As the race for the Leadership of the People’s National Congress Reform heats up, former government Minister and member of the PNC, Simona Broomes, intends to decline the nominations that she has received from party groups.
Ms. Broomes along with incumbent party Leader Aubrey Norton, and Executive Members, Roysdale Forde, Dr. Gary Best, Amanza Walton-Desir, Carl Greenidge and Volda Lawrence, has been nominated for the position of party leader.
While thanking party groups for nomination, Broomes noted that she will not be contesting for any positions within the party when congress is held at the end of the month.
Meanwhile, another contender for the position, Senior Counsel, Roysdale Forde, has raised some concern over yesterday’s nomination process.
Forde and his team are alleging that the administrator of the Congress Committee and Accreditation Officer to the Congress Mr. Sherwin Benjamin, has publicly backed incumbent leader, Aubrey Norton for the position.
In a statement, Forde’s team explained that it was also brought to their attention that numerous Group Chairs and Regional Chairpersons made nominations without proper authorization from the respective groups they represented.
“This process, which necessitates convening all group members for a meeting to collectively nominate candidates for various positions, was disregarded with alarming impunity. The brazen flouting of rules within a group directly involving our candidate raises concerns about the integrity of the nomination process nationwide. Furthermore, it is disconcerting to note that Mr. Sherwin Benjamin, an overt supporter of Aubrey Norton’s leadership, and himself a nominee for a position, assumes a pivotal role as the head of the Accreditation Committee,” Team Forde said in a statement.
Forde’s team noted that historically, the committee has upheld the principle of impartiality as paramount.
“Regrettably, the appointment of Mr. Benjamin to this crucial position signals a departure from this foundational principle. Despite the announcement of Mr. Mortimer Mingo as the Chair of the Accreditation Committee, he was not present during the nominations process,” Forde’s team expressed.
His team said the glaring absence of “appointed” officials not only contravenes established protocol but also underscores a disregard for procedural adherence and the party’s constitution.
“In light of these irregularities, Team Forde perceives the entire nominations process as a prelude to a contrived attempt to bolster the perception of overwhelming support for Mr. Norton at the upcoming Congress,” the team stated.
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