Tussle over Region 10 PNCR office unrelated to party congress- Granger

Last Updated on Friday, 4 July 2014, 20:33 by GxMedia

Vanessa Kissoon (black outfit) sitting in the opposition back bench

Even as the Region 10 Coordinator of the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR) is still unable to acquire the key to the party’s office in Linden,  party leader David Granger does not believe that the recent altercation between the General Secretary, Oscar Clarke and parliamentarian Vanessa Kissoon has anything to do with upcoming congressional elections.

It is no secret that Region 10 Chairman, Sharma Solomon, Kissoon and a number of other party members in Region 10 are close allies of Aubrey Norton who is contesting the position of party leader at this month-end’s congress.

While Granger said he was informed that the Clarke-Kissoon fracas was prompted by the General Secretary’s request for “the key to the PNC’s property in Linden,” he brushed off suggestions that it was linked to the upcoming contest.

Although Adams has been unable to acquire the keys for the past three months, Granger assured that “it is not affecting our Congress operation” and Adams “is continuing to do her work satisfactorily.”  “I don’t think that that necessarily had anything to do with the forthcoming Congress but it is not normal party behavior,” he said.

He acknowledged that as the PNCR heads into Congress, it was normal for prospective office holders to seek support from other party members.  “If you are referring to a particular incident, that is abnormal and, as Leader of the party, it is intolerable to have senior members of the party behaving that way to one another and the evidence that was presented to me indicated that a request was made by the General Secretary to have a certain matter resolved and that led to an altercation and my intention is to get to the bottom of the altercation,”  Granger said.

He confirmed that Kissoon has been suspended from the PNCR to make way for a hearing by a disciplinary committee which is chaired by  Cammie Ramsaroop. “There was an incident and it was my view, as party leader, that the incident was of such a serious nature that it warranted her temporary suspension until a disciplinary committee, which is in accordance with the constitution, be convened,” he said.

The PNCR Leader said statements have been received from Kissoon and other persons concerned with the incident ahead of the appointment of the Committee. He said the General Secretary would not be sitting on that committee because it would  be a breach of natural justice.

Granger said the Region 10 Chairman has been asked to nominate one person to the disciplinary committee. 

Kissoon was in early February, 2014 shifted to the back bench, a sign that the executive of the PNCR continues to find disfavour with her.