Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Mar 18, 2011 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom
The PNCR has demonstrated that it has the capacity to run internal elections that meet acceptable standards of propriety and transparency. It has always had that capacity and so it needs to be asked how it is that the PNCR was able to run-off a poll for its presidential candidate, the results of which were accepted by all those involved, yet it was unable to do so when Winston Murray was in the running for party leader.
Has the party improved so much over a short period of one year, that after the problems over the process of electing a leader of the party a few years ago, it could have last month run-off relatively transparent elections for its party’s presidential candidate?
This is not just a rhetorical question and it remains to be answered why what was achieved last month was not able to be put in place when both Winston Murray and Vincent Alexander were challenging for the leadership.
While Mr. Alexander’s name hardly features these days when mention is made of the party’s internal electoral process, it was Mr. Alexander’s challenge for leadership of the party that has been mainly responsible for what is today being heralded as changes within the PNCR, which has led to a “primary-style” election of that party’s presidential candidate.
Mr. Alexander became a victim of his moves to bring about great democratisation in the way the leader is selected, but it was his team’s challenge that led to the sort of changes that have now been seen within the party, whereby there were a number of contenders vying for the position of that party’s presidential candidate. Perhaps in time, the sacrifice made by Mr. Vincent Alexander in bringing about greater internal democracy within the party will be given due recognition.
Democracy is not however without its faults, as was evident during the election of the PNCR’s presidential candidate. While the PNCR leadership has been openly advocating for power-sharing, there is not likely to be any power-sharing when it comes to the party’s prime ministerial candidate. As is now known, the race for presidential candidate was very close. Mr. David Granger won a cliffhanger contest against former Minister of Finance, Mr. Carl Greenidge. Mr. Granger won by a mere smattering of votes and given the closeness of the race there had to be a recount of the votes.
Yet when it came to the decision about who will be the party’s prime ministerial candidate, there seems to be no consensus that it should be given to the close second place finisher, Mr. Greenidge.
In the spirit of power-sharing he ought to have been given something, because he did very well.
Instead, it has been hinted that this position may be reserved for a woman. But why a woman? Is it just for the case of gender balance? And if so, why make such a case, considering the extremely poor showing of the lone female in the race for the party’s presidential candidate.
It was shocking to see that within a party which has supported a certain number of seats within the National Assembly being reserved for women, that the sole female candidate in the race for the party’s presidential nomination and someone who is very experienced politically, could have gained only 20 votes.
The PNCR is yet to explain this situation as to why the only female in the race did not garner more support from the delegates present. What does this say about the party, more so considering the hard work put into that candidate’s campaign?
There surely must be wider implications for this poor showing of the lone female in the race and the party cannot be oblivious to this and how it will be received by supporters of the party.
The bulk of the supporters of the party have always been women. They have also been the most publicly militant of all the supporters of the party? How then does one reconcile the fact that the delegates selected by the membership, did not vote in more numbers for the lone female in the race.
In the face of these circumstances, first, the fact that the party demonstrated that it had the capacity all along to undertake uncontroversial internal elections, and secondly, the poor showing of the lone female candidate in the race, as well as one may add, the lone youthful nominee, how does one assess the significance of the process through which the PNCR recently subjected itself?
The litmus test will have to be the election for the leader of the party and come after the polls of this year. It will then become clear whether the PNCR has in fact turned the corner when it comes to internal democracy within the party.
Where is the BETTER MANAGEMENT/RENEGOTIATION OF THE OIL CONTRACTS you promised Jagdeo?
Apr 19, 2024
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