Aubrey Norton gets overwhelming majority of nominations for PNCR leader; Forde focussing on validation of members

Last Updated on Monday, 10 June 2024, 21:45 by Denis Chabrol

Incumbent leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Aubrey Norton on Monday secured the highest number of nominations compared to his rivals, Roysdale Forde and Amanza Walton-Desir, but Mr Forde signaled that his team would be paying keen attention to the validation of groups.

The PNCR’s Congress is scheduled for June 28 to 30.

Mr Forde vowed that ‘strict’ action would be taken to weed out any potential irregularities. “The next stage is to have the nominees, groups and members validated and that I expect will require lots of strategy and oversight of the process, more so given the issue of a missing CPU and other concerns which I have written to the General Secretary about. To date no response or even an acknowledgement has been received but that will soon be addressed with the strictness that it requires,” he said.

Congress Administrator, Sherwin Benjamin said on the PNCR’s Social Media that of 218 groups from all 10 administrative regions, one from the National Congress of Women and six from overseas submitted nominations.

He said Mr Norton received 177 nominations; Roysdale Forde, 20; Amanza Walton-Desir, nine; Volda Lawrence, one; Carl Greenidge, four; Gary Best, two and Simona Broomes, two.

Norton’s protégé, Shurwayne Holder, also got the highest number of nominations – 173 – to be returned as PNCR Chairman; Ms Walton-Desir, seven; Mr Forde, nine; Ms Lawrence, 20; Linden Mayor Sharma Solomon, two; Christopher Jones, three, and Simona Broomes, one.

While Mr Forde said the PNCR’s Nomination Day appeared “smooth” based on the workflow, he cautioned that there would be no room for PNCR’s business to be conducted without full transparency, integrity and accountability. “At this stage, I am looking to ensure a process that will guarantee the will of the people is protected and that the democratic process remains enshrined in our Party,” he said.

Mr Forde said he would be applying to the PNCR election with similar seriousness, rigour and legal oversight as witnessed from him at the national level. “I am committed to a credible, free, fair and transparent process, and I am prepared to use the means at my disposal to ensure this,” he said.

He emphasised that the PNCR must set standards, obey and protect the laws of that party.