The speculation and the work of spin doctors would be behind us when the curtains come down this afternoon on the PNC/R's 13th Biennial Congress.

Unless, for some entirely personal reason, Mr. Desmond Hoyte decides against waiting until his 73rd birthday in March next year to vacate the leadership --- as he had originally indicated --- then do not hold your breath about his replacement at today's election for leadership.

With the death of the party's founder-leader, President Forbes Burnham, Mr. Hoyte has been sitting quite comfortably at the helm of the PNC, for approximately 16 years, especially having gotten rid of the once valuable pillar of the party, former General Secretary Hamilton Green.

Now, for the first time, he is facing a challenge for the leadership, with the party's Vice-Chairman, Vincent Alexander, apparently with a stronger claim -- if you go by way of nominations -- than the younger but often more flambouyant and high profile Raphael Trotman.

At first glance, the challenge from Mr. Alexander and Mr. Trotman could be viewed as democracy at work within the party. But one should not underestimate Mr. Hoyte's own strategy in, as the Trinidadians would say, "playing dead to catch corbeaux (carrion crow)".

Some have pointed out that it is not without significance that Mr. Hoyte's very loyal lieutenant, Chairman Robert Corbin, whose future in the party has long been tied to Mr. Hoyte's leadership, chose not to enter the leadership contest at this time.

Why Mr. Hoyte would wish to retain the leadership until March 2003, when he could easily make way for a successor today --- having unsuccessfully led the party into three general elections --- is one of the recurring questions about a party that is yet to disavow its dark past in 28 years of rule, based on electoral fraud.

More than the already strange convoluted, double-speak stance of PNC policies and politics by Mr. Alexander, is the notion floated at last week's press conference by Chairman Corbin that the leader of the party need not be its next presidential candidate.

Why be leader of a party that perceives itself as the alternative government of this country if that person is not to be regarded as the most eligible to lead it into a new general election?

It is fanciful for the likes of Mr. Corbin to think that the Guyanese public is going to pay much attention to that kind of party politicking at this time.

If Mr. Hoyte wants to remain leader beyond March 2003, then he will be there -- unless something very much unexpected happens at today's congress.

Come 2006, when new general election is constitutionally due, he will be 76. The man to beat would be the PPP/Civic's incumbent, President Bharrat Jagdeo, who will be nearer to 42 for his second consecutive term.

While the PPP/C may very well welcome such a development, this can hardly be in the best interest of either the PNC/R or, more generally, Guyana.

What is immediately desirable is for the Congress delegates to consider as a priority the issue of a resumption of the high-level dialogue between President Jagdeo and the PNC/R leader that was postponed by Mr. Hoyte.

And, relatedly, for the MPs of the PNC/R to end their boycott of Parliament and give representation to the people, in whose name they speak, in the highest forum of the nation.

For their part, the PPP/C must stand ready and flexible enough to reach out to any fresh and meaningful recommendations/proposals emerging out of the PNC/R Congress.