THE executive of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) is lobbying for its leader, Mr. Robert Corbin, to be presidential candidate for next year’s elections once the coalition with the smaller Alliance For Change (AFC) party is finalized, insiders say. Sources said that, at the PNCR’s executive meeting Wednesday, the issue surfaced and attracted lengthy debate before arriving at a consensus that the PNCR should insist that Corbin leads the coalition, with the prime ministerial candidacy going to the AFC.
An insider said that four of the executive members present advanced a pro-Corbin position, convinced that the coalition stands a better chance at winning the 2011 elections if Corbin is at the helm.
According to the source, they argued that, because the PNCR, with Corbin as leader, is the most senior and seasoned among opposition parties, he deserves leading the coalition for the elections.
The AFC has been leading the thrust for an electoral alliance with the PNCR and its National Executive Committee (NEC) has proposed its Chairman, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan as the presidential candidate, while the leader, Mr. Raphel Trotman, has been touted as the AFC’s prime ministerial candidate.
However, it is being speculated that this proposal to Ramjattan is a red herring being pulled to pacify Ramjattan, who should be the AFC’s current leader in accordance with the small party’s founding principle of rotational leadership.
Sources said that the opposition parties may be meeting next week to continue discussions on a broad coalition leading up to the 2011 elections.
Political observers said coalition politics are generally filled with all sorts of demands on all sides and the PNCR will seek to position itself authoritatively in the process.
Bargaining among the political parties is going to be difficult because the AFC leaders and other stakeholders will demand their right to lead as well, one observer said.