Dear Editor,
Today, the United States Region of the People’s National Congress Reform (USRPNCR), pays special tribute to the former General Secretary and Leader of the PNC/Reform, Hon. Robert Herman Orlando Corbin CCH. The Party has lost a rare political hero and loyal comrade who possessed the ability to successfully navigate Guyana’s complex political landscape with visionary leadership and strategic thinking. His life-long party activism, from Chairmanship of the Youth Arm of the Party, the Young Socialist Movement (YSM) to Deputy Prime Minister of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, and subsequent Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition, was matched only by his courage to withstand and overcome political pressures as a true Reformer. In the midst of political turmoil, he was bold and courageous. He conquered fear and doubt, and rallied the PNCR out of its comfort zone in 2011 and into A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Alliance For Change (AFC) Coalition, which propelled the party into Government in 2015.
Comrade Corbin did not merely participate in national politics, he transformed it. He remained faithful to the Party ideals, even as he crafted innovative solutions and fostered inclusivity towards the national good. He remained grounded as a party activist and grassroots organizer. The United States Region of the PNCR is forever grateful to him for being instrumental in the formation of the North American Region of the PNCR in 2004. It was his vision that helped shape the group in its formative years in the United States of America and Canada. He rallied support for the Party and gave true meaning to the words of the Party Battle Song, ‘Rally to the PNC.’
One of Corbin’s greatest legacies will be that of a reformer. It was under Robert Corbin, in 2006, that the PNC embraced the ‘PNCR/One Guyana’ concept (PNCR/1G). This was some two decades ago, and long before the current ‘One Guyana’ mantra was plagiarized and is now being misused and abused by the present Government. Reformer Corbin’s bold embrace of the concept of ‘Constructive Engagement’ with then President Jagdeo in 2003, resulted in the formation of various Parliamentary Committees and important Commissions such as the Ethnic Relations Commission, Constitution Reform Commission and Public Procurement Commission.
The United States Region of the People’s National Congress Reform joins with all Guyanese at home and in the Diaspora, in mourning the loss of a Steadfast Patriot and true Statesman, whose activism was never about personal ambition; it was about building an institution that is inclusive, resilient and enduring the test of time. We honour the memory of our treasured National Patriot and wish to quote the words of one of his favourite National Songs, “Let us Co-operate for Guyana, Let us Cooperate for our Land, Let us Resolve to fight together, see we do it right together, Can we do it, Yes we can.”
Yours sincerely,
Terrence Harris
Dr. Terrence Harris
Chairman
United States Region of PNCR
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