Former PNCR Treasurer backpedals on resignation

…says will resolve ‘racial hostility’ issues internally

Less than a month after resigning as Treasurer of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) due to repeated instances of racial hostility, Faaiz Mursaline has rescinded that resignation and has agreed to resolve his issues with the party, following a meeting with PNCR Leader Aubrey Norton.
During an interview with <<<Guyana Times>>> on Tuesday, Mursaline confirmed that he was back with the PNCR as its Treasurer. Mursaline said he met with the PNCR Leader on Monday. It was during this meeting that he agreed to stay with the party and resolve his issues internally.
“I didn’t receive any confirmation letter from the leader, so he never really accepted (my resignation) in writing. So, I withdraw my resignation. I will continue, in the best interest of the party, as Treasurer.
“The party has some grievances and we will settle those grievances internally. And we will work with one unison… I had a meeting with the leader yesterday and we both assured each other that those grievances will be resolved internally,” Mursaline added.

Pressed for more information on the meeting, Mursaline only offered that he and Norton had a “very interesting and cordial” conversation. He also denied that he was pressured to rescind his resignation.
Norton had previously told the media that he was not aware of the issues of racial hostility Mursaline had regarding his time in the party. The PNCR Leader also claimed that the PNCR has mechanisms to deal with members who become involved in racism.
Mursaline, who has been affiliated with the PNCR for close to a decade, was elected Treasurer of the party in December of 2021. But in December of last year, he resigned. His reasons for resigning only recently came to light in a letter he addressed to the PNCR Central Executive Committee (CEC).
Mursaline had accused the party of not doing anything when he brought complaints of being racially attacked by a well-known party member to the attention of leaders. The PNCR Treasurer also said that he was forced to sign multiple blank cheques with no supporting documents. The party subsequently denied that there were no supporting documents, although it admitted that Mursalin did sign a number of blank cheques.
“Firstly, from the time I took office as the elected Treasurer of this great party, I was signing blank cheques with no supporting documents. I am always called to sign cheques and whenever I share an opinion of dislike towards this, I am met with hostility. In the month of November, it got worse.
“I was told by the confidential secretary to the General Secretary that all I am needed for is to sign the cheques and in that month, I signed about 20 blank cheques. I do not know what are the amounts of money written on any of those cheques and I don’t know for what reasons the money, if any were spent on,” Mursaline said in his letter.
Mursaline also detailed other transgressions, such as when he submitted a workplan for the party to attract more finances and made suggestions that a financial audit of Congress Place be done. According to him, PNCR Leader Norton did not take any action on either of these matters.
Mursaline was not the only official to have resigned. The party was also recently rocked by the resignation of former General Secretary Geeta Chandan-Edmond, who was only appointed in January of 2022. Prior to her resignation, she was on a leave of absence from the party.
Meanwhile, the PNCR’s Florida chapter has brought a No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against their leader, although Norton has said that he is not too worried since the party does not provide for an NCM outside of the party’s Congress and, therefore, the motion was essentially “dead on arrival”. (G3)