Reform free to differ with PNC - Ming
Stabroek News
January 17, 2003
The Reform component as a group retains its independence notwithstanding the change in the constitution of the People's National Congress (PNC) to incorporate "Reform" as part of the name of the party.
The Reform is made up of a group of professionals and business executives whose interest is to change the culture of politics in and outside of the PNC.
Leader of the Reform component Stanley Ming, whose close relationship with the late PNCR leader Desmond Hoyte had made possible the electoral alliance between the two groups for the 2001 elections, confirmed yesterday that "Reform" as a group would develop positions that could either coincide with or differ from those of the PNC.
But he stressed that for electoral purposes the PNC and Reform were one unit.
Ming confirmed, too, that the present leadership of the PNC has always been aware of the discussions between himself and Hoyte and he expects the relationship between the two bodies to continue.
The amendment to the PNC constitution to allow for the incorporation of Reform was introduced at the PNCR congress but was one of the issues deferred to the first general council meeting to be convened after the congress.
The general council meeting was held in November and the name change was approved. As a result of the change, individual members of Reform are eligible to be members of the party if they so desire and once a member they are eligible to run for any office within the PNC.
At present two members of Reform attend meetings of the PNC central executive committee as a result of what a senior PNC official says is the recognition of Reform as an equal partner.
On the relationship with the PNC in the post-Hoyte period, a member of Reform told Stabroek News the group has no position on who should lead the PNC but plans to meet the PNC leadership shortly to review the way forward.
