-refuses her offer of a handshake

PEOPLE’S National Congress Reform (PNCR) member and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament (MP), Ms. Vanessa Kissoon attended yesterday’s opening of the PNCR’s 18th Biennial Congress, despite not being accredited.

She was accompanied by a small group of about 20 party supporters from Region 10 (Upper Demerara/ Upper Berbice), who were holding placards with quotes from leaders and other influential members of the Party, which stressed the principles on which the Party was founded.
“I am still a strong PNCR supporter. We are PNCR members and we came. This is our Congress,” she said, in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle.
Kissoon was suspended from the Party following an alleged altercation with the party’s General Secretary, Mr. Oscar Clarke.
When the two met at the Congress, she was rebuffed by Clarke as she offered her hand to greet the General Secretary.

ADVISED NOT TO ATTEND
A disciplinary committee is reviewing her case, however, but Kissoon did not attend the last meeting which was held on Thursday.
The PNCR groups in Linden on Monday in a statement noted that it advised Kissoon not to attend the meeting.
PNCR Linden detailed seven of its contentions, which were the base for its advice to Linden. The reasons ranged from:
* The fact that all the explanations coming from the Leader have never justified that his action was consistent with 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,” the Linden PNCR group said
* To the fact that the five persons are not the constitutionally 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 adviser 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.
PNCR maintains its discomfiture with the suspension of the party stalwart and the composition of the Disciplinary Committee dealing with her suspension.
Kissoon indicated to the Guyana Chronicle that she is still unsure if she will persist and attend today’s session of the Congress.
“I will let tomorrow speak for itself,” she said.

ACCREDIT KISSOON
Additionally, Mr. Sharma Solomon, member PNCR’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) and Congress Committee, yesterday wrote to Mr. Clarke stressing Kissoon’s entitlement to be accredited with ‘delegate status.’
In his letter, seen by this newspaper, Solomon said: “Consistent with Rule 15 (2) (d) of the Party Constitution, Ms. Vanessa Kissoon is entitled to delegate status at the 18th Biennial Congress of the People’s National Congress Reform.
“The members of PNCR Region 10 are advising that the General Secretary complies and provide her with the appropriate accreditation.  Ms. Vanessa Kissoon is APNU Member of Parliament on the PNCR list.”
Rule 15 (2) (d) of the Constitution states that: “All members of the General Council, Party Nominees to the Parliament and National Congress of Local Democratic Organs shall be entitled to attend the Biennial Congress and participate in its deliberations, but of these only Party Members have the right to vote merely by virtue of office.”
“Your speedy address of this matter is anticipated,” Solomon said.
The Guyana Chronicle was informed yesterday that the disciplinary committee has concluded its deliberations on Kissoon’s matter, but will have to report to the CEC before its decision is made public.

(By Vanessa Narine)