Dr. Harding said she has realised that the People’s National Congress Reform Central Executive Committee no longer has the passion, interest and well-being of the party, its members and supporters at heart, as she does. According to the former executive member, she will be channeling her energies elsewhere.
She explained that she has travelled this country extensively and heard the cries of party supporters and even supporters who are of the view that the party has abandoned them and failed to address their needs.
Dr Harding was asked to point out what made her feel side-lined and if there was a concerted effort in this action. According to her, the highest body of the party was guilty of the act.
She explained that after realising what was happening, she was not prepared to sit and waste time when she had better things to do and contribute to the country’s development.
NO SHAME
Dr. Faith Harding explained that despite the problem, she is determined to serve her party. She said that it was during the lead-up to the election of the presidential candidate for the party that the central executive members began to breach protocol without any shame.
According to Dr. Harding, she was disappointed when she realized that during the internal elections held to elect its presidential candidate, the party used party resources, both human and otherwise, to aid the campaign of retired Brigadier David Granger. She explained that the public relations department and vehicles of the PNCR were fixtures anywhere Granger went, and the PR team made no bones about being there because of Granger.
Dr. Harding also explained that leader of the party, Robert Corbin, was fully behind David Granger and favoured him as the presidential candidate of the party. During her campaigning for the presidential post of the party, she was told by party members and supporters in several regions, that they received calls informing them that the party supports David Granger for the position and it will be that way, and that way only. She was however reluctant to say who placed those calls. She commented that the fight for the top post was between the Robert Corbin faction and that of the late chairman, Winston Murray.
In an attempt to support her claims of the lack of shame on the part of the executive, Dr. Harding pointed to a book launch by David Granger two days before the internal elections to elect a presidential candidate. The leader of the party, senior party members and those of the executive were actively involved in that event, and even appeared on the platform and made speeches on the day of the book launch, she added.
The most glaring and absurd charade by the executive was witnessed on the day of the presidential election of the party, Dr Harding explained. She said that the David Granger faction clearly violated the rules of the game and breached protocol by distributing David Granger t-shirts and other paraphernalia in the Congress, under the collective nose of the leader and other executive members.
She also cited the drawing of a raffle on the same day, which had the full support of Robert Corbin. She said musicians sang and tuned up instruments during the counting of the presidential votes, while several persons crowded the stage area although ballot boxes were open. She explained that those actions caused the party to lose some of its members.
NO PLACE FOR WOMEN
According to Dr. Harding, on elections day November 28, 2011, despite being a former presidential candidate of the party and an executive member, she was not approached to perform any duties, and it was only when she turned up and made herself visible that she was assigned a task. She said that after the November 28 polls too, she was not consulted on any plans for the party and the partnership. She was not informed, involved, discussed with or selected to make any decision on any committee of the two bodies.
Dr Harding is of the view that the party is opposed to vibrant and dynamic women, and will continue to side-line women who express an interest in taking up key leadership roles in the party.
Asked about her views on A Partnership for National Unity, she said she is yet to see the partnership realising the issues affecting citizens and work toward addressing those.
She said that it is the PNCR’s attitude that has left Guyana without women leaders, because they have made progressive, experienced and dynamic women disappear. She made it clear that she will not disappear.
Dr Harding explained that she is not in any way bitter, as she realised that the party was playing its game and she no longer wished to be a part of it. She commented that while the party is something to her, it’s just but something, not everything.
Dr. Faith Harding has been a part of the People’s National Congress for more than 40 years, and commenced active political work just over 30 years ago. She has been a member of the Central Executive of the party for over 25 years.
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