Harmon favoured to win chair in PNC internal elections

Dear Editor,
An ongoing opinion tracking poll that started in July and being conducted by the North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA) reveals that the public wants Minister of the Presidency Joe Harmon to be next Chair of the People’s National Congress (PNC). The poll, conducted by this writer, finds that Harmon commands the most support among the party’s membership for the position in the party’s internal executive elections slated for August 19.
The chair is the second most powerful post in the party after the leader. The leader, David Granger, who is also President of Guyana, is running unopposed. Other posts are also up for grabs.
There are three nominations for the position of chair – Joe Harmon, who is Minister of the Presidency; Volda Lawrence who is the Public Health Minister; and incumbent Basil Williams, who is the Attorney General. Both Lawrence and Harmon are rising in opinion polls based on NACTA poll findings while Williams is struggling. Harmon is more popular and likeable than the other two candidates with respondents saying he is the best among the three to prepare the party for future challenges.
As for preference for chair among the general population, Harmon leads by a mile. Respondents say he is more affable and congenial than the other two, with strong support among party members.
Respondents note that Lawrence is well liked among PNC rank and file supporters, but her base is more among the women’s arm. However, recent issues pertaining to the management (scandalous corrupt deals, in particular) of the Health Ministry has hurt her image badly, causing her to lose support. She also has limited appeal across the racial divide.
People feel Minister Williams continues to make mistakes and blunders at the Legal Affairs Ministry although the “victory” at the CCJ, knocking PPP’s Bharrat Jagdeo off the ballot, has earned him some kudos among party supporters. Still party members and supporters say he is not easily accessible. It would take a miracle for him to retain the position.
Harmon is praised for his leadership style and bringing people together. He has mass appeal across the political divide. Party supporters say they can work with Harmon. His supporters say he has had a long history of grounding with the membership and credit his organisational skills for helping the party to recapture the base in 2011 and helped it to return to office in 2015 after 23 years in Opposition. People view him as someone who can get things done efficiently. They note he is a hard worker and he is approachable. And he has wisely made himself accessible to party supporters and has been visiting communities. People across the divide say Harmon delivers on promises and he has been expanding the party’s membership beyond the traditional base. The public at large also notes that Harmon comes across as someone with a “soft image” who has wide appeal across the country and across the divide. His mass appeal and ground campaign is helping him gain support to wrestle the chair from Williams.
On national support, more PNC party members, party supporters, and the public at large express a preference for Harmon over the other two nominees for chair. Asked who they want or prefer to be chair, 58 per cent said Harmon, 23 per cent said Volda Lawrence, and five per cent Basil Williams; with 14 per cent not having a preference or not offering a response.
Asked who they feel will win the PNC chair position, 78 per cent said Harmon, seven per cent responded Volda Lawrence and two per cent Williams; with 13 per cent responding they don’t know.
In the party’s internal elections for executives, only delegates (not members) vote. So winning over delegates who are selected by party groups and the membership is critical. Harmon is well ahead in that count. Based on the preference of party supporters and members, the latter that choose the delegates who will vote at the convention, Harmon has the advantage in ground support to triumph over the other two by a big margin. Party groups and members say more delegates favour Harmon than the other two candidates combined. With the contest days away, anything could happen.

Yours truly,
Vishnu Bisram