Party should go to polls with clean slate
-Van West-Charles
Winston Murray remains the best candidate to lead the PNCR and any broad opposition alliance to the next election, according to supporter Dr Richard Van West-Charles, who also says that the party needs to settle internal democracy issues to go the polls with a clean slate.
In an interview with Stabroek News, Van West-Charles, who supported Murray’s
unsuccessful campaign to be PNCR leader last year, said he is the “best candidate” for the party and “to lead whatever broad coalition” that may emerge to contest the elections. According to him, the party has to identify a candidate that has capacity as well as the necessary knowledge and acumen to confront the challenges of Guyana today. “The challenges are not small challenges, the challenges are very big challenges and hence you require a leader and team that would have the necessary skills to be able to in short order begin to address the myriad of problems we have as a nation and allow us to make a significant leap from where we are,” he said.
The PNCR has initiated a process to identify a candidate and it is also among the parties exploring a joint opposition coalition to contest the next election. PNCR leader Robert Corbin, in affirming the party’s commitment to an electoral alliance, has stated that it would not seek a domineering role or insist that its candidate lead the group.
According to Van West-Charles, Corbin’s comment is premature, especially since the goal presently should be getting an agreement on a developmental programme to put the country back on track. “Now, once we go through that process and we have those discussions, then you will eventually begin to talk about the parameters,” he said, noting that the PNCR as an organisation would carry weight among the forces and that the formation of a partnership would require a decision on who will be the best candidate to lead.
He said a joint approach is desirable and it is crucial that there is an agreement among the participating entities on the interventions that are necessary to catalyse the development of the country, ensuring greater effective allocation of resources and a better quality of life for all. In particular, Van West-Charles emphasised the need for agreement on proposed constitutional changes, measures to build confidence in the system of government among citizens and strategies to create an enabling environment for investment, while saying there should be priority programmes to correct the ills of the current government. “We have to agree to and commit and the essence of a dialogue for a partnership is where we need to go, instead of closing doors on possibilities, unless you haven’t gotten an in depth understanding and are just tinkering on the edges and its about power for yourself or your group,” he said.
He added that it is important that the opposition grasps the issues affecting the daily lives of all the people in the communities, in order to demonstrate it is committed to nation building rather than “playing around” with resources and what he dubbed false indicators of development.
He also noted that practising inclusiveness is also important and in this regard he welcomed the interest by a citizen’s group in formulating an electoral partnership. He said the opposition should welcome people who obviously want to see some change in the country. “They want to see a change from this administration and to deal with some of the issues in a way that is common to what we want to see. And, the more people involved, the better it is for the country.” He added that while it is unclear who is aligned to the group, the members represent citizens’ voices relevant to the national situation. “You can’t throw it out and say they have no impact or say. It would be unfortunate if we don’t practise inclusiveness of ideas when it comes to resolving the problems confronting our country;” he noted.
‘A clean slate’
At the same time, Van West-Charles said that in going forward the PNCR needs to demonstrate the principle of a transparent electoral process clearly. He said the party must show that its internal democracy rests on the basis of a “healthy,” “fair” and “just” system. “I think once the party can address those issues and come out with a clean slate, [it] is on its way,” he added.
Asked whether the party currently has a clean slate, he said the party has to address the electoral process in the way of “deepening the democracy” and it must do so very quickly.
Following last year’s Biennial Congress, Van West-Charles charged that the electoral process was “fraudulent,” from membership registration to voting. He contended that the party was “hijacked through an illegal process by personal agendas” once again and he submitted a report of irregularities that affected the results. “The results of the elections at the 16th Biennial Congress [are] not a reflection of the will of the party’s membership nor [are they] reflective of the will of the delegates who turned up,” the report concludes, adding “If irregularities did not exist Mr Winston Murray could have been elected leader.” The report was submitted to party leader Robert Corbin, General Secretary Oscar Clarke and Chairman of the party’s Accreditation Committee Lance Carberry.
Van West-Charles said there has been no response to the report. However, he added that during the process for renewal of membership, the party needs to ensure the verification of the membership by adopting the use of a photo ID which he had proposed prior to the Congress. “We have to ensure the work being done is being done properly,” he said, while noting that it is not a complex issue, particularly if the PNCR would call on its members and supporters to exercise their franchise at the next elections. “No one can make the excuse that not all people will have a picture ID, for the simple reason that if you expect to win at a national election, all of your supporters, be it party members or supporters, or people who see you as viable, must have a picture ID to exercise their franchise at the national elections,” he explained.
He added that the party also has to ensure that the process is transparent by ensuring that persons with direct links to candidates are not involved in the electoral machinery and that identified deadlines are strictly adhered to. “Internally, it is something we have to discuss. I don’t think we have had that opportunity as yet,” he added.
Notwithstanding his reservations about the process, Van West Charles emphasised that there are no factions within the party “as some people want to say.” He added, “We are all members of the party. We have differences and those differences will contribute to the strengthening of unity in the party but we don’t hate each other. I speak to all members of the party, including [party leader] Robert Corbin.”
Since his return here, Van West-Charles has been visiting various communities as part of the work of the non-governmental organisation Partnering and Nurturing for Development in Guyana (PNDG), which is focused on community-based development, poverty alleviation and capacity building. He said that he also visits party members and supporters to “re-energise” and “re-engage” them where needed, thereby ensuring that they can be organised more effectively. However, he admitted that there is a sense in some communities of a “disconnect” from the PNCR. Further, he added that the party also has to find a way to connect with young people, whom he said are a crucial constituency if it is going to have a place come the next election. “Whatever you do, the focus has got to be young people, because whatever is going to be done is going to be done for their future and young people must have a stake and a voice in your plans in going forward,” he said. He added that some are feeling a “pinch” under the current administration and want assistance in addressing some of their problems, and “so you have to engage them and begin to establish linkage and dialogue with them.”
