PNC Central Committee to discuss matter today

Lawrence’s comment on alleged child molester candidate

As calls continue to mount for the removal of Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence over her support of Local Government Elections (LGE) candidate Winston Harding, the Central Executive Committee of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) is expected to discuss the matter today.
This is according to leader of the Party, President David Granger. The Head of State had previously noted that he would seek an explanation from the Minister about the process used to select Harding as the party’s candidate for Constituency 13 (East and West Ruimveldt) at the recent local government polls.
On Monday, the President reported to media operatives that Lawrence has submitted her explanation which was forwarded to the PNCR’s Central Executive Committee and would be coming up for discussion at today’s meeting.
“She has written me and that report was forward to the Central Executive Committee of the party, which will examine it on Wednesday night,” he stated.
After his selection as a LGE candidate, it was revealed that Harding had faced several charges of child sexual molestation over the years but was never convicted. However, the Social Protection Minister came under fire after she was reported in the local media as saying that the matter was family related and should not have been handled the way it was.
“This is a family issue that has been going on and on and on and on for whatever reason, I can’t tell you because if I had a brother, even if there was an accusation, this is not how I would go about helping him,” she had stated.
The Minister’s comment sparked much outrage among rights activists and members of several Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), with them frequently picketing the Ministry of the Presidency.
On Tuesday, another such exercise was held where the NGO representatives reiterated their calls for the Head of State to take appropriate action against Minister Lawrence. This time, the Guyanese Organisation of Indigenous Peoples (GOIP) joined Red Thread in picketing the President’s Office.
Despite the imbroglio, Harding, on an A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) ticket, was successful in his bid to become a City Councillor at the March 18 LGE.