As the fallout-out continues between the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and the North America Region (NAR) Group over the legality of the organisation, two attorneys implicated by the Party’s Public Relations Director, Sherwood Lowe, are clearing their names.
Two days ago, Lowe told the online Demerara Waves news outlet, the Party sought and received the counsel of attorneys-at-law Dr. Gary Best and Member of Parliament Amanza Walton-Desir. According to him, the two attorneys said the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) posed no legal stumbling blocks to NAR complying with the Party’s dictate and operating under the directive of the Party. Best and Walton-Desir are members of the Party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC). It is the alleged advice given by the two attorneys the Party informed has influenced its decision to de-recognise NAR.
Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs
Walton-Desir in a social media post yesterday denied the assertion. She said Lowe was mendacious in his characterisation of her advice to the CEC, and called on him to retract his statement. Today, Lowe said he will not accede to Walton-Desir’s request. He told Demerara Waves “to engage in a back and forth with my CEC colleagues as who said what at which meeting would be unproductive and would distract from the main message the party would wish to convey.”
In a letter dated May 13/16, 2024 NAR chairwoman Ellen Tappin was advised through Party General Secretary Dawn Hastings-Williams MP, the PNCR no longer recognises the overseas group, citing among other reasons failure to comply with CEC and General Council’s directive.
Tappin, in a letter dated May 22, 2024 responded, warning the Party it cannot be so directed and cited FARA’s obligations. FARA requires “certain agents of foreign principals who are engaged in political activities or other specified under the statute to make periodic public disclosure of their relationship with foreign capital, as well as activities, receipts and disbursement in support of those activities.”
Going further, Best, who is a ret’d Rear Admiral and Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, said like many other CEC members, he gave his views on issues surrounding the NAR Executive, as he does for other matters surrounding the PNCR. He however challenged the notion his view could constitute legal advice or directive.
According to Best “to rest a decision(s) of the CEC on that of an individual or individuals is a disservice to the Party’s long tradition of its leadership taking account for all decisions despite differences that may lie in the process. I feel confident it is still the case.” He has also called for Lowe to withdraw or clarify his statement.
The Steering Committee that replaced NAR, and headed by Derrick Lawrence, dismissed NAR’s concern stating he “will always ensure the strictest compliance with US law while at the same time demonstrating respect for those we seek to serve, including the PNCR members in the USA and Guyana.”
Lawrence did not say how this will be done, particularly ensuring compliance with FARA, given the Party’s directive the overseas groups must conform to their rules.
According to PNCR Rule 11 (3) (a) and (b) ‘Overseas Regions’ the Central Executive Committee may authorise the establishment of Party Regions outside of Guyana, and Where the Party Region is located outside of Guyana, it shall have power to draft rules for regulating its organisation and procedures subject to their ratification by the Central Executive Committee.
Observers said the fallout on the eve of the Party’s Biennial Congress, scheduled for June 28-30, 2024 raises concern about incumbent Leader Aubrey Norton’s management style and his comfort level being re-elected. Walton-Desir, and Roysdale Forde S.C, M.P have had the support of these groups. During their recent tripS to the United States, the town halls they held were well received, compared to Norton’s which preceded theirs.
