Urge new political culture
Former PNCR Vice-Chair-man Vincent Alexander and supporters of his unsuccessful campaign for leadership have withdrawn from the party, while making renewed calls for it to embrace a new political culture.
Vincent Alexander
Outraged by the PNCR’s decision to axe former executive James McAllister as a Member of Parliament (MP), Alexander told a news conference that he and other members of the campaign “can no longer be in service” to the party. He announced his resignation from the Local Government Reform Task Force, where he represented the party as Co-Chairman since its establishment. Additionally, he disclosed that he has not renewed his party membership since August last year, while other members of his team said they too allowed their membership to lapse. Among them was Julianne Gaul, who also resigned as a member of the Region Four Regional Democratic Council (RDC). She said she chose not to renew her membership to show solidarity with McAllister. “Those of us who constituted Team Alexander and remained in active service to the [PNCR], notwithstanding discrimination, vilification and even persecution, can no longer be in service to a party that merely gives lip service to the ideals that inspired our continued service…” Alexander said. “This is not a time for settling old political scores. This is a time for courageously tackling the fundamental problems that prevent the party from re-energising and rebuilding.”
James McAllister
The announcement came on the eve of today’s PNCR General Council, which is being held at the party’s Congress Place headquarters. When contacted yesterday, PNCR Leader Robert Corbin told Stabroek News that he had not seen the group’s statement and as a result could not comment.
McAllister’s seat was vacated this week after the party sent a notice of recall to the Speaker of the National Assembly. The decision was in keeping with a recommendation by a disciplinary committee, which was set up in keeping with a motion passed at the last biennial congress impugning the team for misconduct. The substance of the motion was “an expression of lack of confidence” in them for actions incompatible with party membership, including speaking with the media. The offences, the committee said, were committed in direct contravention of guidance given by Corbin and party Chairman Winston Murray that it would not have been in the interest of the party.
In addition to McAllister, other members of the campaign were reprimanded, with the committee finding that there was “no evidence of malice but one of poor judgment” in the cases against them. Among them were MP Deborah Backer, Ivor Allen, Hamley Case, former GYSM Chairman Chiyedza James and former GYSM executive members Peter Livingstone and Gaul. It also urged them to avoid recurrence, warning that the consequences would be treated seriously in the future. Three members – former executive members Joseph Hamilton and Dr Dalgleish Joseph and former GYSM Chairman Andrew Hicks – did not reply to summons to appear before the committee.
As a result of the situation, the PNCR has taken a decision that anyone renewing membership or applying to become a member of the party had to sign its code of conduct.
Alexander explained that the decision to withdraw from the party was not intended to undermine the PNCR, but was a reaction to its continued display of vindictiveness. He said while members of the team have continued to serve the party and others have retreated to private life, they have been persistently subjected to a “witch-hunt” for more than a year, culminating in them being found guilty and reprimanded.
He described the decision to remove McAllister from the National Assembly as part of a vendetta. He noted that McAllister was removed without a hearing from elected office in Region Three and also charged with 11 counts of indiscipline as well as two secret charges that were never communicated to him. He said the charges were heard in McAllister’s absence and his guilt determined. “…This dictatorial power, which is vested in the representative of the list, who in this instance is Mr. Corbin, exemplifies the political culture that needs changing,” Alexander declared, later adding that the party leadership did not seek any reconciliation before disciplining the members.
One of the reasons given by the party for McAllister’s recall was his absence at a number of parliamentary sittings and his failure to inform of his decision to travel overseas. Alexander, however, said McAllister attended the parliament up to the August recess and only missed the sittings that have been convened since then. Additionally, he noted that in the past members such as Myrna Peterkins and Lurlene Nestor were both allowed to remain as MPs despite prolonged absences.
In April last year, members of Alexander’s team approached the party leadership to notify the intention to nominate a candidate to challenge Corbin for the PNCR leadership at the party’s Biennial Congress. The challenge was organised around a platform that recognised the need for a new polity in the party and the country at large and for the commitments to democracy and free and fair elections to be realised.
Alexander put the party membership on alert that many of the core issues that formed the team’s platform and campaign have been completely ignored. He added that despite the best efforts of many, Corbin appeared to be mired in old habits and strategies. At the same time, he cautioned against viewing the team’s actions as having anything to do with personality. “[It’s] about the corpus of the party and how it acts in the political arena,” he said.
Of the team’s future, he said that they would join their colleagues engaged in private pursuits or would find other means through which they could fulfil their desires to render service to the people. Asked about the likelihood of him and the team forming a new political party, Alexander said it was not a move under consideration.
Although Alexander was nominated by the parliamentary opposition to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), he is not a representative of the party. It is a constitutional appointment and what is more, the law currently makes no provisions for term limits for members of the commission.
Case, Hicks, Gaul and former executive Sherwood Lowe were present at the news conference along with Alexander.
There you go, soon many others will follow until Corbin is his own leader and follower…Go Corbin Go………..Go Corbin Go………..Go Corbin Go………..Go Corbin Go………..Go Corbin Go………..Go Corbin Go………..Go Corbin Go………..Go Corbin Go……..GO NOW!!!!!!!!
I agree with you, Sandhurst. Do you think that the PNC or the party it has become, is still relevant to the people of Guyana?
Team Alexander has shown courage in the face of bullyism and tyranny in the PNC. I wish them well in their endeavors to beat a new path to helping make Guyane more democratic, and governance more transparent, inclusive and accountable. The PP is getting away with a lot of things because of an ineffective PNC that has settled for waiting for shared governance rather than doing its constitutional duty of opposing the autocracy of Jagdeo. Perhaps Corbin himself is an autocrat, hence his docility in the face of what the PPP is doing. Any political marriage of convenience between the PPP and PNC will guarantee us an elected dictatorship.
Re: “[...The PP is getting away with a lot of things because of an ineffective PNC that has settled for waiting for shared governance rather than doing its constitutional duty of opposing the autocracy of Jagdeo. Perhaps Corbin himself is an autocrat, hence his docility in the face of what the PPP is doing. Any political marriage of convenience between the PPP and PNC will guarantee us an elected dictatorship...]” Certain achievements of an organization such as that of PNC will be based/dependent on its “INTELLIGENTSIA”; and, in the absence of this where the present make-up of the PNC is concerned – what else can you expect! Corbin is no Burnham.
Andy! You should listen to yourself.. ‘constitutional duty of opposing the autocracy of Jagdeo.’ The operative word here is constitutional. Quo Vadis?
I agree that “This is not a time for settling old political scores. This is a time for courageously tackling the fundamental problems that prevent the party from re-energising and rebuilding.”
For team Alexander ‘the die is cast’ what now?
…” Alexander said. “This is not a time for settling old political scores. This is a time for courageously tackling the fundamental problems that prevent the party from re-energising and rebuilding.”
Re-build you say Alexander?
let me tell you this now bro and you better believe it…
as long as these three letters (P.N.C)is there on your party you do not stand a chance of even coming close to winning an election in Guyana until hell freezes over…
You folks are not getting it or just refused to get it…some people just shiver in their boots when they see these three letters PNC..
You should take a page out of these people’s book,their leader is not performing well so they let him know by exercising their democratic right to do what they think is right under the circumstances…..don’t stay and bun,cut and run!!!
Re: “[...You folks are not getting it or just refused to get it…some people just shiver in their boots when they see these three letters PNC...]” Are you in your right senses or what! There is a bank by the name of PNC here in the United States of America. And the PNC as some also know it is an institution in Guyana; but, you let the financial and other support pipelines for the PPP out of Queens, New York dry up and the world will see what will happen to that organization. With time the world and you will see the dinosaur that is the PNC emerging.
It’s the same way many think of the PPP.
i agree with team alexander do what is right for guyana,
mr. corbin does not want to give up power he does not
see the big picture he is a loser and will lead the party
to destruction slowly,this is one of the reasons the ppp/
regime is out of control there is no oppossition in guyana,
atleast the ppp got one thing right in running guyana and
that is to dismantle the pnc i must give them respect for
that, and to all afro guyanese living in guyana and abroad
join and support team alexander in whatever they decided to
do in the future.
Well at least Corbin will achieve something by leading the Party to Destruction…Why are you only calling on afro guyanese to support Alexande? Is that what the PNC is all about? Alexander would never get full support as long as he is linked to the PNC…He has made a move now and he will have to show that his policies are different to attract support from all races and that will carry him somewhere..
Mr GCID,can you go home torbo and take over from corbin? I support you all the way.
If anyone cares to recall – the self- destruct policies started during the late L. F. S. Burnham era (the Hamilton Green – Desmond Hoyte faction) Don’t ya all remember what happened between Desmond Hoyte and Hamilton Green following the General Elections in Guyana in 1992. Well, the “dictatorial-like” saga continues. ;-)
wait the PNCR still around wow!
HAhAAAAAAAAAAAA
everyone knows that corbin rhymes with DUSTBIN.
The party is at an all time low, and Corbin seems hell bent on pursuing his personal agendas. Alexander and team makes up a significant part of the intellectual base of the party, and as such Corbin should have sought a compromise and be less severe. The party stand to loose, rather than gain from this. What is more alarming, is that this is happening at a time when society is in dire need of leadership and representation, and at a time when the govt seems to be exercising more of its discriminatory and dictatorial tendancies. Im now sorry for the persons who would have voted for the party, and are without their deserved representation. I really would like to see what the executive team looks like now. Heard Murray has taken a back seat and Ming is being sought for other political functions. Corbin is ensuring the slow death of the party…… what a pity!!!!
Not Corbin alone has his own agenda…The party is a looser all the time. A Government is as strong as the opposition( Weak opposition weak government). The destructor in that party is Norton..Hoyte kicked him and Corbin brought him back…You will tell me better later…
Next stop another new,very new political party headed by Alexander and McAllister, thats all we need more dunder heads who yap but can show nothing politically positive in their resume.
Team Alexander should be honest about all of this: its about personality. Team Alexander and the current Leader Mr Corbin should work out their personal differences that date back since in the middle 80’s. If this continues, the PNCR will be weakened and will not be a viable opponent at the 2011 elections. Is this what we want ant this time? Oh no!
Chippy my friend, I think that you should also be honest and realize that this party has been over since 1992. It’s time to turn off the lights so that each and everybody can go their separate ways.
This idea called the PNC, that Burnham started, has long been expired due to pettiness, envy and jealousy within the leadership, therefore to continue with the charade of broken unity and the vision less personal ambition of that same leadership, would be an embarrassment of epic proportions for the Guyanese electorate, if it is allowed to continue the same way.
Political party politics is about serving and governing the people first and definitely not about personal gratuity. Sorry my friend, but it looks like the gravy train for national failure is finally coming to a sad end. Might I say that God is great…..
That is what Corbin wants…
guyana needs a new opposition party with fire in it’s belly to challenge the ppp, and it’s dictatorial policies.