The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) yesterday said that former President David Granger is only taking a “brief vacation” from his duties as party leader.
In a statement yesterday, the party reminded that since 2011 Granger has consistently acted as party leader, Opposition Leader and President even after he was diagnosed with cancer. . “Mr. Granger has had a steady governmental work schedule and during this long period, has never taken a vacation. He has now decided to take this opportunity to proceed on leave so that he can enjoy a period of well-deserved rest and attend to personal matters,” the statement explained.
It added that Granger has not demitted office as Party Leader and will be spending his vacation in Guyana.
Stabroek News understands that while this is not the first time a party leader has gone on vacation it is the first time it has been communicated to party executives in such a formal manner. This newspaper has previously reported that Granger wrote to party chairperson Volda Lawrence and General Secretary Amna Ally indicating that he was proceeding on leave. In his absence Lawrence assumes the position of leader.
Repeated attempts to reach Lawrence and Ally have proved futile.
Ally has over the last few months refused to speak publicly on matters related to the party stressing that she will not discuss party matters outside of the party while Lawrence has been publicly silent since the APNU+AFC demitted office.
The party chair who was controversially passed over by Granger for a seat in parliament briefly broke her public silence to comment on the admission of two new parties to A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).
“The CEC is the decision making body between the General Council and Con-gress hence it has the power to call meetings and make statements. The statement issued is legitimate and correct. The matter was discussed at our last CEC where both the leader and General Secretary were present (and) did not object to the CEC decision. I therefore endorse the statement by the CEC,” Lawrence communicated to Stabroek News.
The CEC members’ statement, which was issued minutes before the 10th anniversary celebration of APNU specifically noted that the party did not sanction Granger’s acceptance of “two shell parties”- the Equal Rights and Justice Party and the Guyana Nation Builders Movement- into APNU.
It was also publicly endorsed by executive members Aubrey Norton and Richard Van West- Charles who have both expressed a willingness to be considered for Party Leader.
