On Saturday evening, a friend called me; she was in distress. She exclaimed that the Party was under attack. The source of her distress was the demerara Wave article, “PNCR’s Central Executive Committee members could be jailed, fined in US – North American Region Chair.” She was mortified by the tone of the letter purportedly sent by the chairman of NAR Inc.
In the letter, the NAR Inc. chairman bluntly told the PNCR General Secretary that the Party had no control over groups in the United States, nor could it issue directions to NAR. The NAR Inc. chair referenced the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) as the reason why the Party has no authority over the groups in the United States. However, it appears there is some misunderstanding on the part of NAR Inc.
The operation of party groups in the US is impacted by FARA and the 501(c)(3) regulation. Firstly, the purpose of FARA is to ensure “the activities of individuals and organizations acting on behalf of foreign principals are transparent and known to the U.S. government and public.” The intent is to safeguard the integrity of U.S. democratic processes and national security. In other words, one of the main purposes of the Act is to prevent anonymous influence on US policy and political processes.
The 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-exempt and must observe certain rules to maintain that status. Violations of 501(c)(3) requirements include private benefit, excessive lobbying, political activity, failure to submit annual reports, and operations inconsistent with the intended purpose.
It is clear that FARA and 501©(3) do not prevent PNCR activities in the United States. All that is required is for the Derrick Lawrence led committee to do the required registration and record the PNCR as its foreign principal. They will then be required to submit periodic reports to the Justice Department outlining their activities. However, the US government is more interested in activities aimed at influencing US policies or elections, not Guyana’s politics.
Any group of persons, even if they are members of a PNCR group, could form a 501(c)(3) organization aimed at supporting charitable activities in Guyana. The PNCR could assist in identifying the charitable projects without violating the 501(c)(3) regulations.
PNCR PR Director Sherwood Lowe’s response to NAR Inc.’s letter to the General Secretary was timely. He set the record straight when he said there was no legal obstacle to PNCR groups operating in the US. Clearly, the FARA regime has no negative implications for our members and supporters who live in the USA if they comply with the requirements of the Act. FARA is about transparency; it is not intended to prohibit activity.
In their letter to the PNCR General Secretary, NAR Inc. stated they are registered under FARA with the Department of Justice. The question is, who did they register as their foreign principal? If it’s the PNCR, why are they telling the PNCR General Secretary they will not recognize the authority of the Party? If their registered foreign principal is not the PNCR, they must state who is their foreign principal.
The contradictions of NAR Inc.’s public utterances are interesting. In their recent letter to the General Secretary, they proclaim the PNCR has no authority over them. In other words, they are no longer a part of the PNCR. However, in a previous publication, they claim Party Leader Aubrey C. Norton unilaterally expelled NAR Inc. because he was afraid of the support Roysdale Forde and Amanza Walton were garnering in the North American Region. So the question is, how could you on one hand say you are not part of the Party and on the other hand claim you have voting rights in PNCR elections? NAR Inc. cannot demand the status of an affiliate organization and request the rights of members.
The fact is, the Party is under attack, and it is difficult to understand why some persons are trying to obfuscate this issue with superficial public statements. Years ago, Dr. Ptolemy Reid warned us of those who would feel they are bigger than the Party. The NAR Inc. saga is a prime example of people who feel the Party is beneath them. This must be rejected by the members.