ON Wednesday last, Mr. Aubrey Norton became the Opposition Leader, after waiting a long three-month period.
Mr. Norton was immediately quizzed by the media upon his elevation to the post. He said his focus would be on holding the PPP Government accountable. He said he would be meeting the Speaker of the House to discuss the many concerns relating to the work of the opposition.
He then warned of extra-parliamentary measures if the opposition parties, the APNU+AFC are not satisfied with the outcome of these meetings.
Mr. Norton also said he could not say whether or not he would push for a meeting with President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, as he committed to honouring the responsibilities of the office of the Opposition Leader.
Firstly, the new Opposition Leader is off to a bad start. He is using the same political rhetoric as his predecessors. He ‘stonewalled’ and skirted the issue raised by the media by engaging in semantics that will make good sound-bites but will be empty and hallow in the long run.
Additionally, Mr. Norton must say whether he believes the PPP Government is legitimate or installed, so there would be no confusion as to where he stands on this issue. It would tell the public not to expect any meaningful change or paradigm shift in how the opposition parties see the PPP Government.
Secondly, he should also indicate his position on meeting with President Ali to have dialogue on important matters affecting all Guyanese. This will prove interesting since Ali is not going to change his position on having meaningful engagements or political dialogue with the new Opposition Leader unless and until there is public admittance that APNU+AFC lost the recent election and the PPP won fairly.

Similarly, the public needs clarity from the opposition leader as to his intentions now that he got the top post because making baseless claims without the proper evidence and facts will not make the PPP Government more accountable or transparent.
In the end, Mr. Norton would be advised to turn a new page or leaf. If he is wise, adopting a new paradigm shift would be welcomed by all, opening up the possibility of having meaningful talks and discussions with President Ali.
It would also pave the way for a genuine bipartisan approach to government.
Thirdly, he should rid himself of the approaches taken by his immediate political predecessors. Added to that he should start doing things with a new leadership approach, given his knowledge and experience of Guyana’s body politic.
In anyways, he has to prove himself to the Guyanese public, who is wary of the politics of David Granger and Joseph Harmon. Mr. Norton must shake things up in the opposition party by holding its feet to the fire.
He must not fall into the political trap of being a docile or passive leader who goes with the current or wave. He must stand firm on principle or not stand at all.
Consequently, his oath of office as Opposition Leader would be meaningless unless he builds and inspires the team around him to perform, delivering the best service to their constituencies. After all, the public wants meaningful representation by disciplined parliamentarians.
Mr. Norton must rebuke those armchair parliamentarians who do not do meaningful work. He must insist that they get up from their seats and offices. They should go into communities and the regions so the quality of their parliamentary representation would be reflective of the mood of the people. Putting it mildly, reshuffle the opposition portfolios.
If such a move is done, the opposition will be seen as holding the government accountable for specific issues and developments.
Finally, Mr. Norton should realise that the public is tired of the same old opposition politics, cries and actions. If he does not get his way in Parliament, he must desist from talking about protests and other extra-parliamentary action unless these activities will be peaceful and lawful.
If Mr. Norton has his eyes on the presidency, he must start to behave like a mature political leader worthy of the public’s trust, confidence and respect. He must also not condone covert racism and divisive political actions that can be disastrous for Guyanese.
Mr. Norton has the chance to start a new political movement by adopting a fresh approach to the existing issues or continuing the status quo. The public is watching.