-says will not continue to be ‘rubberstamp’
-Norton insists resignation will not affect party’s upcoming congress

JUST a few days before the party’s overdue congress, Dawn Hastings-Williams has tendered her resignation from the post of General Secretary of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR).

Hastings-Williams has called it quits with the party and admitted that she was a “rubberstamp” while serving as General Secretary.

Although her position is crucial to the party and its elections, the incumbent PNCR Leader, Aubrey Norton, in an invited comment told the Guyana Chronicle that Hastings-Williams’ resignation will not affect the party’s congress.

The PNCR has been plunged into a state of confusion and disunity, especially with it battling a mountain of allegations regarding numerous infractions.

In the letter of resignation, Hastings-Williams cited a number of reasons including the lack of preparation for the party’s upcoming congress, along with financial and membership discrepancies.

She said: “With all the administrative task[s] that has [sic] to be undertaken by the secretariat, I believe that the one-month period for preparation for such a congress can lead to confusion rather than having a fair and transparent process and outcome.”

While the General Secretary has to be integrated in every aspect as it relates to the preparation for congress, Hastings-Williams said that in many instances, this has not been happening.

“For example, invitations were sent out to persons without my knowledge and I don’t know under whose authorised signature other than the General Secretary of the party. I found out when I began to send out a few written invitations and only to be told that they are already in receipt of an invitation,” she stated, while labelling this as a “gross disrespect” to her office.

Notably, on the PNCR’s Nomination Day, Norton secured 177 nominations: Amanza Walton-Desir got nine nominations, Roysdale Forde got 20, Volda Lawrence one, Gary Best two, Carl Greenidge got four and Simona Broomes got two nominations.

Nomination Day is part of the electoral process to elect a new party executive, including the Party Leader, Chairman, two Vice-Chairpersons, Treasurer and the 15 Central Executive Committee members. Despite Nomination Day being a major day for the PNCR, the turnout was dismal. The 22nd Biennial Delegates Congress will be held from June 28-30, 2024.

MEMBERSHIP DISCREPANCIES

Hastings-Williams also cited several issues as they relate to membership.

“I must mention an instance where a comrade from one of the groups in the USA came to my office to enquire about the reason why membership cards were not being printed and we both entered the Membership Department to examine the computer and the other equipment so as to determine what was the pending issue and to see whether he can assist in any way to get the membership matter addressed. Not even five minutes past [sic] when the Leader called him to ask why was he questioning a junior staff about membership.

“The expression on the comrade’s face and the tone of his voice told me that something was not right. I never felt so humiliated after that incident. I felt as if I was being watched and monitored. In fact, this was actually the second time I felt humiliated after being locked out at the gate where canters and cars were used to block my vehicle from entering to pick me up to take me home from work,” Hastings-Williams said in her letter.

FINANCIAL DISCREPANCIES

Meanwhile, she stated that for more than a year, she was unable to present a financial statement to the Central Executive Committee because she had no access to the weekly or monthly income and expenditure statement.

“I had requested of the accountant last December to prepare and produce a financial statement for the year 2023, so as to present it to the CEC. When I called for the statement to be handed in to me, the accountant said that she had completed the statement as was instructed by me, but was told not to hand it over to me but to put in on hold,” she said.
Further, she called out the party’s headquarters, Congress Place, for breathing hostility.

“The Congress Place at present is not conducive to working, especially when you have someone shouting and threatening staff that they will be sent home,” Hastings-Williams noted.

In the conclusion to the resignation letter, she said that she would not like to be a part of any “unreasonable” practice.

“I love my party and I will not continue to sit as a rubber stamp in the Office of the General Secretary,” she said.