Longstanding party stalwart and Public Health Minister, Volda Lawrence, will be contesting for the People’s National Congress Reform’s (PNCR’s) chairmanship post at the upcoming congress in August.
This was announced on Saturday by party activist and Director of Sport, Christopher Jones, on his Facebook page: “…Minister of Public Health, Hon. Volda Ann Lawrence, has officially announced she is contesting the post of Chairman of the PNCR,” Jones posted on his social media handle.
Efforts by this Online publication to contact for comment Public Health Minister Lawrence, who is also a party executive, proved futile. Lawrence had, in 2012, contested for the leadership of the party alongside then Opposition Leader and now President, David Granger, and current Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge. This time, she will be running alongside two other party executives: current PNCR Chairman and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams, who is also the Attorney General; and Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, who also recently announced his intention to contest for the party chairmanship post.
Harmon announced his candidacy in a short statement on June 21. He said the PNC holds its Congress biennially, at which time all positions of leadership (inclusive of Party Leader and Central Executives) are up for voting.
“That is the democracy which we practise: so every member of the Party can aspire to the highest office in our party. And like many others, I am a member of the Party of long standing, and therefore have indicated that it is my desire and my interest in putting myself up as a candidate for the chairmanship of the Party,” Harmon said.
This was announced days after the PNC had held its second General Council Meeting for the year, on June 16.
Back in April, Williams had hinted that he may run again for the chairmanship post. “I am servant of the PNC and a servant of my party. They know me. I have been working steadily throughout the years, and me and my comrades… So we don’t think that’s an issue,” he stated.
Williams had, at the last PNCR Congress, in 2016, contested the position of Chairman unopposed.
