–former Party treasurer says, points to Party’s financial unaccountability, marginalisation of Indo-Guyanese members

ALTHOUGH the leadership of the People’s National Congress-Reform (PNC-R) is still attempting to sweep the allegations of racial discrimination under the rug, victims are coming forth and exposing the Party for the blatant marginalisation, its “greasy fingers” and internal “corrupt practices.”

Although the PNC-R is gearing up to host its overdue congress in June, former party treasurer Faaiz Mursaline maintains that regardless of who is leading the party, racism will always be prevalent because it is within the “core” of the party.
In an interview with Ossie Rodgers on “The Diaspora Connected”, the former PNC-R Treasurer opened up about “the deep wounds” he suffered while serving within the party.

Describing the PNC-R as “wolves in sheep’s clothing,” Mursaline said that the PNC-R is incapable of reaching the office of government ever again because the party lacks the necessary abilities and features to lead a united Guyana.

While this is not the first time that the former party treasurer has come forth and exposed the party for its infractions, ranging from financial unaccountability to marginalisation, he said that he will continue to “put them on blast” until his last breath, since young Guyanese must not fall prey to their promises.

While lamenting the struggles he faced during his tenure with the party, Mursaline said: “…I have gone through the bosom of the PNC, and I have witnessed it for myself. I [had] joined the party in 2015; I worked my way up with all the racial slurs that [were] thrown at me since then as a young adult; as a young teenager I must say.”

He went on to say: “I could testify that I was racially discriminated against by members close to the Leader of the Opposition in the party, because I didn’t do certain things they wanted me to do.”
When probed as to whether he’d ever voiced his complaints, Mursaline said that he had penned an extensive letter to the Central Executive Committee (CEC), but Leader of the PNC-R, Aubrey Norton is yet to touch the topic, which appears to be an ailment affecting the party.

With several persons within the party coming forth with their complaints of racial discrimination against the PNC-R, Mursaline told the interviewer that these statements are no longer allegations but instead the full truth.
Mursaline was elected as treasurer at the party’s last election during the Biennial Congress in December 2021. However, he resigned from the position just one year later.

Addressing Norton’s style of leadership, the former PNC-R treasurer described him as “power drunk” and not approachable, and even said that only when the leader wanted a favour done that he spoke to him.
Later in the interview, Mursaline said: “That man [Norton] doesn’t have the character, the features and the personality to ever set foot in the Office of the President as President of Guyana.”

Additionally, even with skeletons within its closet, the PNC-R has remained very confident and deems themselves as a “government in waiting,” despite what has been described on several occasions as their “poor” tenure from 2015-2020.

Mursaline, however, discarded the PNC-R’s “fantasy” of attaining the office of government next year, and brought reality into the picture by stating: “There’s no government in waiting by the name of the PNC; Guyana cannot be led by a racist cabal that is the People’s National Congress-Reform.”

LACK OF FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY
The issue of financial accountability in the party has been a sore topic for years, and has once again surfaced ahead of its congress.
“I told them that I need to fix the finances of this party. It was mentioned when we won the congress,” Mursaline said.
However, this was fruitless as there were efforts to prevent that from happening.

“They don’t want their diaspora comrades who are supporting them, sending thousands of US [dollars], thousands of Canadian [dollars and] thousands of pounds to run the affairs of the PNC. Why the people can’t know where the money is going? That was my main focus,” he said.

From the time he assumed the position of elected treasurer, Mursaline said he was made to sign blank cheques with no supporting documents.
He had previously told the Guyana Chronicle that the party’s finances have not been audited since July, 2020.
He also referenced the resignation of Geeta Chandan- Edmond, former General Secretary (GS) of the PNC-R.

Chandan-Edmond had initially gone on leave in early August of 2022. The former magistrate reportedly told the party that she would have been out for a few weeks but then extended her leave for an indefinite period.
Sources familiar with “the situation” told the Guyana Chronicle that Chandan-Edmond “endured” a lot before throwing in the proverbial towel.