Volda Lawrence and Gary Best decline nominations for PNC Leadership positions

Former Chairperson of the People’s National Congress Reform Volda Lawrence, and Executive member Dr. Gary Best, have both declined the nominations to serve in the leadership of the opposition political party.

The party’s congress and elections are set for next weekend at party headquarters, Congress Place. Lawrence and Best were among seven nominees for the party leader positions. Longtime party member, Simona Broomes, was the first to decline the nomination.

Speaking to News Source this afternoon, Ms. Lawrence said she has not budged from a decision taken three years ago to step back from the leadership of her party.

“In 2021, I did indicate to the party’s membership that I am stepping back out of the leadership position and I continue to hold to that. I have not accepted any of the nominations…and I don’t think I will change my mind by next week”, Lawrence said, while also offering best wishes to the those left in the leadership race.

Meanwhile, Executive member and retired Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Dr. Gary Best, said he decided to decline the nominations he received, as he remains focused on working with the party to get it back into the seat of government.

“I’m most thankful for the nominations by PNCR members for the offices of Party Leader, Party Chairman and Party Vice Chairman at the upcoming PNCR 22nd Biennial Delegates Congress. To my fellow comrades, I’m humbled and grateful. However, given the monumental bad governance of Guyana by the PPP, I’ll not contest any of these offices, at this time. Instead, I’ll focus my energies and talent on returning the APNU+AFC back to office at the next General and Regional Elections”, Best told News Source.

The party leadership race is shaping up to be a contest between the incumbent leader, Aubrey Norton and executives, Amanza Walton-Desir and Roysdale Forde. Norton is heading into next weekend’s congress with the most nominations, but also under a dark cloud of the sexual assault threat allegations leveled against him by party member Vanessa Kissoon.