Full Text | Horne fires back at PNP over Senate seat talks

Businessman Norman Horne has fired back at the People's National Party (PNP) hierarchy following its statement about a meeting on Monday over his Senate seat controversy.

In the release, the PNP said Horne told PNP president Mark Golding and other party officials that "in due course" he would communicate his decision about his future as a Senator.

However, Horne said the release does not adequately reflect the outcomes of the meeting.

In September, Horne was appointed a Senator.

READ: Horne tells PNP he'll make Senate decision 'in due course'

However, weeks later, he said he would advise the Governor General that he would not take up the appointment because of the impending internal PNP election.

According to Horne, the new Opposition Leader should have a free hand to appoint his slate of senators.

However, he is yet to advise the Governor General.

READ: Norman Horne rejects link between PNP debt and Senate seat

Meanwhile, in a statement this afternoon, Horne slammed the PNP president for his handling of the meeting on Monday and the subsequent press statement.

See full text below: 

On Monday, December 07, 2020, I attended a meeting with Cde. Mark Golding, President of the People's National Party; Cde. Phillip Paulwell, Chairman; Cde Dayton Campbell; General Secretary; Cde. Julian Robinson and Cde. Angela Brown-Burke.

There was no other official or member of the People's National Party in attendance. It was a private meeting in a closed room.

At the end of the meeting, it was agreed that:

Cde Golding and I would jointly issue a press release; and
Cde Golding and I would meet later this week to finalise our discussions regarding the Senate.

This morning, as expected, I received a draft of a press release. Nevertheless, before it could be further discussed, the release was made public over the sole signature of Cde. Dr. Dayton Campbell.

The release does not adequately reflect the outcomes of yesterday's meeting.

Subsequent to that release and also referencing the statement of Cde. Senator Damion Crawford that highlights the actions of the current leadership and its inner circle, I must explain the positions which I have recently taken.

While "a Machiavellian masterstroke" with "serendipitous political outcome[s]" may be the order of the day in response to anyone who is not perceived to be in support of the leadership, those of us who are independent and cannot be bought, bossed or bullied must take a stand on behalf of the broader membership of the People's National Party in the interest of the Movement.

Cde. Golding, as the President of the Party, has not made any attempt to inspire the confidence of persons who did not support him in the recent leadership race. In the weeks following, he and his team have been more focused on crushing perceived enemies.

For example:

A Member of Parliament, having taken her usual seat in the House was told by the Orderly that she should move upon Cde. Golding's instruction since he no longer wished her to sit behind him. This display of discourteous and emotionally unintelligent behaviour is a hallmark of Cde. Golding's approach to leadership. It has bred resentment and has broken any collaborative spirit which may have been considered by key comrades.

In the meeting which we had yesterday, my having not and never asked, Cde. Golding on his own volition raised the repayment of monies loaned by me and informed that the Party is an unincorporated entity.

He further stated that any person who is owed outstanding sums would have to pursue the Party's trustees.

He qualified his statement by saying that he as Party Leader would not be making good on any existing debts.

This despite the Leader having been Treasurer most recently under Dr. Peter Phillips wherein he would have seen, acknowledged and worked to service the existing debts, many of which would have been then on the books.

This is an unusual breach of protocol.

In the past, the Party has always made efforts to honour its financial commitments without hesitation.

As reported in the resignation letter of a former Vice-President of the PNP Youth Organisation, there is an attempt by Cde. Golding's team to ostracise members of the organisation.

In my opinion, the unbecoming and unpresidential protocol-breaching endorsement of candidates vying in internal elections was notable.

Cde Golding’s public and repetitive directive to the NEC evidenced that not all comrades are equal but that those who supported him are to be seen and treated as being more equal than all others.

Orwell’s Animal Farm, though satirical, best serves as a book for reading pleasure and not as an instruction manual.

There are many more examples of disunifying and malicious behaviour. Some would argue that it is a leader's responsibility to lead and crush any opposition.

However, the majority enjoyed by Cde. Golding in the recent election and the state of the PNP should not encourage him to do so.

Instead, he should be encouraged to be collaborative and considerate of all members, not just those who supported him. The true opposition to any political party is not within.

The status quo of the PNP has resulted in the mixed feelings that I am having regarding my resignation from the Senate.

While Cde. Golding has decided that he will not honour the Party's debt commitments, I would wish him to honour his public undertaking to make a genuine effort to unite the People's National Party.

- Norman Horne

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