Cash-strapped PNCR plans to sell headquarters land; Granger insists process transparent

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 20:59 by GxMedia

Leader of the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR), David Granger on Monday denied that he and a select group of persons have facilitated the proposed sale of a portion of the party’s land aback its headquarters at Sophia.

“I was not involved in any negotiations. All matters of this nature are authorised and discussed by Central Exec. It was never personal,” he told Demerara Waves Online News.

Demerara Waves Online News was told that the land would be sold to Comfort Sleep for GUY$75 million.

Instead, he said a proposal has been made to the party’s Central Executive Committee, the highest decision-making body between General Council. Granger could not say how soon the sale would be finalised. “No, not at this point in time but it will be discussed and finalised at Central Executive Committee,” he said.

He stressed that everything is done by the party’s institutions rather than by personalities.

However, Demerara Waves Online News was told by party-insiders that the first time that party members were informed about the sale was at a recently held General Council meeting. The sources said that a number of delegates at the Council meeting insisted that in future all such proposals must be brought to them and decided there rather than by Central Executive.

Asked to confirm whether a number of persons at Council level had expressed concern, Granger said “I wouldn’t care to confirm the number of persons but the decision was taken that whenever matters like these are raised, they are discussed in great detail and a decision is taken. He assured that “No decision will be taken if there is strong objection or if there is a majority against it.”

One source said that the land-sale would continue to dominate Central Executive meetings because of the apparent absence of initial consultations about the proposal. “It continues to a big fight in the party. It’s the biggest fight in the party,” said the source.

 The Central Executive Committee, he said, would decide whether the money would be spent on business activities or day-to-day running of the party business. Sources said the party is broke and still owes millions of dollars associated with the 2011 General and Regional Elections.

Several years ago, the PNCR had sold a building on South Road to help service debt to the Georgetown Municipality.