The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) held a two-day General Council on the 18th and 19th November 2023 at Congress Place, Sophia. The theme of the meeting was “Moving Forward as a Disciplined and United Party.”
The General Council is the second-highest decision-making forum of the Party. According to Party Rule 16, participants are all members of Central Executive Committee, RDC Chairs and Vice Chairs, Party candidates at the last General Elections, representatives of the Party’s youth arm (the Guyana Youth and Student Movement) and its women’s arm (the National Congress of Women), the Chairs and Vice Chairs of NDCs, Mayors and Deputy Mayors of municipalities, and other regional Party leaders.
Party comrades shared with Village Voice News their concern that the composition of last weekend’s General Council was not representative of Rule 16, and what contributed to this is that eligible persons were discouraged from attending. When the matter was raised on the floor, Party Leader, Mr. Aubrey Norton, apologised to the General Council for unauthorised action taken by one district chairperson to rescind notices sent to eligible participants.
No decision on Party congress date
Constitutionally, the Party’s Congress is due every two years. The last congress was held December 2021. The issue was not on the General Council’s agenda despite the Central Executive Committee took the decision on September 20 to have the Council, the second highest decision-making arm of the party, make the determination.
On September 21st Norton told the media “The party’s Central Executive decided last evening that the matter will be placed to the General Council, and it will be determined by the General Council. It has nothing to do with me. It now has to do with the party organs.”
And whilst the matter was on the agenda and Party members sought to raise the issue from the floor Congress, this matter was not addressed, but in his closing remarks Norton said Congress will be held on or before August 2024.
A reliable source told this publication several questions were posed by a party group, but some were not answered. One such question included hosting Congress.
Rule No. 15 (1) of the Party Constitution stipulates “The supreme authority of the Party shall be the Biennial Delegates Congress, which shall be held at such time and place every two (2) years as the General Council or the Central Executive Committee may decide. For the avoidance of doubt, the supremacy of the Congress means that the Congress has the right to review or to order a review of and decision taken by any other forum, organ or committee of the Party.”
Unless members agitate for a Special General Council to determine when the Congress, which is due by December 2023, the next General Council is not due until February 2024, if the leadership confirms to the rule of quarterly General Council. Prior to last weekend’s meeting the last General Council was not held for more than a year.
Guyana/Venezuela border controversy and 2025 General and Regional Elections
Norton in his presentation Saturday addressed the Venezuelan threat. He told attendees the Party needed to stand on the forefront of efforts to defend the country’s national security and territorial integrity. He reiterated the Party’s position that all Guyanese must share in the country’s oil wealth, while being guaranteed their full social and political rights. In addition, he issued the call for the Party to expand its groundwork and take the Party’s vision in all communities across the country.
The party also held a plenary session to discuss its strategy for the 2025 Regional and General Elections. Reportedly the session generated “much robust discussion, with members expressing confidence that, with greater effort by party groups and more publicizing of the Party’s national development vision of putting people first, the Party can return to government.”
Motions
Several tabled motions were debated and passed. One such motion, which was passed, restricts the movement of leaders going into communities without approval of the regional leaders. This is a departure from previous practice where leaders may inform regional leaders out of courtesy and partner with them on outreaches. Party insiders feel this motion is intended to restrict the movement of Members of Parliament Amanza Walton-Desir, Roysdale Forde SC, Volda Lawrence, Maureen Philadelphia, Ganesh Mahipaul. These MPs, along with other national and community leaders, have been doing several outreaches across the country, listening to and highlighting concerns of individuals in the various communities.
The General Council concluded on Sunday evening with a charge from the party leader. Throughout the two days, the main musical backdrop was Dave Martin’s “Not a Blade of Grass.”
