–US-based PNC/R member says of Norton’s leadership; urges him to work with MPs, central executive or resign

LEADER of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Aubrey Norton, was taken to task over his lack of leadership and inclusivity and alleged involvement in financial impropriety by members of his party, during a programme which was recently broadcasted on social media.

In a candid discussion during an episode of “Voice of the Diaspora” hosted by Norman Browne, Opposition member of Parliament, Coretta McDonald, and United States Chapter PNCR member, Egland Gomes, discussed the current state of the party under Norton’s leadership, particularly addressing the no-confidence motion which was submitted by the PNCR’s Florida Chapter seeking Norton’s resignation. The group has claimed that he has “severely tarnished” the party’s image, and oversaw “a speedy downward spiral” of the PNCR in just over a year.

Norton has been the party’s leader since December, 2021.

Gomes accused Norton of “prosecuting his own public policy”, creating a “perception of weak and ineffective leadership”, and having abandoned his constituency as soon as he became leader.

“Aubrey Norton seems to be prosecuting his own public policy. Aubrey Norton is accountable to a party and the CEC of the party. And I hope that the CE now would stand up, do its job and hold the party leader accountable, because he is not above accountability,” Gomes conveyed.

The motion cited the recent damning revelations by the party’s Treasurer Faaiz Mursaline about financial impropriety in the party as having a severe effect on the party’s image. Chief among Mursaline’s claims was that he was made to sign a number of blank checques.

Gomes demanded that Norton allow an impartial investigation into the allegations.

“An investigation should be done about these blank cheques, and I want Aubrey Norton to know I have recorded information that he would not want to go into the public domain. And I expect him to be impartial and allow the Central Executive to do an investigation into the financial irregularities that he was involved in with the blank-cheque signing. It is unacceptable. It should not have happened and I would hope that he would take steps to immediately fix the situation, and try to work with his team rather than try to tear them down through malicious politics,” Gomes said.

According to Gomes, “Norton has shown that he has no intention of working with everyone.”.

“I would challenge him [Norton] to demonstrate that he wants to work with everyone including the MPs and the team at the Central Executive to rebuild the party. If he cannot do that he needs to resign. When a party stalwart writes the Central Executive to complain that delegates to the Georgetown district conference were disenfranchised and did not think that the elections were credible, and as party leader you go out there in the national media to call the party stalwart a liar, it’s a representation of your bias and your inability to exercise good judgment,” Gomes expressed.

The disenfranchisement raised by Gomes referred to concerns that were brought up last year by party member Annette Ferguson who wrote the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) about alleged irregularities which were observed during the October 2 polls of the party’s Georgetown District Elections.

Though Ferguson called for a thorough internal probe into the situation, when Norton was later approached by the press about the situation, he dismissed the irregularities as being of no concern and endorsed the elections as “free and fair.” In a similar fashion Norton has since dismissed Mursaline’s accusations of suspicious activity with the blank cheques, dismissing the need for a probe.

“Aubrey Norton reacts as though somebody is out to get him. As recent as two days ago he is on record of trying to pull down, tear down, two of his team members who has [sic] been there through thick and thin to represent the party’s constituencies and making all kinds of threats. He was calling saying he will deal with [Member of Parliament] Roysdale Forde, Amanza Walton, and Ganesh Mahipaul and these are hardworking comrades,” Gomes noted.

The NCM also called on Norton to take responsibility for the recent resignations of the General Secretary, Geeta Chandan-Edmond and Mursaline, two party members of East Indian descent.

Their resignations from the party came amidst accusations that Norton has turned a blind eye to reports made to him about “racial hostility” being faced by Indo-Guyanese party members by a named party executive. After being on extended leave since August 2022, Chandan-Edmond resigned as PNCR General Secretary in November 2022, while Mursaline’s resignation took effect on 23 December, 2023.

Aside from the resignations of the party members, Norton has also presided over the separation of the Alliance For Change (AFC) from its coalition with the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), which is led by the PNCR.