Latest update May 13th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jun 23, 2014 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom
The PNC has changed its name sufficient enough to today be seen as a completely different creature from the party formed originally by Forbes Burnham and which held office through deceit, fraud and repression for twenty-eight unbroken years.
It was once the PNC. Then it had an alliance with a bourgeoisie grouping known as the Reform. The Reform convinced the leadership of the PNC that it needed to incorporate it, the Reform, into the formal structure of the party. And so the party eventually became the PNCR. But despite the name changes, the methods of the party never changed. The leopard never lost its stripes, the bee its sting or the fox its hunger for the grapes.
The PNCR remained in essence the same party that it was when it was originally formed. It methods, its politics and it support base remained unchanged. That was until a few years ago when the party began to be transformed. First the Reform withered away. The Reform is now an extinct species within the party.
Then the old guard which had carried the party through both its days in power and the long period that has been out of power was slowly nudged aside. Long standing leaders of the party either resigned or were nudged into stepping aside. If you do a close examination of the leadership of the party today, as well as its principal spokespersons, you will notice a vast difference between what exists today and what existed in the past. Where are the old die- hard leaders of the party? The vast majority have been replaced.
In their place are quite a few ex-members of the Disciplined Services. The PNCR has dropped the R and is now a virtual bastion of military and police veterans.
The party has also a few years ago experimented with liberal methods in choosing its leaders. This took on two main features. Firstly, there was open canvassing for leaders of the party and there was actually a contest between those interested. Town Hall styled meetings were held for the membership to get an idea of what each leader offered.
This process seems to be in reverse. During the last Congress of the Party it took an inordinately long time for the results of the Central Executive of the party to be named. So far, there has been no public explanation as to why the elections ran so late into the night. This remains a closely guarded secret. There was also a break with tradition in that there was no post-Congress Rally held at the Square of the Revolution.
The liberal reforms seem now to be collapsing. An article in yesterday’s newspaper suggests that there may not be anyone contesting against the present leader of the party come next month’s Congress. There has also been no announcement if there will be Town Hall-styled meetings so that prospective candidates for positions on the Central Executive can introduce themselves to the membership and try to woo their support.
The election of leaders to the Central Executive is still primarily done by the delegates to the Congress. It was expected that the liberal reforms that were being experimented with would have seen the membership- one member, one vote- directly elect these leaders in due course. However, there is no signal as yet that this likely to be proposed at next month’s Congress as a means of deepening the liberal reforms within the party.
The PNM at its last contest for leadership did have its leader elected directly from the membership.
The PNCR forthcoming Congress will most likely see a deepening of the insertion of veterans into the formal leadership structure of the party. This is an important development in Guyanese and West Indian politics.
Depending on how deep the former veterans and ex- police officers penetrate into the leadership of the party, can throw up a completely new dimension in the evolution of political parties. We may now be entering a new era in party politics, one that will see a much greater role for veterans and ex-police officers. It will also raise serious questions as to how truly independent and non-partisan are the major coercive arms of the State.
Listen how to run an oil country
May 13, 2024
GCB T10 Blast Semi-finals… Kaieteur Sports – The semi-finals of the GCB T10 Blast will get underway today, barring inclement weather as the final four teams look to book spots in the...Kaieteur News – The PPP is engaging in myth-making in seeking to perpetuate the narrative that it is now an ideologically... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Is it ever justifiable for journalism to fan the flames of geopolitical tension? This question arises... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]