…in plea for support, says he was “nurtured” by LFS Burnham
Former Attorney General Basil Williams, SC, who was among seven who were nominated for the position of leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), has officially accepted the nomination with the contention that he has worked through the party ranks for it.
On Saturday, in accepting the nomination, Williams alluded to his longstanding role in the party while telling members why they should vote for him and about his ability to conduct a virtual campaign for the leadership position. According to Williams, he worked his way up as an ordinary member, before serving as Vice Chairman for eight years and Chairman for six.
“I have been working nonstop for the last 20 years as a member of our Central Executive Committee (CEC). During that time, I spent 17 years in Parliament, practiced as a lawyer at all material times, and served as Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General the last five (5) years for the APNU/AFC Government. I have been travelling incessantly the length and breadth of our country and the diaspora to visit with our membership and indeed wider communities.”
“I have worked my way up the CEC’s ladder from an ordinary member in 2001; Vice Chairman for four consecutive two-year terms, eight years, and Chairman for three consecutive two-year terms, six years. It was under my watch as Chairman we won Government again after 23 years,” Williams further said.
Moreover, Williams contended that he was nurtured by the founder of the PNCR, former President LFS Burnham. This was a major selling point in his argument for why he would make a sound choice for leader of the party.
“The only office I never served in is that of leader. I believe that having been nurtured by our Founder Leader Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham and inherited by subsequent leaders after his death and having performed with excellence, the ordinary member, armed with facts and knowledge of my works would agree that Basil Williams, SC, is a sound choice for leader of this great party of ours,” Williams added in his statement.
While Williams urged the delegates to vote him as leader, he also noted that he would not be physically campaigning and cited the COVID-19 pandemic. According to him, virtual meetings and other methods will have to be used, lest the campaign “kills off” treasured members of the party.
“We are asked to hold our congress in this milieu and therefore it can’t be business as usual. The world has had to adapt and also Guyana. The PNCR must also adapt lest we ‘kill-off’ our treasured members,” Williams said in his statement.
Virtual meetings, and other forms have taken over to avoid wherever possible face-to-face meetings in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and more deaths therefrom. I do not propose to provide the occasion for our people to contract the virus by having them assembled to listen to me campaign for the post of leader. I will adopt the relevant means of messaging as attend the pandemic.”
Besides Williams, other nominees for the leadership of the party include former Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge and former Region 10 Chairman Sharma Solomon. Incumbent Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon, Aubrey Norton and Dr Richard Van West-Charles were also nominated for leader.
Since the nomination process concluded on November 17, 2021, reliable sources have indicated that former Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence, who was also nominated, will not be running.
The party’s 21st biennial delegate congress is scheduled for December 11, 2021, over the course of one day. In Stage 1 of the congress, elections will be held for the leader, Chairman, Vice Chairpersons and Treasurer. In the second stage, there will be an election for the members of the Central Executive Committee.
Harmon’s candidacy is supported by several Members of Parliament and party members who attended his campaign launch that was streamed live on the PNCR Facebook page. These include: Coretta McDonald, Roysdale Forde, Ganesh Mahipaul and Annette Ferguson – all parliamentarians.
Meanwhile, Dr Van West-Charles has been endorsed by several PNCR members including prominent leaders in Linden, including Solomon and former PNC parliamentarian Vanessa Kissoon.
Greenidge, a long-standing member of the PNC R who once served as Finance Minister under former President Forbes Burnham, served from 2015 to 2019 as Foreign Affairs Minister under the Government of David Granger – who he previously challenged for the leadership of the party. He is currently employed in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an advisor on borders. (G3)
