The People’s National Congress held its General Council  meeting at the Party’s Congress Place Headquarters on Saturday and senior party members were reminded by Party Leader, David Granger that they are all there to serve the people and not because they might consider themselves local celebrities.

In a speech that touched on several issues, Mr. Granger zeroed in his attention on what he called “a dangerous disease”, referring to factionalism and the party. He told the General Council meeting that the party’s Founder and Late Guyana President LFS Burnham “warned us of the perils of factionalism ― one of the greatest afflictions which impaired the PNC’s strength, stability and solidarity over the years”.

Mr. Granger told the party’s faithful that some persons in the party “seem not to acknowledge that the ‘Party’ is more powerful than any ‘personality;’ that officials, councillors, members of parliament and nominees on boards, committees and commissions are merely representatives of party members and the public at large”.

While not calling any names or pointing in any direction, the PNC Reform Leader noted that supporters voted for the party representatives “not because they were local celebrities but because they themselves belonged to the Party and were expected to be committed to the principles and policies of the Party”.

He said servants of the people and party members must know that they are not free agents who could disavow the Party and pursue their self-interest once they get into office.

Over the past few months, there have been rising concerns about internal wranglings in the People’s National Congress. Just recently, Granger was given a loud send off from a small group of party members in the mining town of Linden who picketed his visit to the community for a meeting with senior members of the PNC Reform and the APNU.   

Granger has said that while he is prepared to listen and deal with the concerns of all of his party members, he will not do so under an environment of protest and noise.

At the General Council congress over the weekend, he made reference to the Linden incident and said when it comes to the People’s National Congress, “everyone is free to demand answers to troubling questions. Members, either individually or collectively, however, are not free to insult Party officials or to bring the Party into disrepute through the communications media or by public demonstrations of disaffection. Everyone is free to protest against a perceived wrong in accordance with our Party’s constitution. No one is free to disturb and obstruct other members from enjoying their freedom to participate in Party activities without insults and threats”.

The PNC Reform and Opposition Leader told the meeting that the party needs to focus more on removing the People’s Progressive Party from office rather than to be fighting with and fighting down each other.

“Everyone is aware that the PPP administration is at its weakest in twenty years. Everyone agrees that the PPP is corrupt; that it has condoned crime and contraband on an industrial scale; that it has divided society; that it has rigged elections. Everyone knows that the longer the PPP remains in office, the worse will be the plight of the poor and the unemployed. This is not the time to fight each other in the face of the foe”, Granger said.

Filed: 27th October, 2014

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