EXECUTIVE member of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Mr Carl Greenidge, has made clear that he will not participate in any upcoming party elections under the current leadership because he has widely shared concerns over internal party systems.

Amidst widespread allegations of elections’ rigging and electoral fraud, Brigadier (rtd.) David Granger has again assumed party leadership, being unopposed in this respect.

At conclusion of the 18th Biennial Congress of the PNCR Party on Sunday, Granger was re-elected to serve as Party Leader, after the withdrawal of Region 10 Regional Democratic Council Chairman Sharma Solomon and party stalwart Mr. Aubrey Norton on claims that the voting process had been marred by inaccuracies.

Addressing these accusations, Mr Granger stressed the connotative nature of some words to invoke chaos. “Rigging, padding, these words are very emotive… We don’t have any evidence”, Granger said.
He added that in the event of there being evidence to support the many claims, “We will investigate the matter…but] we cannot proceed on the basis of these allegations.”

MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS
However, Greenidge contends that the incidents that marred the 18th Biennial Congress will have an impact on the party’s support base, even as he acknowledged that supporters do return to the party during elections. “It is not going to be as vibrant as it should be,” he declared.

This year’s Congress was not the first year the PNCR has had to deal with allegations of ‘rigged’ elections, verbal abuse from top party officials, and problems with the internal party systems. In 2012, several recounts of the ballot delayed the declaration of the new PNCR leader. The results were delayed after claims that the number of votes was higher than that of the registered delegates.

The claims were reportedly made by the supporters of Mr Carl Greenidge, who was running against Granger for the second time in four years.

At the PNCR Congress in 2010, Granger scraped passed Greenidge by 279 votes to 264 votes; while another current MP, Basil Williams, secured 88; Dr. Faith Harding 20, and MP James Bond 13 votes.

During 2010, there were also accusations of fraud in the party’s internal elections.

REPLACE CLARKE
In light of the challenges at the last three Congresses, Greenidge has called for the replacement of current General-Secretary, Mr. Oscar Clarke. He said on Sunday, “It is unacceptable that the delegates list is challenged on the morning of the Congress….The problem here (has) to be the Secretariat’s General Secretary, (who) runs such a system.”

According to Greenidge, it is of the utmost importance that a party’s internal mechanisms be strong enough not to be marred by the criticisms it has had to endure over the last three Congresses.

“I believe it is time a new General Secretary is appointed…. It is time that proper rules are imposed on the senior staff of the Secretariat…. It is something that needs attention; and clearly, Mr. Granger will have to give it attention,” Greenidge concluded.

Greenidge was a former PNC Finance Minister and international civil servant.