As the 64-year-old People National Congress Reform, is set to hold its 21st Biennial Delegates Congress on December 11, seven nominees are being placed on the frontline for the Leadership Role in the party.
Those nominated to contest the party leadership are Basil Williams, Carl Greenidge, Richard Van-West Charles, Volda Lawrence; Aubrey Norton, Joseph Harmon; and Sharma Solomon.
For the position of Party Chairman, the nominees are Volda Lawrence, Rear Admiral (ret’d)Gary Best, Shurwayne Holder, Amanza Walton-Desir, Roysdale Forde, Annette Ferguson; Aubrey Norton, Sharma Solomon, Ronald Bulkan, Christopher Jones, Richard Van-West Charles, Simona Broomes, Geeta Chandan, Dawn Hastings, Joseph Harmon, and Mervyn Williams.
Additionally, Elizabeth Niles-Williams, Volda Lawrence, Dawn Hastings-Williams, Annette Ferguson, Vinceroy Jordan, Gregory Fraser, Aubrey Norton, Darren Wade, Gary Best, Christopher Jones, Richard Van-West Charles, Vinceroy Jordan, Shurwayne Holder, Roysdale Ford, Ubraj Narine, Sharma Solomon, Robert Corbin, Simona Broomes, Natasha Singh-Lewis, Kirk Fraser, Randolph Critchlow, Amanza Walton-Desir, Corretta McDonald, Ronald Cox, Ronald Bulkan, Mervyn Williams, Ganesh Mahipaul, Bernita Primo, Samuel Sandy, and Jevaughn Stephens were all nominated for Party Vice-Chairman.
And for Party Treasurer Ivelaw Henry, Clayton Newman, Elson Lowe, Vanessa Kissoon, Derrick Lawrence, Rear Admiral (Ret’d) Gary Best, Faaiz Mursaline, Ubraj Narine, Ronald Bulkan, Carol Smith-Joseph, Annette Ferguson, Amanza Walton-Desir, Roysdale Ford, Dr. Karen Cummings, Volda Lawrence, Ganesh Mahipaul, Daniel Seeram, and Deron John were all nominated.
The next stage is for the Central Executive Committee to write all those nominated to accept the nomination by a prescribed date. Failure to respond means that should they otherwise qualify, their names would not automatically appear on the Ballot for the position/s for which they were nominated.
Meanwhile, various Congress Sub-Committees have also been meeting and advancing their preparations for the Congress.
Since it is common for a Candidate to be nominated for, and actually contest more than one position, the Elections will be conducted in two (2) stages with the result for each stage being declared before moving on to the next stage:
Stage I: Election of the Leader, Chairman, two Vice-Chairpersons and Treasurer
Stage II: Election of the members to the Central Executive Committee
For this congress, it would be the first time in 64 years of the party, a current Leader of the Party is not nominated for any position.
On the morning of Saturday 11th December, an opening ceremony would include the Congress Address by Party Leader, Brigadier David Granger. The forum would be devoted to other Congress business including the election of Party Officers and members of the Central Executive Committee.
