People's National Congress (Guyana)

The People's National Congress–Reform is a social-democratic and democratic socialist political party in Guyana led by David A. Granger. The party currently holds 31 of the 65 seats in the National Assembly. In Guyana's ethnically divided political landscape, the PNCR is supported primarily by Afro-Guyanese people.[2]

For the national legislature of the People's Republic of China, see National People's Congress.

People's National Congress–Reform
LeaderDavid Arthur Granger
ChairmanBasil Williams
Founded1957
Split fromPeople's Progressive Party
HeadquartersCongress Place, Sophia, Georgetown Guyana
IdeologySocial democracy
Democratic socialism
Historical:
Left-wing nationalism
Left-wing populism[1]
Political positionCentre-left to left-wing
National Assembly
31 / 65
Website
www.pncr.org

It is the main component of the A Partnership for National Unity coalition, also led by Granger.

History

The PNC was formed in 1957 by the faction of the People's Progressive Party (PPP) led by Forbes Burnham that had lost the general elections earlier in the year. In 1959 it absorbed the United Democratic Party. The PNC won 11 seats in the 1961 elections, which saw the PPP win a majority. In the 1964 elections the PNC won 22 of the 53 seats and despite receiving fewer votes than the PPP, it was able to form the government in coalition with the United Force,[3] with Burnham becoming Prime Minister. During the 1960s, the PNC was allied with Eusi Kwayana's Black Nationalist African Society for Cultural Relations with Independent Africa (ASCRIA), until the organization broke with the PNC in 1971 on government corruption issues, and reinvented itself as a multi-ethnic pro-democracy movement to later become the Working People's Alliance.[4]

The PNC remained in power following suspected fraudulent elections in 1968, 1973 and 1980. Desmond Hoyte became PNC leader and President following Burnham's death in 1985. The party won another fraudulent election in 1985,[5] but allowed free and fair elections to be held in 1992, in which they were defeated by the PPP. The party lost elections in 1997 and 2001. Following Hoyte's death in 2002 he was succeeded as party leader by Robert Corbin. The party went on to lose the 2006 election. Prior to the 2011 election it formed the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) alliance with several smaller parties. Although the opposition APNU and Alliance for Change (AFC) won more seats than the PPP, the leader of the largest party automatically became President, meaning PPP leader Donald Ramotar.

The APNU formed a joint list with the AFC for the 2015 elections, in which they defeated the PPP/C, winning 33 of the 65 seats. PNC leader David A. Granger subsequently became President.

Organisation

Arms of the party

The Guyana Youth and Student Movement is the youth arm of the party.

The National Congress of Women is the women’s arm of the party.

Biennial Congress

The Biennial Congress (BC) is the sovereign body of the party, as it has been throughout the party’s history. Congress debates reports submitted by the Central Executive Committee and resolutions on contemporary issues.

General Council

The General Council (GC) undertakes strategic oversight of the policy development between Congresses. This is chaired by the party chairman and is made up of member of the CEC, MPs, NCW, GYSM and Officers of regional party groups. The General Council meets each quarter.

Central Executive Committee

The People’s National Congress’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) is the governing body of the Party. The Party Leader, Chairman, Vice Chairman and fifteen (15) members of the Executive Committee are elected at the Biennial Congress. The General Secretary is appointed by the Leader, from among the fifteen elected members. Ten members are co-opted to the Central Executive by the Leader and other elected members. In addition each of the Party’s 10 Regions elects a representative to the Central Executive Committee, and the Chairpersons of the Youth and Women arms of their representatives are also Central Executive Committee Members.

Regional Party Organisation

Party Committees are elected annually at the following levels.

  1. Regional
  2. Sub Regional
  3. District
  4. Neighbourhood
  5. Group

The basic unit of the party is the group, which consists of no less than twelve (12) members. The voice of the party membership on party policies is heard through their interaction at all of these levels, through the year and also at the Annual Conferences.

New Nation

The New Nation is a weekly newspaper reflecting the views of the party, which is widely circulated locally and overseas.

Election results
Election year No. of

overall seats won

 +/–
2020
31 / 65
 2 2nd (part of A Partnership for National Unity)
2015
33 / 65
 7 1st (part of A Partnership for National Unity)
2011
26 / 65
 4 2nd (part of A Partnership for National Unity)
2006
22 / 65
 8 2nd
2001
27 / 65
 5 2nd
1997
22 / 53
 1 2nd
1992
23 / 53
 19 2nd
1985
42 / 53
 1 1st
1980
41 / 53
 4 1st
1973
37 / 53
 7 1st
1968
30 / 53
 8 1st
1964
22 / 53
 11 2nd
1961
11 / 35
 7 2nd
1957
3 / 14
 New 2nd

References
  1. Fairley, Bryant D.; Ramnarine, Devanand J. (April 1985). "'Populism' in Guyana and Newfoundland" (PDF). IDS Bulletin. pp. 46–53. doi:10.1111/j.1759-5436.1985.mp16002008.x. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  2. "Guyana voters head to polls to choose new government". BBC News. 29 November 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  3. Dieter Nohlen (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p 354 ISBN 978-0-19-928357-6
  4. Hinds, David (2011). Ethno-politics and Power Sharing in Guyana: History and Discourse. Washington, D.C.: New Academia. pp. 12–13, 43. ISBN 978-0-9828061-0-4.
  5. Nohlen, p355
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