Executive Member of the People’s National Congress, Amanza Walton- Desir has called for leaders and members the party to unite ahead of the party’s internal elections slated for later this year. She has also issued a call for party leaders to ensure that unity is maintained, so that the party could confront the governing People’s Progressive Party at next year’s national elections.
Addressing a town hall meeting in New York over the weekend, the Opposition MP said now is not the time for bickering in the PNC/R.
“I am an elected member of the Central Executive of my party and I am prepared to say publicly, that we cannot condone disunity, that disunity has to be frowned but it comes about because we appear to not to be able to accept and appreciate that everyone has a role to play,” the Opposition MP stated.
Ms. Walton-Desir’s comments come as tensions are flaring within the PNC/R as the party leadership race heats up.
Two weeks ago, Opposition Member of Parliament, Roysdale Forde announced his intention to challenge incumbent leader Aubrey Norton for the position of Leader. Mr. Forde has garnered the support of several members of the PNC/R including former General Secretary of the party Amna Ally.
But Ally’s public support of Forde and public statements against Mr. Norton have landed her in hot water. Her comments did not find favor with party Chairman Shurwayne Holder who questioned her contributions to the party.
For her part though, Walton-Desir said such an attack on Ms. Ally cannot be correct. She said everyone in the party must not only have a voice must also have a role to play.
“As a woman in the party, I do not stand for the attack on a fellow woman, and so I denounce the attacks on Ms. Amna Ally. We have to eschewed this culture of attacking the women in our party, everyone is important. For the PNC/R Amna Ally is important, for the PNC a Volda Ann-Lawrence is important, for the PNC a Carol Smith-Joseph is important and they all have an important role to play,” Desir stated.
The party executive said she is frustrated by comments that persons who may have just come into the party are seeking leadership. She said the party should never be one where leaders feel that “it is their turn”. But the party must position itself to move and change as time demands.
She described the situation as sad but said the PNC must quickly rebound from internal squabbles since the nation is depending on the party for leadership. There have been reports that Walton-Desir herself is considering a run for the leadership of the PNC Reform.
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