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18th Biennial Congress… Solomon, Norton challenge Granger for PNCR leadership
By Abena Rockcliffe
David Granger
Under the theme “PNCR (People’s National Congress Reform) for National Unity, Good Governance and Development,” the Party will be hosting its Congress this weekend that will either end in the appointment of a new leader or the reelection of the incumbent.
This marks the 18th Biennial Congress of the Party, which will commence Friday and conclude on Sunday.
This publication was made to understand that more than 1,000 delegates and observers from across the country as well as the North American and UK Regions will be participating.
Region 10 Chairman, Sharma Solomon, and long time Party member Aubrey Norton will be for the first time contesting for the party leadership. The two will be running against the current leader, David Granger.
For the post of party Chairman, Solomon and Norton along with Basil Williams will be contesting. Williams is the present Chairman.
And as Volda Lawrence, George Norton, Sharma Solomon and Stanley Paul contest for Vice chair positions, Ronald Bulkan and Clement Corlette are the only two in the race for the designation of Treasurer. Bulkan is the current Treasurer and Lawrence and Norton are the two Vice Chairs.
Kaieteur News understands that 91 persons have accepted nominations for the Central Executive Committee.
This was made known yesterday morning by Central Committee Member Cheryl Sampson at a press conference hosted by General Secretary Oscar Clarke at Congress Place.
Aubrey Norton
Sharma Solomon
The Congress will begin with the formal opening ceremony, that is expected to be rich in cultural activities, and will be centred on the feature address to be delivered by Granger, during which it is expected that he will provide a detailed analysis of the political and economic situation in Guyana and outline his vision of the way in which the Party will prepare itself to tackle the numerous challenges of the coming years.
Sampson told the media that Granger’s address is anticipated to be a wide-ranging one that will lay the basis for the policies of the PNCR as it, along with A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), prepares itself for elections, both local and national.
She said that on the second day of Congress, the party’s General Secretary will report on the state of the Party, its organs and its political work.
“Again, we anticipate that this address will adumbrate necessary reforms and reorganisation of the Party structure, as it gets ready to take its political struggle to new levels.”
Sampson added that following the General Secretary’s report; the Report of the Constitutional Review Committee will be presented by that Committee’s Chairman, Lance Carberry.
This, she said, will be followed by the Plenary Session of Congress during which participants will examine issues contained in the Party Leader’s address, the Chairman’s Opening Statement, the General Secretary’s Report and the Report of the Constitutional Review Committee.
Sampson said that this is an important aspect of the Congress programme, since it will allow delegates and observers to respond directly to the visions of their Party leadership, and from this open discussion, the Party will forge a consensus on the way ahead for the People’s National Congress Reform.
“It is expected that such issues as the tactics and strategies, the ideology and philosophy of the Party and its future social and economic policies will be agreed,” said Sampson.
She added that questions and motions submitted by the Party organs for the attention of Congress would be examined before the close of the second day.
The election of office bearers for the new biennium will take place on the final day (Sunday).
Norton’s run for leadership has created quite a stir. Many have opined that the longstanding member has been stifled since he supported former Finance Minister Carl Greenidge when the latter challenged Granger for the Leadership during the last congress.
Aubrey Norton was not selected to represent the PNCR in parliament through the coalition APNU which is dominated by PNCR.
During the life of the Tenth Parliament, Norton has been “overlooked” thrice when space was made available for a new member. Quite a few of those who contested for various positions at the last Congress have decided to stay in the background on this occasion.
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