Tag Archives: Guyana

August 18, 2012 · 7:07 pm

David Hinds’ Buxton call

I am unequivocal in my condemnation of the Working People’s Alliance/A Partnership for National Unity’s David Hinds’ call for the digging up/ blocking of the East Coast Highway by Buxtonians in support of the Linden Struggle. Given Hinds’ professional engagement I expected a more judicious and discerning reading of the present mood of Guyana. I view Brother Hinds’ call as overventuresome and ill-conceived. This is especially so now that the August 17th Agreement has been initialled and likely to be signed by the two parties.

Privately I had advocated, immediately following the July 18th massacre of Lindeners by police, that the struggle should take the form of Lindeners peacefully slow travelling to Georgetown, and peacefully occupying the Square of the Revolution and outside Office of the President until their demands were met. I concede now, that such action, had it been undertaken, would have diluted the Linden Struggle. What transpired, of Lindeners locating their struggle in Linden, was a more effective course of action which has forced the government to formally yield to their demands as we have seen with the August 17th Agreement.

I can understand, in the face of the executive abuse of Guyana, Hinds’ anxiety to see the removal of the unjust PPP regime and thus the nationalizing of the struggle. I understand too Hinds’ expressed disappointment with the rest of Guyana not taking to the streets in standing in solidarity with Linden. Political action, revolution and change though often come in stages and piecemeal and not always as a flood of overnight transformation. It is part of the process.

If Buxtonians are of the conviction that they, as a community, continue (we know they have been subjected to) to be maligned and discriminated against then they have every right to do as Linden did and protest as they are allowed to constitutionally. Buxtonians have demonstrated that when they reach that stage they will take the actions they deem necessary and they need not academics or scholars to issue calls to them to act.

Further Hinds’ proposal in all likelihood will only allow for regression in the national struggle for change from the PPP regime. The blocking of the East Coast Highway at this time will allow the legendary PPP propaganda machinery to heighten its effectiveness by sending their divisive messages of fear to their base in an effort to galvanize their support based on emotion above reason.

Hinds fails to appreciate too that events of the 2002-2008 crime wave are too fresh in the psyche of the nation and any action by Buxton such as proposed by him stands to quickly alienate the Indo-Guyanese community who demonstrated in no insignificant way on November 28th that they too are in strong disapproval of the regime’s handling of the republic. Gains of unparallelled proportions have been made within the last year especially, opposition political leaders must be astute and shrewd in protecting these and ensuring that these are not squandered.

It will also allow the regime to float the ‘anarchy line’ as cover for the more violent and fatal action by agents of the state which will lead to the death and violation of our brothers and sisters. We know of the regime’s approval of the use of deadly force in response to even peaceful protests.

That Hinds’ call has not gained traction speaks for itself.

What I believe Hinds and other senior leaders of APNU and also the leaders of AFC should be undividedly committed to is the matter of constitutional reform which will allow for a change of government by the ballot box when elections are next called. The PPP is comfortable with the current system which allows that party a minority of the total vote but 100% of the executive power. There must be constitutional reform and there, above all else, is where the combined political energies ought to be focussed.

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August 17, 2012 · 4:25 pm

GBA Linden statement

One may find it unavoidable to observe that the Guyana Bar Association statement on Linden is late two days shy a month. As noted by eminent attorney-at-law and Chairman of the Alliance For Change and also former president of the GBA, Nigel Hughes, “one month later, long after IAHRC’s GHRA’s statement and international condemnation. The Bar is expected to lead on issues of this nature not follow.”

Nevertheless it has been made and has been placed on public record.

Guyana Bar Association statement: “WE THE GUYANESE PEOPLE, proud heirs of the indomitable will of our forbearers, in a spirit of conciliation and cooperation, proclaim this constitution in order to:

Safeguard and build on the rich heritage won through tireless struggle, bequeathed us by our forebears:
Affirm our sovereignty, our independence and our indissolubility;
Forge a system of governance that promotes concerted effort and broad-based participation in a national decision-making in order to develop a viable economy and a harmonious community based on democratic values, social justice, fundamental human rights, and the rule of law.” [Preamble to the Guyana Constitution]

It is more a heritage of lawlessness, social injustice and arbitrariness which has been evident in the recent tragedy in Linden. Only time will permit a more objective discussion on the incidents in Linden, at this stage the Guyana Bar Association seeks to remind the public of the importance of the Rule of Law in our interaction with each other and with the Police Force. Finger pointing will continue; it is a political necessity. But if the Rule of Law had been observed by all participants, there would have been and would be no tragedy.

Article 40 of the Constitution provides that “Every person in Guyana is entitled to… (c) freedom of conscience, of expression and of assembly and association….

This right is not carte blanche permission to congregate and disrupt. It is sometimes necessary to obtain a permit to stage a public protest. In addition, the protest must at no time cause a public nuisance, private trespass, or obstruction of public highways. It is not relevant whether the protest is just; an unjust cause is equally entitled to the constitutional right to express itself. But the voice of that expression must not interfere with rights of others by trespassing, obstructing or causing nuisance. If the protest crosses that line, there is a breakdown in the rule of law.

Article 138 of the Constitution provides that “No person shall be deprived of his life intentionally save in execution of the sentence of a court…(or) (a) for the defence of any person from violence or for the defence of property; (b) In order to effect a lawful arrest or to prevent the escape of a person lawfully detained; (c) For the purpose of suppressing a riot, insurrection, or mutiny; or (d) In order to prevent the commission by that person of a criminal offence…”

These exceptions do not provide carte blanche license to kill. There must be what the legal scholars call proportionality. If there is an immediate threat to life, or an immediate danger of escalation to widespread violence, deadly force may become necessary. But this deadly force must be the only available means of accomplishing the permitted goal; it must be necessary.

The use of lethal force by the State is to be avoided and when resorted to, regretted. In Fundamental Rights in Commonwealth Caribbean Constitutions, Demerieux states “A high incidence of police killings in any society must indicate a problem in the political system and thereafter, one in the system of law and order. For whatever the circumstances of these or indeed ‘private’ killings, the creation and execution of law and order policies is itself part of the business of the political system and of the government at any given time.

When citizens are harmed by a public breakdown in the Rule of Law, the authorities have an obligation to ensure that due enquiry is made into the circumstances in a timely manner. When the State fails to act on that obligation, it encourages the decline of the rule of law – the root of its authority to govern the people.

The law provides procedures where lethal force has possibly been used by an arm of the State for an immediate investigation to explore publicly the circumstances. The Guyana Bar Association therefore lends its voice to the demands for immediate inquiry into the circumstances which caused injury and loss of life on 18th July 2012.

The rule of law is an essential tenet in a peaceful and democratic country and the citizens of our country. As Hobbes observed four hundred years ago, when the Rule of Law breaks down, life becomes nasty, brutish and short.

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August 14, 2012 · 3:15 pm

Dictator Manickchand

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Minister of Education Priya Manickchand is unconscionably denying 4000 students access to their CSEC results because some students did not return loaned material. All are being made to suffer as a result of the delinquency of some. Another manifestation of dictatorship. Wither equality and justice in Guyana.

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· 5:12 am

Govt distraction on TORs

From AFC Chairman Nigel Hughes:

There has been much comment over the Alliance for Change’s objection to the inclusion into the Terms of Reference of an investigation into the events leading up to the protest of the 18th July 2012.

The constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana guarantees the right to protest.

In its simplest form if a citizen wants to protest against any issue however trivial he has a right to do so. If he wants to protest against his neighbour’s green roof he can do so.

If he wants to persuade the rest of his neighbourhood to protest against his neighbour’s green roof he has to right to solicit their support.

If he succeeds and the entire community comes out against his neighbour’s green roof, they have a right to do so.

If they then peacefully assemble unarmed at the community bridge to protest where they are shot dead in cold blood by the local police how relevant is it to any investigation into the shooting to death of innocent community members that a neighbor started the protest over a green roof.

It was his right to do so.

We would be entering very dangerous territory if we start to apportion blame for the organization of an activity expressly guaranteed by the constitution.

The real reason the Government wants this included in the TORs is that they want to deter citizens from attending protests which are anti-government thereby effectively restricting the exercise of their constitutional right.

The words of the Prime Minster perfectly captured the government’s preferred sentiment: “They should accept with quiet resignation”.

It’s the same thing they told slaves two centuries ago when they rose against oppressive circumstances.

Let it be stated now and up front that whoever organized the protest on the 18th July 2012 had a guaranteed constitutional right to do.

The people of Linden should not be made to feel guilty or culpable for attending a protest they had a right to attend irrespective of who organized it.

It is an insult to the intelligence of the community to say that they were misled or led astray by some politicians to protest. Perhaps it’s a commentary on the President that he thinks citizens of this Republic are gullible and can be led astray. We all know what time of day it is.

The good citizens of Linden were organized, courteous and civil enough to notify the authorities a week in advance of their intended protests. More than enough time to permit the Guyana Police Force to prepare and NCN to alert the citizenry of Linden of their misguided intentions.

The execution of citizen in cold blood is a criminal act which requires a criminal investigation irrespective of whether or not they is a Commission of Inquiry.

It is not good enough for the Crime Chief to say that the bullets which shot the protestors dead were not issued by the police. Rather than assure the citizenry it alarms them.

When will the Police identify and charge the killers.

So let’s not waste any more time over debate on its inclusion in the TORs if we want to pursue truth and justice then let’s find out why three citizens were innocently executed on July 18th.

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July 3, 2012 · 4:25 am

Creeping history – Part One

I hereby confess to being overwhelmed by the onslaught of history in the past week.

Sometimes history (herein used to mean events of significant historical noteworthiness) builds to a crescendo, engaging and consuming us in the process. As it takes us along on the journey, we are aware of the magnitude of what we are involved in. The election of President Obama was of such.

Then there are times when history quietly edges in the shadows, gaining silently in our direction, ever creeping upon us. We are busy going about the things we go about and it lunges onto our path and stuns us. What has happened in Guyana, over the past week, is of this vintage.

I recall Brother Nigel Hughes writing, in April last the following words which resonated then as they do now.

“It’s very early morning in the dawn of a new day in Guyana. It’s not quite day clean but we may be getting there.”

The politically stupefying events (and private sector and public sector, all of them are) of the past week should leave us without doubt that Brother Nigel’s reading of history was indeed sublime. Barely two months on and we are so much closer to the day clean of a new Guyanese vista. We have come through the woods, dark and deep, there remain though, miles to go before we sleep.

Cast asunder whatever uncertainties may linger and let your hearts now be glad. By the power of the people, Guyana is unchaining itself from times of human evilness. The task is yet complete so it behoves us to remain focussed but rejoice for you, the people, are orchestrating the greatest triumph of them all – true liberation. And they cannot contain the momentum of your initiative.

After years of turmoil you have claimed your destiny and imposed, in a manner of unforeseen and perhaps unwitting wisdom, a formulation which forces a change of tact; one which returns respect to people, regard for nation.

The continued unveiling of the mood of the nation is allowing us to see what the people desire deepest. It is not, as I had previously ranted, that the people are not ready. They are, but they are more fed up. They want change, but not the kind they effected in 1992. Then, they received a few years of abatement under Dr. Jagan followed by worse than what they had extricated themselves from pre-1992.

Now we have seen a few firings, a suspension and three resignations – the last of which has brought Guyana’s most domineering political force to its knees.

High profile resignations in light of exposed corruption form new territory for Guyanese. We, as a nation, are not accustomed to such responses. The question must therefore be put.

What has changed since to cause this different response?

I keep returning to the results of November 28th 2011. Those results have been the original precipitating factor in the rapid advancement we are witness to. On reflection those results – which gifted the opposition a majority, and effective control of the National Assembly, while the PPP retained the government – are perhaps better for Guyana than a complete change of government might have been. The politicians, despite their protestations and inclinations to the contrary, must find ways of engaging and working with each other, or perish into irrelevance. It can be expected that while they may flirt with demise, the human survival instinct will cause them to eventually avoid it and, in turn, set a potent example for the people.

No more must conditions be granted to allow for vagabond dictators to run amuck. As with true democracies, power must reside in the domain of the people, not with those whom they allow the duty of serving. And so changing the landscape of the political culture is of greater historical necessity than shuffling and repositioning the political players. This most tormenting and unpleasant task, which will take time and toil, is what will see Guyanese achieve true liberation from agents of oppression.

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June 15, 2012 · 3:57 pm

A speck of beauty amidst the drudgery

Amidst the drudgery of existence in Guyana is something different. It is innocuous and beautiful. A growing group of young Guyanese photography enthusiasts is documenting contemporary (I cannot bring myself to use the word ‘modern’) Guyana. Through their lens, both of the camera and mind, they capture life and landscape in alluring, arresting, entrancing frames.

Among the group are the fiercely committed and enviously gifted non-professionals Nikhil Ramkarran and Michael Lam. Professional photographer Dwayne Hackett, Fidal Bassier and Phillip Williams are also integral. There are others with whom I am less personally familiar but whose work I am often captivated by on their facebook group.

Ever so often they embark on Photo Walks, whether in Georgetown or a non-urban location along the coast. The seawalls seem to be a favourite (default?) location for their treks. I believe they have completed nine such. After each, photographic gems have emerged. From street side limers, landmark Georgetown buildings, church interiors, dead fish to Atlantic sunsets, photographs threatening genius quality have been produced.

The photos appeal to me both as genuine works of art and because I have a deeper interest in the art form.

From my early teenage years I have had a long and torrid love affair with photography. Then, before the term ‘photo walk’ was invented, I used to go on solitary walks on the Philadelphia, Vergenoegen, Tuschen and Zeelugt seawalls and snap, conservatively, away. Those were the pre-digital days when one had to fastidiously count the clicks to avoid running out of preciously limited film.

To this day some of the photographs from those days, having been printed by Acme Photo Studio, are on the wall of my study in Guyana. None enlarged, all standard 6×4. The most prized of them being one which captures the words ‘I love you Tamara’ written with a stick in the sand of the Vergenoegen seawall. Those words were written a long time before December 30, 2011 when Tamara and I wed.

As I, unwittingly, did then, these young photo enthusiasts now are capturing not only life and landscape but vibes, passions and feelings. It is one of the rare specks of beauty which shines through in an otherwise muck-ridden Guyana. There may not now be a proper appreciation of their work but in years to come, they will be reminded, as will generations to follow, of how life used to be when Guyana was yet to define her place in the world.

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April 27, 2012 · 4:12 pm

Let the people breathe

The prevailing wailing and bawling and gnashing of teeth is causing the unwitting illumination of two rather interesting situations. There is, to be specific, uproar over the GINA jobs which have been threatened as a result of the budget cuts.

The first illumination is one which we have come to know well since the mid 1980s – that all animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.

And so it has been that when callous decisions are taken the resultant loss of a mere few hundred or thousands of jobs is to be accepted as  ‘unfortunate’ and ‘regrettable’. We are furnished with swift explanations, via the very propaganda machine now being bawled for, that such actions are necessary as part of ‘prudent fiscal management’.

Ministers are hailed as macro-economic wizards. In the meantime people, good, decent people have bread snatched from their mouths. Mothers agonize, babies cry. But these are animals of a lesser standing you see. For these animals when bread is removed from their table they ought to slump to the floor and pick at and lick whatever crumbs and droppings are left lodged in the crevices. For that is their lot in this eighty three thousand square mile farm of animals of varying standings.

It matters little that the volume of lesser animals far outweighs a select 38. But now that the work of these favoured few has come under justifiable and long overdue scrutiny their cause is championed to unprecedented levels. It is suddenly an issue which threatens the welfare of the nation. One cannot avoid asking where were these squealing champions of workers welfare when single mothers who sweep school buildings and clean school toilets for GY$13,000 a month were being victimised.

We hear now that these pigs of higher standing have families and bank loans. One has to wonder whether it is that Squealor and his acolytes wish us to believe that the children of single mothers and struggling fathers on the side of the lesser animals are of no relevance. Only the children of the privileged pigs are to be considered?

The second point is best illustrated in the form of a question. Should the taxpayers of Guyana be forced to fund an operation which, by the evidence of its output, exists exclusively for the unceasing propagation of government and ruling party propaganda?

Could there be a credible counter argument to the compelling notion that to subject the nation to this Goebbelsian tactic is unconscionable and disgraceful but to impose upon the people that they must fund their own oppression is inhumane and unjust?

On November 28th last the long suffering people took a simple decision. That decision being to put a greater share of power in the hands of the opposition so that it may oversee, monitor and hold accountable the bearers of the national coffers. It was a decision taken to ease the suffering of the masses even if the long favoured few had to now bear some strain of their own.

Who does GINA serve? The people? Which people?

If the answer is ‘the people’, why then are these very people of the conviction that GINA is no more than a tool, wielded without a hint of mercy, to keep the nation misinformed, misguided and brainwashed? Those 38 are agents of the oppressors. Their work serves to further the cause of oppression. Must the nation fund its own biased indoctrination?

If such indoctrination is desired by the powers that be they should find the funding for it from their well lined pockets.

Praise be and long may it continue that budget cuts and other mechanisms illuminate the dastardly wickedness being foisted upon the people. This is not opposition power, this is the people’s power. Let Brother Walter’s spirit rise, let his words proliferate, let his cause live so that the people may breathe.

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December 23, 2009 · 8:01 am

Gizmos converted

Relatives who shall remain anonymous visited the much talked about Gizmos & Gadgets Superstore on Monday and reported that they were underwhelmed. They were not pleased that some prices were quoted in US dollars – a not uncommon practice in Guyana particularly for jewellery stores; and that the variety in Glamour – the new boutique – in the Superstore was inadequate.

I visited the store on Tuesday evening and had a different experience. A much different overall experience.

The design and aesthetic appeal of the store is impressive. There is no other adjective to be used, impressive it was.

There was no effort to maximise the placement of merchandise a la Regent Street haberdashery stores. Moving from their elbow-nudging, hole-in-the-wall operation at the corner of Robb and Wellington streets to the corner of North Road and Wellington Street the general layout of the store is thoughtful, spacious and considerate. The layout has customer comfort both at the heart and forefront. It is a very un-Guyanese set up which matches or surpasses other Caribbean stores and it is obvious that it was patterned after first world stores.

The owners of Gizmos & Gadgets have raised the bar in the retail shopping industry in Guyana in terms of all round customer experience. To state the case simply: they have now lapped the competition in this regard.

The young owners of the store have clearly insisted on a better customer shopping experience and fo that they must be complimented.

I am not one who usually doles out compliments and kudos but I was moved to congratulate both owners.

It is not all great and grand though.

The finish on some of the obviously locally made showcases (in Glamour) and the cashier booth falls below par. It is clear that the designs were clever but it would appear as though the owners of the store either chose substandard builders or had to contend with the shortcomings of local builders in delivering a high class, neat and perfect finish. They need to either find the best local builder in Guyana and do some upgrades in those two areas or import the skills. I believe it is the former, not the latter.

Otherwise Glamour puts the shopping experience in the other so called high-end but always crammed-to-the-hilt, messy and cluttered boutiques in Georgetown to utter shame.

The options, to be honest, are not extensive but that can be dramatically improved with the arrival of new stock (which I was told will be soon in coming).

I have previously had reason to harshly criticize Gizmos for poor customer service. This has been rectified. In all departments the sales people were obviously better trained than before, courteous, friendly and knowledgeable. This may be standard in the real-world but a sad rarity in Guyana.

Such was my experience that when I enquired about the availability of a certain item and was told that regrettably there was none in stock, I was told there would be new stock coming in soon. I asked when I could check back and was told checking back would not be necessary. I was asked to leave my number and I would receive a call to confirm if the item I was interested in is available.

A Guyanese store is going to follow up by calling me to provide additional information? This I have got to see!

Overall the prices did not seem to be very competitive in most of the departments but there are several deals to be had for the persevering shopper. And there are some departments which offer unmatchable prices – the cell phone and audio-visual departments being the most notable. In Glamour there are numerous items which cannot be had for cheaper in Georgetown and that the owners are willing to match first world advertised prices is a masterstroke.

I must confess that after observing the media coverage I was sceptical that it was all PR fluff and that the store would not live up to the hype. It did not live up to the hype, it exceeded it, even if there is room for improvement.

Down to their Christmas tree – which was not cheesy and classless (like the one at Rahaman’s Park) but rather tasteful and striking – Gizmos got it right.

A fantastic job – the owners deserve all credit and kudos they receive. It is a clear triumph for young entrepreneurs in Guyana who are increasingly demonstrating that they will not do things as they have always been done before. They are showing an inclination to lead, not follow. They are breaking the mould and bringing an improved customer experience to our shores.

It is refreshing and I will support as best as I can within the confines of my budget.

To conclude I can say unequivocally that I am a happy customer. And that comes from someone who is admittedly highly critical and discriminating and who vowed not to shop at Gizmos again after a previous experience of poor customer service (which I am beginning to realise was because they were inadequately staffed or in too small a space previously).

Shopping at Gizmos was a pleasant experience, one which I hope to repeat in the not-too-distant future.

Gwaan Gizmos! Yuh ah lead!

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October 31, 2009 · 7:05 pm

Statement by Guyanese lawyers on torture/denial of constitutional rights

Following is the full statement released earlier today by 25 lawyers practising in Guyana:

Public Statement

31st October 2009

“No person shall be subject to torture or to inhuman or degrading punishment or other treatment.”

Article 141 of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

“Any person who is arrested or detailed shall be informed as soon as reasonably practicable .. ..of the reasons for his arrest or detention and shall be permitted, at his own expense, to retain and instruct without delay a legal adviser of his own choice…”

Article 139 of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana

“Every person, as contemplated by the respective international treaties set out in the Fourth Schedule to which Guyana has acceded is entitled to the human rights enshrined in the said international treaties and such rights shall be respected and upheld by the executive, legislature, judiciary and all organs and agencies of the Government, and where applicable to them all natural and legal persons and shall be enforceable in the manner herein prescribed.”

Fourth Schedule includes Convention of the Rights of the Child

Article 154 A of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

The (Guyana Police) Force shall be employed in the prevention and detection of crime, …. and the due enforcement of all laws and regulations with which it is directly charged …” Police Act Chapter 16:01 of the Laws of Guyana.

The events surrounding the arrest, detention and subsequent torture of a fourteen year old minor and at least one other suspect while in the custody of the Guyana Police Force at the Leonora Police Station are as chilling as they are abhorrent.

The subsequent refusal by the Guyana Police Force to permit another brutalized detainee access to a legal advisor of his own choice, particularly eminent Senior Counsel, for a period of four days is a flagrant violation of the guaranteed protected fundamental rights of the citizen, as set out in the Constitution of the Republic of Guyana by those whose primary duty is to uphold the rights enshrined in the Constitution.

The restriction and prevention by the Guyana Police of access by the media and other members of the public to a Magistrate’s Court while victims of police brutality where present in the Court are ominous signs of a cover up and suppression of the publication of criminal activity by law enforcement officers.

We the undersigned wish to condemn in the strongest possible terms the torture of a minor and for a matter of fact any other person while in custody by members of the Guyana Police Force.

We wish to record our unreserved condemnation of the Guyana Police Force of their refusal to permit the minor access to a legal advisor of his choice after his detention by the Guyana Police Force.

The restriction of access by the media to a public court by members of the Guyana Police Force where evidence of their acts of torture and violence is unashamed attempt to suppress the dissemination of information to the public of criminal activity by members of the Guyana Police Force who are charged with the responsibility of protecting and serving the public. This enjoys our unequivocal condemnation.

We condemn crime in all forms and offer our sympathies to the victims of all crimes.

We make the following immediate demands:

1. The immediate institution of criminal charges against those responsible for the torture of the minor at the Lenora Police Station between the 27th and 30th October 2009.

2. The establishment of an independent public Commission of Inquiry into the following:

(a) Operational and structural procedures of the Guyana Police Force which led to the torture of a minor while in police custody.

(b) Operation and structural procedures which permitted these events to proceed undetected and unsanctioned.

(c) Operational and structural procedures which facilitated an Attorney at law being denied access to his client.

3. The immediate suspension of the Officer in charge of the investigation and the officer in charge of the station at which the minor was tortured during the conduct of the investigation into the events.

4. The immediate provision of immediate medical and psychological treatment to the victim of these horrific events.

1. Bernard De Santos S.C.
2. C.A. Nigel Hughes.
3. Vic Puran
4. Khemraj Ramjattan
5. Stephen Fraser.
6. Mark Waldron.
7. Glenn Hanoman.
8. Pamela De Santos.
9. Roger Yearwood.
10. Ronald Burch-Smith
11. Gregory Gaskin.
12. Anil Nandlall.
13. Gino Persaud
14. Joseph Harmon
15. Robin Hunte.
16. Kenita Cumberbatch.
17. Deborah Kumar.
18. Raphael Trotman.
19. Peter Hugh.
20. Satyesh Kissoon.
21. Rexford Jackson.
22. Moen Mc Doom. Jnr.
23. Mishka Puran.
24. Manoj Narayan.
25. Tanya Warren.

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August 20, 2009 · 5:51 am

The end of the PNC?

This weekend the PNC/R will go into its Biennial Congress at the party headquarters – Congress Place – and unlike on any previous occasion the leadership position will be hotly contested. Incumbent Robert Corbin is the favourite and his main challenge will come from Dr. Richard Van West Charles, the recently returned son-in-law of LFS Burnham and former Minister of Health.

Capitol News, last evening, virtually confirmed that Dr. Van West Charles and the unimpeachable Winston Murray (who was also nominated to contest the position of leader) will team up against Corbin and his new right hand man, lawyer, Basil Williams. The formal announcement of team Van West Charles/Murray is expected sometime today.

Given the overwhelming number of nominations for Corbin (160+) over Van West Charles (20+), Corbin is expected to be returned leader of the party but there are already growing murmurs that the election process is likely to be seriously flawed which is certain to cause disgruntlement amongst the losers in particular.

There has been a building wave of disenchantment and outright opposition to the leadership of Corbin since the resounding 2006 electoral defeat – the largest in the party’s history. Efforts of party stalwart Vincent Alexander to displace Corbin thereafter were stymied in controversial circumstances at the previous congress and Alexander and other influential members of his team resigned their positions in frustration and remain on the outside to date.

Given the widespread disillusionment with Corbin as leader his imminent return to the senior most post in the party is likely to viewed as unbearable by the many who have been calling for change at the top.

Coupled with the alleged irregular voting system, Corbin may find himself with an unrelenting opposition to his leadership immediately following the election. There are those within the party who feel that Corbin no longer has a valuable contribution to make as leader and with him at the helm the party will only disintegrate further.

The difficulty is that his main contender – Van West Charles – not unlike Corbin himself, is a relic of the dark days of oppressive PNC rule. Van West Charles has garnered some level of local and international support but does not have mass appeal within and without the party to make the impact a contender who wishes to displace Corbin must make. He must be hoping that by teaming up with the highly and widely respected Murray his image will be softened to allow him a surprise victory. It may not be enough.

Corbin and his team have already made overtures to Murray. Williams – the lead nominee for the position of chairman – has reportedly intimated that he is willing to step aside in preference for an Indo-Guyanese candidate as the party seeks a multi-racial leadership duo. Murray is unlikely to seriously consider any offer from Team Corbin as he recently resigned from the position of chairman owing to fundamental disagreements with Corbin in particular on a critical aspect of the party’s philosophy.

Under Corbin the PNC has performed worst than it had ever done previously and under his continued leadership there is no sign of an improvement on that performance. Corbin as leader of the PNC post-2009 will most certainly lead to the further fragmentation of the party and this will be to the natural benefit of the AFC which is already positioning itself as the pre-eminent opposition force given the mounting impotence and increasing irrelevance of the languishing PNC.

PNC faithful are aware that the leadership battle is a most critical one in the party’s recent history and any persistence with Corbin will ensure at least one more round of embarrassing and possibly crippling – if not fatal – electoral defeat. So entrenched is Corbin though that he appears to be an immovable force at the top, and harbours every intention of remaining put even if it means the complete and utter destruction of the party itself.

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