People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) leader David Granger is facing mounting pressure to step down, as a number of PNCR diaspora groups on Sunday added their voices to calls for the former President to step down from leading the party.
In a letter signed by Connie McGuire, Michael Bramford, George E, Lewis and the PNCR New York Diaspora group, they appealed to all PNC Executives, members and supporters to demand the resignations of Granger and other party leaders.
They noted that after working tirelessly to get Granger elected in 2015, the party made a series of missteps, failed to connect to supporters and sidelined young and dynamic leadership like that offered by former Region 10 Regional Chairman Sharma Solomon.
“It will be a colossal mistake for we the members of the PNCR groups in the New York Diaspora and the executive members of the PNCR to allow them to remain at the helm of the PNCR. This will no doubt do irreparable damage to the party… it is time for them to pass the baton on to the younger leadership of the likes of Sharma Solomon, Vanessa Kissoon, Thandi McCallister and others.”
“As members of the PNCR groups in the New York Diaspora, we have all felt betrayed by a wobbly and inept leadership. Once the coalition was in office, we felt that the top leadership isolated themselves permanently from members of the party in Guyana and us, the party supporters and members in the New York Diaspora. It was impossible for us in the Diaspora to communicate with the leaders much less to offer them help or advice.”
According to the group, the PNC’s elitist attitude adopted after they entered Government is responsible for losing the March 2 General and Regional Elections last year. It wasn’t lost on the group, however, that Granger and his fellow PNC leaders have been ducking responsibility for their party’s loss at the polls. The party has in fact gone to court claiming that the elections were rigged against them. Both of their election petitions have been tossed out.
“They have refused to accept responsibility for their defeat and instead have accused the PPP of rigging the elections which is a big lie, similar to the one told by Trump in the U.S. The truth is the leaders of the PNCR, Mr. Granger did not follow through on many of the party’s development initiatives in its manifesto to bring about change, reduce unemployment and improved the lives of the masses.”
“For five years, they have presided over a non-responsive and introverted Administration that did not care about the people, much less their supporters. In fact, we the members of the New York Diaspora group must admit our failure for failing to speak up or intervene before the March 2, 2020 elections,” the group said.
The group admitted that as the PNC in Government made mistake after mistake, they should have spoken up. However, they took responsibility for this and noted that with the PNC booted out of office after five years, the time had come for soul searching to determine why the PNC leadership became “lackluster and ineffective.”
“The fact that the leaders of the governing coalition had arrogantly ignored or deliberately did not seek advice shows that they did not care about the viability and longevity of the PNCR but only themselves.”
“Their actions seem to be the largest con game ever portrayed by the leaders of the party on the people of Guyana. The fact that we have worked assiduously to get them and the coalition elected to office in 2015 were totally ignored,” the group said.
Only recently, Congress Place was picketed by members of Granger’s own party who demanded that he hold the congress so that the party could choose a leader. One placard, aimed at Granger and Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon, had read “David and Joe, stop denying democracy in the PNC. Time for congress”.
PNC’s last biennial congress was in 2018, where Granger was returned unopposed as leader of the party. According to the diaspora group, the time has come for younger and more progressive leaders to be elected to lead the party. [Guyana Times]
