PNCR casts doubt on Harmon’s resignation…says letter only states intent

Mar 09, 2022 News

“We have a long list of candidates (to replace Harmon). It’s an internal matter. The Central Executive has got to deliberate on it, then we have to take it to our Coalition partners. We have to take it to the APNU, then we move to have that replacement so it’s a process.”

Kaieteur News – The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) is unsure of the resignation of party member Mr. Joseph Harmon as the letter to the National Assembly only signalled his intent to resign.
This is according to the Chairman of the PNCR, Shurwayne Holder, who during a media briefing yesterday also noted that a long list of candidates is also waiting to take Harmon’s place, should his resignation take effect on March 15, 2022 as signalled in his letter.

Former Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon

Holder reasoned, “I have seen a copy of the letter from the National Assembly. I do not think it’s legally a resignation. It says there is an intent for Mr. Harmon to resign and so I wouldn’t take it that he has resigned and so it is an internal process. We have to wait until that time, March 15. We will see what happens at that time.”
When asked whether the party has started looking for a replacement for Harmon, Holder said, “We have a long list of candidates. It’s an internal matter. The Central Executive has got to deliberate on it, then we have to take it to our Coalition partners. We have to take it to the APNU, then we move to have that replacement, so it’s a process.”
The party’s Chairman was reluctant to disclose the names of the candidates lined up to take Mr. Harmon’s seat in the National Assembly, but hinted that Gary Best, a Central Executive member of the PNCR as well as Mervyn Williams, a former Parliamentarian are two of the “suitable candidates.”
He added that the party has not yet commenced shortlisting the names of persons who have so far signalled their interest in filling the void Harmon’s departure will create.
He was keen to note that the Leader of the party, Aubrey Norton is also poised to take up his position in the National Assembly as a vacancy was created with the resignation of former Education Minister, Dr. Nicolette Henry.
The Former Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon, who vacated that position only a few weeks ago, tendered a letter to the National Assembly signalling his intent to resign on Saturday.
The Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Sherlock Isaacs confirmed receipt of Harmon’s letter, informing too that the resignation should take effect on March 15, 2022. Isaacs added that Harmon did not state any reason.
It was only on January 26, 2022 during the Budget debates that the Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir, announced that Harmon had resigned as Leader of the Opposition.
His resignation as Opposition Leader came two weeks after the newly elected Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Mr. Aubrey Norton told a news conference that the party has made a decision that it wants to be led by him.
Norton was declared the new leader of the PNCR after securing more than 70 percent of the total votes cast for the position during the party’s 21st Biennial Delegates Congress, held in December last.
Also vying for the post were Dr. Richard Van-West Charles and Joseph Harmon.
Following Harmon’s defeat in the party’s internal elections process and the decision of its members to be led by Norton in Parliament, Dr. Henry resigned from the
National Assembly to make room for the new Opposition Leader.
Henry’s resignation was announced on February 2, 2022.

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