–Chairman Basil Williams says time needed to fix Guyana

UNDER the theme, ‘United and strong, 60 years on,’ the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR) on Friday launched its diamond jubilee anniversary celebrations, outlining successes

and plans for future development of Guyana, a nation which it has participated in building since before 1966.

Chairman of the PNCR, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams, said the party which started off as a strong defender of the poor and working class, had now collaborated to pilot Guyana to the creation of a ‘green economy.’
Minister Williams in delivering the feature address at the launch of the celebrations at the Hall of Heroes, Congress Place, Sophia, indicated that the PNCR, through the coalition (APNU+AFC), was not settling for short measures, but was bound to enjoy decades of political leadership, ensuring Guyana was built on the effective use of its resources and not corruption.

According to Williams, the party has enjoyed “nearly 60 years of transforming Guyana. We had a short break of 23 years, but we’re back on course, and I think we want to be on course for a very, very long time…No short measures! And so we want to take Guyana into the next 60 years as a modern democracy, where all our peoples can enjoy the vast resources of our country.

“It is an anniversary worth celebrating, as its survival signals strength and togetherness even in the face of adversity. We are truly united and strong, 60 years on,” Williams told the packed auditorium of party members and supporters. He outlined the vision of President David Granger which encompasses social cohesion, poverty eradication, greening the economy, and equal access to education, among others.

“The President noted that we need to work assiduously to eliminate extreme poverty, eradicate inequality, ensuring equal access to education, create an environment that fosters greater participation and inclusion at the political level and enforce employment and anti-discrimination laws in order to guarantee the health, happiness and safety of our working people, our women and our children…Our party sees itself as the vanguard of the green economy.”

He said while the party celebrates, it must reflect and assess its path of struggles and achievements and look ahead for greater accomplishments.
“This is a time for reflection and assessment. We must take stock of where we have come from, the achievements we made, the struggles, where we are presently and where we are taking Guyana in the future.”
Tracing history, Williams said the PNCR was birthed October 5, 1957 to quell ethnic strife, modernize Guyana and positively change the trajectory of our country, at a time when great leadership was needed. “The PNC/R was not birthed by accident, but out of the need to put country first above selfish ideals. This party was birthed at a critical time when leadership was needed in our nation. It was birthed out of struggle and emanated out of a protest against dogmatic creed and divisive tactics.”

The party was founded by Chairman Joseph Latchmansingh and Guyana’s first executive President the late Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, whose vision was to create ‘an organization of protest and struggle’ against corruption, misrule and narrow partisanship.
“Comrades, doesn’t that strike a bell about how prophetic this man was since 60 years ago? What is our main beef now in this country? Isn’t it corruption? It is! Misrule! Partisanship! Our party was a response to the cries of the people, again after 23 years, for leadership, direction and change.”

Seven years after it was formed, the PNC entered into government, and 18 months later led Guyana to independence and years later to republican status. It has built the economy through educational development, improving the physical landscape of the country, bridging the ethnic divide, restoration of national pride by fostering a spirit of unity, and natural resources development, Williams told the audience.
Also among its leaders over the 60 years were the late President Desmond Hoyte, former Prime Minister Hamilton Greene, Robert Corbin, Ptolemy Reid, and President David Granger. Williams said, “We have had many leaders since Burnham and Latchmansingh, but one thing that has not changed is our ideology that country must be put first.”

Meanwhile, Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Annette Ferguson, who is also chairperson and coordinator of the anniversary celebrations, said after 60 years of fighting for a better country, the party will celebrate its leaders, people and achievements through several activities. The party’s focus will be on a renewed party focus, and empowerment of the party as its sounds a call for recommitment to the party’s ideologies and values, while campaigning through public education of who the PNCR is and what it stands for while expanding membership.

She said educational activities, award ceremonies, cultural extravaganza, a gospel fest concert, photographic and artefacts exhibition, medical outreaches, a fitness walk, rehabilitation of parties offices in regions, youth training, football competitions, a lecture on the party’s history, a Women’s Symposium and a rededication of Congress House are on the cards.