PNCR names five-member Disciplinary Committee to probe Kissoon-Clarke altercation

Last Updated on Saturday, 12 July 2014, 13:22 by GxMedia

The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) has established a five-member Disciplinary Committee to investigate a recent altercation between the party’s General Secretary, Oscar Clarke and Vanessa Kissoon.

While Clarke is expected to appear before the committee, from the tone of Kissoon and her allies in Linden/ Region 10, she is not expected to appear before the committee due to concerns about the process following the June 20 incident at the PNCR’s Congress Place Headquarters, Sophia.

Party insiders told Demerara Waves that heading the Disciplinary Committee is Alan Munroe. The other members are Malika Ramsey, Christopher Jones, Cheryl Sampson and Lance Carberry.

A group of persons in Linden calling themselves leaders and members of the PNCR in Region 10 have told party leader, David Granger that they have told Region 10 Chairman Sharma Solomon not to name anyone to sit on the committee.   In suspending Kissoon from the party, Granger had asked Solomon to name someone to be part of the probe team.

Kissoon and several of her colleagues in Region 10 have since challenged Granger’s constitutional authority to suspend her, saying that should have been a decision by the Central Executive. They have since threatened “political action” if a fair system is not put in place to deal with the incident.

At the centre of the dispute are the General Secretary’s repeated requests for the key to the PNCR’s Linden Office to allow for newly-appointed Region 10 Coordinator, Sandra Adams to effectively perform her duties.   Kissoon has accused Clarke of assaulting her when he saw her at Congress Place and asked her for the key.  Counter accusations have been made that Kissoon was quite loud and abusive during her interaction with the General Secretary.

The pro-Kissoon group in Region 10 has, however, accused Granger of displaying a pattern of behavior to her and he has refused several requests to meet with concerned Region 10 members. They have also charged  that demanding the key to the PNCR office and the appointment of Adams were aimed at wresting control of the mobilization machinery in Region 10 on the eve of the PNCR’s Congress slated for this month-end. The pro-Kissoon group has mobilized numerous delegates from Region 10 to attend and vote at Congress in favour of Aubrey Norton for the post of party leader.

The PNCR Leader has denied that he acted unconstitutionally in suspending Kissoon and that his decision has been ratified by the Central Executive. He has also maintained that as General Secretary, Clarke has a legal right to access to party property.

Granger has since criticized Kissoon for releasing internal party correspondence to the media to make out her case that due process has not been followed in suspending her.