In recent weeks there has been a major brouhaha about the holding of PNCR Congress. Several commentators, most of whom are not members of the Party, have been vehemently arguing that the Congress is due and must be held at all costs. They argued that not holding the Congress on time would be an unprecedented violation of the PNCR Constitution. Party Leader Aubrey Norton has been accused of being autocratic, dictatorial, and undemocratic for suggesting that the 22nd Biennial Congress should be held in August 2024.
Firstly, it must be acknowledged that the forum for deciding on the date for Congress is the Central Executive Committee of the Party. However, most of the argument in support of a Congress at all cost is without merit. The schedule of the twenty-one biennial congresses presented below shows that six of them were not held within the two years stipulated by the Constitution. The 10th, 11th, 12th, 15th, and 17th Biennial Congresses were 8 months, 1 year 4 months, 1 year, 1 year, and 1 year late respectively. The 21st Biennial Congress was 1 year 4 months late, but this delay could be attributed to COVID-19.
One bit of information missing from the schedule above is the Special Congresses held during the period 1975 to 2021. There were Special Congresses in 1992, 1997, 2003, 2006, and 2011, and some may argue that this was a good reason for the delayed Biennial Congresses. However, the Special Congresses reinforce a different point. Here it is clear that even though the Party had the resources, the Arms and Organs were ready for Congress, yet the Central Executive Committee felt it was not in the interest of the Party to have Biennial Congress.
The argument about Congress at all costs, and any delay will do irreparable harm to democracy in the party, is either tongue in cheek or a demonstration of a total lack of knowledge about the Party and its processes. It is ironic that many championing the “Congress at all costs” campaign to “save democracy in the PNCR” are the very persons who rejected the decision of the members at the last Congress. When the members of the Party overwhelmingly elected Aubrey Norton as Party Leader in 2021 these people rejected the decision of the membership and embarked on a two-year-long campaign to besmirch the Party Leader, and by extension undermine the Party. It was like they decided the Party members had to be punished for daring to elect someone they did not approve of. Now they are back telling the same members about democracy. Where was their concern for democracy when they rejected the choice of members and proceeded to undermine the Party?
Of the 21 Congresses held so far, 19 were held in the July/August period. This is because this period is most conducive for the successful convening of a Party Congress. It is the long school break and as such teachers, who constitute a significant percentage of the Party’s middle-level leadership, and youth members, will be free of the obligation to attend school. Also, parents of school-age children will have the freedom to move. Delegates and observers will be able to travel from far-flung villages to attend Congress. It is for this reason the PNCR should recalibrate by setting the next Congress in August 2024. It is in the best interest of the Party, for several reasons.
Some are arguing that the last Congress was held in December and therefore this one should as well. They are ignoring some pertinent facts. Firstly, the last Congress was over one year late. Secondly, the Party Leader had proceeded on indefinite leave, thereby passing the baton to the Party Chairman. The prevailing political climate in the Party did not allow for the Party Chairman to exert the kind of control she needed to, and as such the Party was adrift. Congress was needed to salvage the situation, hence the Congress in December. To suggest that the Party is now stuck with a December schedule for Congress is surely not wise.