When the People’s National Congress Reform meets in August for its Biennial Congress, the party is expected to see one of the most competitive races for Chairmanship of the 60-year-old party.
The PNC’s current Chairman, Basil Williams, who serves as Attorney General in the coalition government, will be challenged for the post by party Vice Chairman, Volda Lawrence and Executive Member, Joe Harmon. Lawrence serves the current government as Minister of Public Health, while Harmon is the Minister of State.
Political watchers say it is significant that Williams is being challenged for the post after serving just two terms in the position.
On Monday morning, Harmon officially announced that he is running for the position.
In a statement to the media, Mr. Harmon said “the People’s National Congress is an extremely democratic Party. What that means is that biannually we have Congress at which all positions of leadership are for voting and that is from Leader right up to the Central Executives of the Party. That is the democracy, which we practice. So every member of the Party can aspire to the highest office in our party and like many others, I am a member of the Party of longstanding and therefore have indicated that it is my desire and my interest in putting myself up as a candidate for the Chairmanship of the Party.”
Lawrence is expected to announce her decision to seek the Chairmanship of the party later this week.
News Source understands that all of the candidates have been quietly working behind the scenes to lock in delegates for support.
Lawrence is expected to secure the support of at least three regions and the Georgetown district along with support of the party’s youth arm and women’s arm.
Harmon has been rallying support from the Region Three area and Region Ten along with the overseas chapters. It is unclear which regions, Williams will be looking at to secure enough votes to regain the party’s Chairmanship.
One senior member of the party who asked not to have their identity made known, told News Source that “heading into the 2020 elections at the national level when the coalition is looking to be reelected, the PNC as the largest party must be stronger with decisive leadership to rally the grassroots”.
The same source said Williams could find his way back to the Chairmanship to be a bumpy road since many in the party believe he should have been working harder to ensure the party’s development.
This past weekend, the party’s General Council met at the Sophia headquarters and during that meeting, party Leader, President David Granger spoke of the challenges facing the party and the need for more efforts to be made to overcome them.
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