In a post to his Facebook page recently, with the header “PNCR Members need to stop leaking information to the press and allow the leadership to strategize and make informed public pronouncements”, Rickford Burke the President of the Guyana Caribbean Institute for Democracy (CGID) labeled a recent article in the Stabroek News as problematic and worrisome for the PNCR.
Stabroek News yesterday carried an article entitled, “Volda Lawrence needed in Parliament to provide leadership on financial matters”. The article alleged that the current corps of Opposition MPs lack political acumen and institutional knowledge of Parliament and the PPP’s modus operandi.
Burke, however, labeled that claim as trash and unproductive. He argues that the Parliamentary Opposition has very seasoned Parliamentarians; including a former Speaker of the National Assembly, a former Vice President, and several former government ministers, each of whom has been in Parliament for over 20 years.
“Obviously, the alleged Stabroek News source lacks knowledge, political acumen and discipline themselves. If one wants to make a case for a particular individual to be selected for Parliament, fine. Make that case based on that particular person’s qualifications, experience and abilities. But not at the expense of undermining and tearing down other members, and the party. That is unacceptable. It is political suicide,” Burke said.
The problem he believes is that the prior leaders in the PNCR and the Coalition lacked the ability to listen to sound advice, and lacked the vision to recruit professionals, especially young ones, with essential expertise that span across all professions, so that those persons can serve in Parliament strategically, in the various capacities. Additionally, the problem the PNCR has is that everybody in the party purports to always know, plus they leak and talk too much!”, Burke explained.
Burke questions if the alleged PNCR source in the Stabroek News report actually exists, and if the quotes are accurate, since the story is a clear demonstration of political indiscipline and ‘Foot in Mouth’ disease. He is calling on PNCR members to shut up and exercise party discipline and allow the party’s leadership to make such public pronouncements based on well thought out policies and strategies and other considerations, and stop empowering the PPP media to sabotage, divide and attempt to sow seeds of public distrust and no-confidence in the party on behalf of the PPP.
More, In The Ring.
