Youth Activist of the People’s National Congress Reform, Attorney James Bond, lost his bid to become one of the two Vice Chairpersons of the party.

Bond was beaten by incumbent Chairpersons, Volda Lawrence and Dr. George Norton. Both serve as government Ministers in the APNU+AFC coalition government. The PNC makes up the biggest part of that coalition.  Bond has no position in the government.

Volda Lawrence picked up 396 delegate votes, with Dr. George Norton coming in second with 227 votes.
Bond placed third in the race, picking up 148 votes, while former Region 4 Chairman, Clement Corlette only managed to pull in 8 votes. 

The election of the executive brought the curtains down on the PNC’s 19th biennial congress on Sunday afternoon. President David Granger was returned unchallenged as Party Leader, while Attorney General Basil Williams was returned unchallenged as the party’s Chairman.

Bond who has been active in the PNC Reform since he ran a losing bid to be the party’s Presidential Candidate back in 2011, was hoping to pull the youth vote to get him into office as a Vice Chairperson.

He launched a social media campaign with the backing of the youth arm of the PNC, the Guyana Youth and Student Movement, but that effort may not have been enough.

The young Attorney and a number of other youth members have been calling for the involvement of more young people in the top brass of the party. While the party enjoys widespread support from young people across the country, its youth membership is not reflective of that support.

The GYSM has been making efforts to add new life to its own existence and get more youths into the party’s membership.

In a statement on his Facebook page, Bond said he believes that the results show that the party members are prepared to embrace Youths at the helm and “it’s noteworthy to mention this was a one week campaign and only 2 days on the floor campaigning.”

“As we hold the line of battle comrades and link our arms in unity we will continue to fight those forces which may attempt to divide us. We recognise the clear message that has been sent. It is now left for us to take up the mantle”, he added.

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