In the wake of the recent resignation of People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) General Secretary (GS) Geeta Chandan-Edmond and the party’s Treasurer, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton has indicated that a new GS will be appointed soon.
Norton gave this update during a press conference on Tuesday. According to Norton, consultations are already underway within the party to determine the next GS. On the other hand, the party Treasurer is an elected position. It is a position that will soon become vacant, because PNCR Treasurer Faaiz Mursalin has indicated his intention to resign by Friday.
“In the case of the Treasurer, it is an elected member at congress. In the case of the General Secretary, the General Secretary is appointed by the leader. Now my approach to these matters has always been to consult with people, to find a person who is acceptable to most, if not all of our party.”
“The first General Secretary appointed by me, I consulted. We agreed on the criteria we will use. We did that. On this occasion we continue to consult. And I believe before the new year dawns, there will be a General Secretary appointed. If not before the new year, very early in the new year,” Norton said.
In light of the fact that Chandan-Edmond and Mursalin are both of East Indian descent, Norton also maintained that racial bias is not responsible for their decisions to resign. According to Norton, he accommodates all ethnic groups and in fact, claimed to have a good relationship with both Chandan-Edmond and Mursalin.
“I think one of the things to do is interview someone like Ganesh Mahipaul, talk to people of other ethnic groups… the PNC has always been a party in which all ethnic groups… it is predominantly an Afro-Guyanese party, I think the world knows that… but when it comes to involvement of people in decision making, regardless of your ethnic group you are involved.”
“I would not worry about what conclusion or perception has been created. I always remind people that a lot of the people saying the leader does not accommodate Indians, I want to remind them that the campaign manager and the person who supported Winston Murray as an Indo-Guyanese to become leader of this party, his name was Aubrey Norton,” the Opposition Leader added.
Both Chandan-Edmond and Mursalin had only been serving in their respective positions for roughly a year. Chandan-Edmond was appointed in January of this year, with the PNCR making it clear in a statement that the former Magistrate enjoyed the full support of the party membership. According to the party, Chandan-Edmond, a lawyer by profession, possesses management skills and good human relations skills that make her suitable to be General Secretary of the PNCR.
Chandan-Edmond’s resignation was reportedly submitted last week. Prior to her resignation, she was on leave of absence from the party. Back in January, the former Magistrate had replaced longstanding PNCR Member Amna Ally, who had served as the party’s General Secretary since June 2017. At the time of Chandan-Edmond’s appointment, she was serving as an APNU/AFC Member of Parliament.
Chandan-Edmond is a former member of the Alliance For Change (AFC), the minority party in the coalition Opposition. Last year, her husband Joel Edmond resigned from the AFC. The former Magistrate had worked in the then Ministry of the Presidency (now Office of the President) under then Minister of State Joseph Harmon while the coalition was in office, and had served on State Boards and Commissions.
Meanwhile, Mursalin won 404 votes in the PNCR’s internal elections in December of last year, to become Treasurer. In a social media post, he had declared that he would “discharge my last and final duties as National Treasurer of the PNCR on December 23, 2020…A formal letter will be prepared and be sent to the leader’s office, thank you all who supported me.”
