Alexander to contest for PNC leadership
Stabroek News
May 1, 2007
Former PNCR chairman Vincent Alexander has offered himself as a candidate for the post of leader of the party at its upcoming Biennial Congress.
Alexander wrote to PNCR party groups to inform them of his availability, after members of the party's Central Executive Committee notified Leader Robert Corbin that they intend to lobby for support for a candidate to contest at the August Congress. "I am not trying to overthrow Mr. Corbin," he explains in an undated letter seen by Stabroek News, "…My intention is to contest for the position in keeping with the provisions of the constitution of the party."
The letter also reveals that the other executive members who, along with Alexander, approached Corbin last week--Deborah Backer, James McAllister, Dr Dalgliesh Joseph, Ivor Allen, Joe Hamilton and Hamley Case-- have indicated their intention to support Alexander for the position of leader at the congress. The correspondence was copied to Corbin as well as General Secretary Oscar Clarke and Chairman Winston Murray.
When contacted for comment yesterday, Alexander was not yet ready to go into the details about the timing of the announcement, and he did not want to take responsibility for the leaked letter. However, he emphasised that despite what he described as "wild rumours" about an attempt to overthrow Corbin, the executive group supporting him is utilising the democratic process of the congress. "We are not talking about getting him out of office before his term expires," he said, while adding, "We are prepared to work with him afterward but the contest is on and we will participate."
In fact, in the letter to the party groups Alexander noted that Corbin was the serving leader of the party and would continue to function in the post until it was declared vacant at the congress. But he added that anyone who was serious about contesting the position of leader must be allowed to canvass for support during the lead up to the congress.
He also reaffirmed his commitment towards the strengthening and unity of the party, a process which he says should continue alongside the preparations for the congress.
Significantly, Alexander emphasised that he was not offering himself as the party's presidential candidate for the 2011 general elections. "We need to start preparing for those elections now," he says, "…however who should be the party's candidate in 2011 should be determined later based on the party's candidate."
The question of whether the party's leader should be its presidential candidate has been an issue under consideration since Corbin's assumption of the PNCR leadership in 2003, following the death of former president Desmond Hoyte. At the last party congress in 2004, the question was one of the issues to be given prominence but there was no subsequent development. It was raised once more during the run up to the last year's polls, when the PNCR was part of the pre-election alliance with the NDF and the WPA. Corbin's 'electability' as the presidential candidate for the movement was one of the issues that surfaced during the discussions before the PNCR and NDF decided to contest jointly as the PNCR-1G.
Corbin led the party to its fourth successive defeat at the polls last year, and its worst performance since 1992.
The party won 22 seats, five less than at the previous elections. Commentators subsequently criticised him for his decision to run as presidential candidate and there was also a row with the party's youth arm --the Guyana Youth and Student Movement--over his choice of youth representatives in the National Assembly.
Despite the failed campaign, Corbin has been largely credited by election observers for the peaceful post-election environment. In his initial reaction to the proposed challenge of the leadership, he said last week that he was still available to serve the party and the country, and he declared that he would continue at the helm if nominated and elected at the congress. He has described the challenge as an "internal party matter" that would be subsequently ventilated.
In a statement, the PNCR said it was unfortunate that the delegation that met Corbin chose to publicize an internal party matter, even though its members were told that it would be inimical to the party's best interest at this time. It explained that the constitutional procedure was that party groups nominate candidates for the various offices at the appropriate time and the candidates would be required to indicate whether they accept nomination. Thereafter, delegates to the congress vote by secret ballot for the candidates of their choice. The statement added that the rules were well known to party members and the process and the procedure has been routinely followed in the past.
The issue is to be fully discussed at a previously planned retreat to be held shortly.