Volda trounces competition
Volda Lawrence was just after midnight today declared the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Chairman beating out Joseph Harmon by 59 votes in a win that President David Granger believes is one for women everywhere.
When the results were officially announced sometime after 12:30 am, Returning Officer Hewley Griffith declared Lawrence, who is the Minister of Public Health, the winner and informed that she had secured 346 votes against Minister of State Harmon’s 287. Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams received 183 votes Griffith said. Williams’ result would represent a major defeat for him and the hope of being considered as a likely successor to President Granger.
Lawrence had also secured one of the two vice-chairman positions with 244 votes along with Annette Ferguson who got 260. However, given that she was the winner in the Chairmanship race, the 2nd position went to Dr George Norton who got 242 votes.
President Granger was returned unopposed as leader while Ronald Bulkan was also returned as the Treasurer unopposed.
Following the declaration,
` I do not bring gold or silver, but what I bring you is a heart for the people of Guyana. I promise to walk the walk and talk the talk. I pledge to walk the walk and to talk the talk to ensure that we remain in government for the next five…’
the President gave the charge to the new executive. Granger stressed the importance of gender equality and said that he feels that a female Chair and Vice Chair is a signal of the direction the party is going where women are taking up more leadership roles.
“I believe in gender equality. I am the first President to introduce senior counsel for females…for the first time this year 2018, there have been more national awardees who are women. I can’t overrule democracy but I try very hard to ensure that women are well represented at all levels of the party. That is my general philosophy,” a beaming Granger stressed.
“I can’t say ‘Don’t put this person because he is a male’ but the people understand what I want, what the party wants and what the party is calling for. So I am very satisfied that I have a female Chairman and a