PNCR retreat emphasises economic pressures
Stabroek News
February 27, 2003
A recent retreat for the leadership of the PNCR addressed strategies to deal with the international economic environment, the economic recession at home and communication strategies for reaching various target audiences.
The retreat, held earlier this month at the Ocean View Convention Centre, also looked at the reorganisation of the party to ensure that it is positioned to win the next general elections. The participants were the members of the party's central executive committee, the regional leadership of the party and members of parliament.
Former Finance Minister and former Assistant Secretary General of the African Caribbean and Pacific group of countries, Carl Greenidge; internationally acclaimed Barbados-based management consultant, Dr Aubrey Arm-strong; former national security adviser Brigadier (rtd) David Granger; and Supriya Singh were among the resource persons from outside the party who facilitated the discussions.
At a press conference last week, PNCR parliamentary chief whip, Lance Carberry described the discussions as frank and open. "There were no sacred cows, our positions on the National Assembly, the economy, ideology, the management of the party and its nationwide operations, constitutional reform, power sharing and governance, our views on culture and ethnicity, were all dealt with."
Carberry said that some of the conclusions reached were the need to step up the party's efforts in strengthening the cultural, religious, social and ethnic inclusivity and identity of the party along with a complete revamping of the party's structure and its secretariat.
Other conclusions were the need for a greater outreach to the Guyanese diaspora; the need to revitalise the party's work among youth and women; and the articulation and widespread publication of a renewed vision for Guyana, its economy and society so as to generate hope among the Guyanese people that Guyana can once again become safe, secure, prosperous and respected in the world. He said too that the party would be conducting half- yearly reviews and assessments of the progress being made in the implementation of the decisions taken at the retreat.
