The 76th birthday celebrations of former President, David Granger has been overshadowed by more criticisms of his leadership style.
The latest reproaches, which call into question his “one-man show”, style of leadership also coincides with observances to mark the 10th anniversary of the former President’s founding political coalition -A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) – where Granger continues to serve as its Chairman.
Although he has been up against a bombardment of condemnation since he led the APNU+AFC Coalition into the 2020 elections which the party lost, the latest criticisms come from the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R). The CEC is the highest decision-making body in the PNC/R.
The PNC/R is the largest party in the APNU+AFC Coalition of which Granger is also the Leader.
A statement from the PNC/R CEC also disapproved of the behaviour of the party’s General Secretary, Amna Ally. The body said Granger and Ally continue to disregard the decisions of the Central Executive Committee.
“The most recent disregard is the one-man decision by David Granger to go ahead and commit the PNCR to continue its involvement and accept two recently formed parties as part of the APNU. The actions of David Granger are without any doubt unconstitutional and an affront to the membership of our Party. He will not be allowed to reduce the PNCR into a One Man Show,” the statement noted.
The CEC said that at its last meeting, Granger and Ally were specifically mandated to put on hold any further involvement of the PNCR with the APNU until the status of that partnership was fully discussed and decisions on the way forward are taken.
“Notwithstanding the Party’s decision, Granger went ahead and publicly advertised that the PNCR has accepted these two shell parties as part of the APNU… we are now witnessing this latest disregard of the Party’s decision, compounded by Granger affixing the symbols of these two non-approved parties onto a programme purported to be that of the APNU for its 10th Anniversary Celebrations. That is a one man show which the Party will not allow Granger to get away with,” the statement further added.
The latest statement exposes further the growing division within the PNC/R and the wider APNU Coalition.
Members of the PNC/R are now being encouraged, with a congress likely before the end of the year, to join forces to elect new leadership with a new direction.
In recent weeks, the PNC/R has faced several resignations by senior youth members and members of the CEC. On each occasion, Granger’s leadership was criticized amid calls for him to give up the leadership of the party.
Granger’s leadership has been described as, among other things, dictatorial.
Despite these criticisms, Granger appeared at a virtual zoom conference to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the APNU on Thursday. In his remarks, he said the Coalition was stronger than ever and it looks to a next 10 years of political collaboration among its members.
