‘PNCR Linden’ advises Kissoon against appearing before disciplinary committee
President David Granger
President David Granger

THE People’s National Congress/ Reform (PNCR) groups in Linden, PNCR Linden, on Monday reiterated its discomfiture with the suspension of Party stalwart, Vanessa Kissoon, and the composition of the Disciplinary Committee dealing with her suspension.They’ve also advised her not to appear before the Committee, which was expected to meet yesterday for the hearing.

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Vanessa Kissoon

In a statement issued Monday, the groups justified her absence before the Disciplinary Committee by detailing seven of its contentions, namely: :
* All the explanations coming from the Leader have never justified that his action was consistent with the Party Rules. Linden is clear and has taken a principled position on this issue since we recognise that it is the Rules of the party that have to guide the business of the party. Mr. Granger has repeatedly said he is operating within the Rules/Constitution. In our perusal of the Party Rules we did not find any rule that authorises him to suspend Ms. Kissoon. Neither has Mr. Granger sought to provide the evidence of the rule that authorises him to suspend Ms. Kissoon.

Amna Ally
Amna Ally

* The argument by Mr. Granger that this issue is serious as such a decision was taken by him to suspend Ms. Kissoon does not apply to her since she is not an employee. Ms. Kissoon is a member of the party and owns a piece of the party just like Mr. Granger. As such any decision to suspend her has to come after an investigation has been conducted and the member found guilty.
* Section 24 (1) (a) of the PNCR Rules expressly states, “The Central Executive Committee (CEC) shall appoint a Disciplinary Committee comprising five (5) members, and shall name its Chairman and Vice Chairman.” What is clear here is that Mr. Granger has an appointed an ad hoc committee, not one consistent with the Party Rules. At every delegates congress the life of every committee comes to an end.

‘Linden’s position is clear: This issue is not about what transpired during the alleged altercation; it is about the violation of the Party Rules which we hold sacred’ – PNCR Linden

* For the two years Mr. Granger has been in office he has not seen it fit to put in place the constitutionally required disciplinary committee. This is a violation of the rules of the PNCR. It was not until he unilaterally suspended Ms. Kissoon he chose to select some persons to form a committee to discipline her.
* The Party’s Central Executive Committee has taken a decision after Mr. Granger had unilaterally suspended Ms. Kissoon that it will appoint a disciplinary committee and a nominee must come from our region. The PNCR groups will not support the violation of the Party Rules.
* Further, in this case the five persons are not the constitutional mandated Disciplinary Committee, but appointed specifically by Mr. Granger to make legitimate his act of suspending Ms. Kissoon. Those comprising the Committee are Mr. Allan Monroe (Chairman), Mr. Granger’s neighbour; Mr. Lance Carberry, political advisor to the Leader; Ms. Malika Ramsey , Mr. Christopher Jones and Ms. Cheryl Sampson, employees of Congress Place. All these persons are members of the CEC and have voted supporting the Leader’s decision to suspend Ms. Kissoon.
* And further, the act of supporting the Leader at the CEC disqualifies all of the named persons to be impartial arbiters in this affair.

GET AT KISSOON
PNCR Linden made clear its call for the issue to be addressed with “some degree of alacrity” in the least.
The group added that it is of the view that Congress Place wants “to get at Ms. Kissoon” at all cost.
“We are aware that Ms. Kissoon who is a very hard worker is responsible for the recruitment and continuation of membership to the party of over 800 persons. We are also aware that the Leader and the General Secretary continue to give Ms. Sandra Adams the credit for the work done by Ms. Kissoon. To be involved in denying the facts about membership recruitment brings into focus the depth some leaders will go to side line some members,” the group said.
PNCR Linden also rejected the statement made on the February 1 by the party’s Chief Whip, Ms. Amna Ally, to the Leader of the party, in the presence of some, that he will have to get rid of Ms. Kissoon or she will leave the party.
The group said, “Ms. Ally’s comment came after Ms. Kissoon requested of Ms. Ally that she be spoken to with respect.
“At the next sitting of the National Assembly Ms. Kissoon was moved to the back bench without prior notification.
“There exist serious concerns since it has become obvious that there are some in the leadership of the party who are using our women to create cat fights in effort to divert attention how the affairs of the party are being managed and the poor representation done on behalf of its constituents.”

MIXING UP ROLES
PNCR highlighted the fact that Mr. Granger and his allies at Congress Place are “mixing-up roles,” something that is cause for concern.
“For there are clear distinction how you will treat with members vis a vis employees in handling issues of discipline. Having examined the entire situation the Linden Committee has been mandated to commence dialogue with Congress Place to find common group to bring about a resolution before the Delegates Congress,” the group said.
According to the body, failure to do so will leave PNCR Linden with no alternative but to have it resolved on the floor at Congress, which is the Party’s highest decision-making forum.
Kissoon has since said that her attendance at Congress will be determined by “her feelings” on the given day and the party rules, which PNCR Linden has said it will respect.
The group said, “Linden’s position is clear: This issue is not about what transpired during the alleged altercation; it is about the violation of the Party Rules which we hold sacred.
“If Mr. Granger is too busy to meet with Lindeners to address the concerns we have been trying to get his attention for the past two years, then Lindeners will go the Congress and plead their cases to their fellow members.
“Linden will be entering Congress stridently, with strong positions and expects at the conclusion of Congress this party will be stronger and battle ready to move Guyana forward to respect citizens’ rights, rules, constitution and laws.”

PRIOR LETTER
Additionally, the group had dispatched a letter, detailing its concerns, to the party Leader, Brigadier (rtd.) David Granger, on July 14, which stated that: “Since members of the Disciplinary Committee have already pronounced the question of bias becomes an issue.
“And it is for this reason that a request is made to not only have these persons recuse themselves, but the entire Disciplinary Committee be disbanded and the parties commence discussion within the next 24-hours on receipt of this letter. At this proposed meeting it is suggested that we agree on the modalities on how we will go forward by removing the irritants that can inhibit normalcy.”
In the groups’ statement on Monday, it acknowledged receipt of a response from Granger, but contend that the concerns detailed in the first letter were not addressed.
“Neither had he set a time that he would be desirous of engaging us. Since these exchanges Ms. Kissoon has received a letter on 16th July signed by Mr. Allan Monroe, chairman of Mr. Granger’s disciplinary committee, informing her of the charge against her, and requested that she submits a statement by 19th July and the committee will start its hearing on 22nd July,” the letter said.

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