Parliamentary Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon, is among two other executive members of the Peoples National Congress Reform namely, Dr. Richard Van-West Charles and Aubrey Norton who are contending for the “Top Job” within that party, that is, to become its Leader and ultimately the Presidential Candidate for the next General and Regional Elections.
On Thursday evening, Harmon launched his campaign ahead of the party’s congress where delegates of the congress will cast their deciding vote for the appointment of key office bearers including that of Leader of the Party.
Harmon on Thursday outlined a ten-point agenda which he hopes to roll out if elected as Party Leader, something he feels very confident of winning.
“My tenth goal and I believe this is the most important of them all, is to remove the PPP from Office, remove the PPP from office and replace them with a compassionate government for the people of Guyana, a compassionate government for the people of Guyana and that government will be strongly led under a strong PNC working in the coalition. I believe that as leader, I possess that skill and that ability” Harmon said to cheers from those who gathered at his campaign launch and endorsement.
Joseph Harmon currently serves as the Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition comprising members of the People’s National Congress Reform and Alliance For Change.
Since taking up the leadership of the Opposition after the last election, Joseph Harmon and President Dr. Irfaan Ali have not met formally on any key and important matters of state since Harmon refuses to acknowledge the President as being legitimately elected. Ali for his part has maintained that he would only engage with the Harmon once his position changes.
On Thursday, Harmon reiterated that the days of one-party rule and style of leadership are long gone and maintained that the coalition remains a necessary formula.
“I possess that skill and that ability to keep our coalition together as one. One of the earlier persons who endorsed me said that the coalition is the way to go, one-party politics dead in Guyana and this is what the PPP does not understand, yet, they try to embrace a few smaller parties and as soon as elections are finished, kick them through the door, kick them out, that is the sort of one part rule that they have “ Harmon told his Thursday night gathering.
The Party Leader Hopeful told his comrades that his intention is to position the party as a party with the moral authority and consciousness of the nation of Guyana to bring back decency in public life and to allow persons to respect them again as Guyanese.
“Before 2015 we had that problem where people were afraid to identify themselves as Guyanese overseas. They go and they start speaking like Jamaican, like Bajans and everything else other than Guyanese because they were embarrassed about what was happening in their country after 2015, we had a moral and spiritual revival and people again felt proud of being Guyanese” Harmon concluded.
It is unclear if any other executive within the Peoples National Congress Reform would be throwing hands into the ring to also contest for the post of leadership in the party.
The Peoples National Congress Reform Congress is set for later this year.