-Chair positions while Ronald Bulkan has been elected Treasurer.
The remaining posts for the party’s Central Executive are yet to be finalized
Previous party leader, Robert Corbin, did not contest the post, but rather than “abandon ship”, he sought a post on the Central Executive.

Granger’s track record
Responding to criticisms that he may not be up to the task at hand, given that he was never a politician, Granger pointed to the renewed enthusiasm by young Guyanese, primarily as it relates to politics and the workings of the political parties in the current climate.
He pointed also to the turnout at General and Regional Elections and said that while it was not as high as was expected, it did represent a renewed interest, and this he credits to his leadership during the campaign.
Granger who currently leads A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), a coalition of 10 parties that includes the PNCR, defended his stewardship in that post, saying it is more than an adequate footing to stand on to serve him as Leader of the PNCR.
He said that navigating the political climate following the results of the last Regional and General Election did require a different set of skills for which he has demonstrated he possesses.
“It did require managerial skills, it did require negotiation, consultation, cooperation and those are not skills that you publicize. But look at the impact in the National Assembly.”
He explained that as a result of his leadership, the Alliance for Change (AFC), which holds seven of the 33 Combined Opposition seats in Parliament, voted along with APNU.
“AFC and APNU were able to vote together and that is because of structures I put in place…that I, David Granger, put in place.”
In speaking to his managerial skills that would give him the advantage over the others in heading the PNCR, Granger pointed to his management of a combination of parties in Parliament that fall under the APNU banner.
He pointed to parties such as the Working Peoples’ Alliance (WPA) and the PNC, which have traditionally been at loggerheads, but are now working together as part of a coalition.
“These are not skills which you can broadcast, but they are acquired skills which have produced an outcome.”
He pointed also to the recent “No Confidence” motion against Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee, which he calls an impeachment and said that “it is led by David Granger and it calls for negotiations.”
Turning his attention to the PNCR and its internal needs and his ability to deliver, Granger said “I think that after seven months in the National Assembly, the achievements of the joint opposition are attributable to leadership skills.”

PNC then and now
The PNC left the executive halls of power following the 1992 Regional and General Elections under its then Leader, Hugh Desmond Hoyte, and according to Granger, “it has been no secret that there have been internal challenges within the party,” since then.
He was at the time giving his assessment of the party as it stands today as against 1992.
Granger explained that it is no secret that there have been parties formed such as the Alliance for Change which has been spawned in part by the internal differences of the PNC.
Raphael Trotman, who currently holds the post of Leader of the AFC and Speaker of the National Assembly was once a senior Executive Member of the PNCR but parted ways with the party prior to the 2006 Election.
“The difference is that I have been able to bring that sort of factionalism under control, the PNC as of last year was much more united.”
He spoke of the fact that he has also been able to, in recent months strengthen the party’s National Congress of Women.
“I will continue to work towards the reform of the party,” said Granger even as he recognized that “despite the factionalism, the PNC emerged in 2011 a much stronger and more reliable ally and it was on that basis that APNU was founded.”
He said that persons must recognize the magnitude of the reality where there is the existence of a 10-party coalition in Guyanese politics and stressed that the PNC was a major player in the formation of the partnership.

APNU will be next Government
Granger was adamant that the next government will be a government of national unity under the APNU banner.
Granger told this publication that he has not been leader of the party before and as such could not say why several of the senior membership would have drifted, “but I am confident that with my leadership of the PNCR, people will return.”
Not just banking on the return of key figures in the party, Granger stressed that the Guyana Youth and Student Movement (GYSM) is being resuscitated where a new cadre of leaders for the PNCR will be molded.
“As I said I am aware that there were challenges…We would like to go into the (Regional and General) Elections with a much younger slate and a more balanced slate in terms of gender.”
Granger was adamant that while there have been problems in the reform arm of the party; generally, it is in a better position currently, to attract supporters.
Greenidge who was Granger’s biggest challenger at Sunday’s election had said that he is not questioning the Brigadier’s ability to lead but rather adding the post of PNCR leader to his portfolio will only serve to “put too much on his plate.”
The PNCR Congress was originally scheduled to be held last year, but was pushed back to this date.