– Norton dismisses questions on financial management
DESPITE other executive members releasing information on the PNC/R’s declining status, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton has remained silent on the issue as reports continue to surface with damning revelations about the party’s financial status.

According to a recent Demerara Waves report, several Opposition members said that the party is ‘cash-strapped’ and is unable to fund its General Council meeting, which is overdue.
The report further held that the PNC/R, which is the main parliamentary opposition, has been waiting a full year to convene its second-highest decision-making body. And according to reliable sources, this meeting is heavily dependent on funds.

Adding to this, earlier this year Norton told media operatives that his party was unable to participate in all of the Local Authority Areas (LAAs) for the 2023 Local Government Elections (LGEs) because of insufficient funding.

When the Guyana Chronicle contacted Norton for a comment on the speculations and public concern, he immediately shut down the reporter and dismissed any further questions.
A dismissive Norton said: “Chronicle doesn’t have the authority to ask me to comment.”

Furthermore, with the party being allegedly ‘cash-strapped,’ the executives of They Break News (TBN) Inc., on Tuesday, wrote a cheque offering the Opposition $3M in order for them to undertake their democratic duties as the main political opposition.

The entity posted the cheque and within a detailed post, they wrote: “The executives of They Break News (TBN) Inc. after reading a Demerara Waves article which suggested that the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR)’s efforts to act in a democratic manner were being stymied due to the organisation being cash-strapped, have decided, in the interest of seeing Guyana move forward, to provide the much needed funding – if the party accepts it – to see the PNCR hold their General Council meeting.”

Additionally, the post read that the news entity recognised the financial plight that the PNC/R, which was the majority holder in the previous coalition government administration from 2015 to 2020, has found itself in, just three years after becoming the main opposition, and decided to offer $3 million, as opposed to the $2.4 million that was suggested in the Demerara Waves article.

“The only condition that TBN requires to be fulfilled, once the offer is accepted, is for a date to be announced. The cheque can then be picked up at TBN’s Queenstown office at 126 Laluni Street Queenstown, from Monday to Friday, between the hours of 8am and 4:30pm,” the post concluded.
Members of the Opposition, including the leader, Norton, are yet to respond.