Dr. Richard Van West Charles, former Health Minister and son-in-law of the late President L.F.S Burnham has emerged from relative obscurity declaring his intention to challenge current leader of the PNCR, Mr. Robert Corbin for the leadership of the party which is going through a very difficult period, in terms of its organisational strength as factions begin create cracks in its walls.
However, it must be noted that the since the party’s last congress there were definite signals by Dr. Van West Charles and others that Corbin’s leadership will be challenged.
The team Alexander challenge which resulted in resignations/expulsions from the party has definitely shaken the party’s infrastructure, from which it is still trying desperately to recover. And not too long after party stalwart and Chairman Winston Murray ran into problems when he supported President Jagdeo’s EPA stance which caused him to subsequently resign from his post. This development definitely did not do any good for the party as Mr. Murray is a highly respected politician in all political circles and is a very seasoned campaigner.
Earlier, in the post 1992 period when the PNC was removed from office through a free and fair election there was severe wrangling between Hamilton Green and the late Desmond Hoyte who took over the leadership following the death of Mr. Burnham. This wrangling turned to be most acrimonious , resulting in the expulsion of Green ,who subsequently formed his own political party but is now back into its ranks. Green’s expulsion perhaps triggered the spate of internal difficulties for the party. But while Dr. Van West Charles is now into focus it would not be surprising if Mr. Green is catapulted into the leadership, as he is currently the longest serving PNCR member and still has significant influence among the rank and file members of the party.
Nevertheless, one of the major factors which have created difficulties for the party was the shock of being out of government because at one time it seemed as if the PNC would have remained in power forever, as they had the backing of the West during the Cold War setting, because the alternative PPP was seen as being too left. Then again, the end of the Cold War brought into focus new political dynamics which saw the US supporting the call for free and fair elections. Something they were silent on, for the 28 years the PNC was in power. In fact, the West helped engineered a split in the PPP in the 1950s through collaboration with opportunistic elements hungry for power. So the PNC was born out of opportunism.
Unlike the PPP which had and still has firm connections to the grassroots and workers and which became a stronger political force while in opposition for an unprecedented 28 years, the PNCR began to crumble because it became alienated from the grassroots, a process which began, when it was in power. This was so because it maintained power through rigged elections and therefore did not need the support of the masses. And because of a series of ill-fated policies it unpopularity began to increase sharply even whilst it was in power and this continued while in opposition as evidenced by its performance at elections since 1997.
The party’s strategy and tactics of “slow fiah; mo fiah” and “kith and kin” which resulted in large business sections of Georgetown razed to the ground and vile and racist attacks on the late President Mrs. Janet Jagan did not help the party’s cause. In fact, it did irreparable harm.
So while many are blaming the party’s decline on poor leadership, which may indeed be a contributing factor, the problems are deeper and wider.
Dr. Van West Charles is yet to outline how he plans to overhaul the party if he becomes leader, but if or when he takes over, his task will be an unenviable one as he will be taking over a party which is tottering at the edge of a precipice with a deluge of internal problems.
However, the nation eagerly waits the unfolding of the political drama, which will emerge when battle lines are drawn for the leadership of the party in this new twist, to the ongoing saga of PNCR politics.
