Mursaline must not return as PNCR Treasurer- party executive

Last Updated on Thursday, 19 January 2023, 21:27 by Denis Chabrol

Faaiz Mursaline- the man who resigned from the post of Treasurer of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and later vented publicly his concerns about lack of accountability-would not be allowed to return to the post, according to that party’s executive.

Though PNCR Leader Aubrey Norton did not provide details, he confirmed that Mr Mursaline was no longer a member of that party’s Central Executive because he resigned from that post to which he had been specifically elected in December 2021. “The Treasurer has resigned. It means that the Treasurer is no longer (in) the executive of the party because in our constitution, the Treasurer is elected to the position of Treasurer and it is that position that makes him or her a member of the Central Executive so when you resignm you resign from the executive as well,” he said.

Party sources said the Central Executive took a unanimous position not to approve Mr Mursaline’s request to rescind his resignation and return as Treasurer because his accounts of what had triggered his resignation were inconsistent and that his utterances, including those in the public, had brought the party into disrepute.

Mr Norton said Mr Mursaline would be replaced in keeping with the PNCR’s Constitution. A new Treasurer  has to be elected at a Biennial Delegates Congress.

But party sources told Demerara Waves Online News that the PNCR Leader is expected to exercise his right under his party’s constitution and appoint a Political Secretary which he would assign the specific duties of Treasurer and that person would report directly to the General Secretary Dawn Hastings-Williams.

After the PNCR-led coalition of A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) lost the 2020 general and regional elections, Mr Mursaline had essentially welcomed the return of the People’s Progressive Party Civic to government. He had explained this action on the grounds that he had expected to be selected as a parliamentarian.

Weeks after resigning from the position of PNCR Treasurer, he circulated a statement to the Central Executive outlining his grievances including having been asked to sign blank cheques, including 20 in November, 2022, without supporting documents and alleged racial hostility by a party activist.

The PNCR Leader had denied receiving any complaint of racial hostility but has acknowledged that blank cheques had been signed by Mr Mursaline because he lives in Corriverton and is not in Guyana everyday. Mr Norton had explained that the supporting documents had been provided at the time of the second signature being affixed.

Meanwhile Mr Norton on Thursday again fended off suggestions that the PNCR has breached its constitution by continuing with the same auditor rather than mandatorily appointing one at the first General Council after a Biennial Delegates Congress. He explained that the party  was continuing with the incumbent auditor in keeping with the practice. “The party over the years has always appointed an auditor and if we don’t change the auditor, that auditor continues to be the auditor until we change it,” he said. “If we are not changing the auditor, you do not necessarily go back to General Council and ask them for a new auditor,” he added.

The PNCR’s Constitution states that, “The General Council shall appoint an Auditor at the first meeting after the Biennial Delegates Congress.”