PARTY leaders and supporters met over the past weekend at Congress Place for the PNCR General Council meeting as promised by leader Aubrey Norton.
They discussed everything that was politically relevant including the Venezuelan threat to Guyana’s territorial sovereignty, and the border controversy and the issue with vendors in Georgetown.
Other current affairs issues were discussed, such as the cost of living concerns, alleged PPP corruption, PPP management of Guyana’s oil and gas wealth and the current party climate with respect to unity and political tactics.

The meeting saw no report being given to the party’s leaders containing facts, truths and other quantitative political information on the issues. There was no report which assessed the mood of the people on issues. There was also no report on the status of motion and critical bills of interest to the party being considered before their parliamentary group in the parliament.

No discussion on the state of the membership of old political players or past party leaders such as Amna Ally, Volda Lawrence, Robert Corbin, David Granger, Joseph Harmon and others.
The main question hanging over the party’s head was a date for its biennial congress and the party’s internal elections for leadership.

Norton opted to suggest that the party’s congress should occur in August next year, according to media reports in Demerara Waves and News Source.
However, the council meeting ended without the questions raised by party groups being answered definitively. There was no closure had and no decision taken by the general council. So, this would mean that the question of a congress date would have to be decided upon by the party’s Central Executive Committee.

Lastly, Norton gave to the party leaders and groups, a warning about the timing of internal elections and campaigning, saying that they must be careful that they do not affect the work the party is doing. He wanted the discussion to be centred on Venezuela and party unity, avoiding for as long as he could any meaningful discussion on the party’s congress and leadership.
The truth is, this “event” did not achieve anything under the sun in this political climate. It was a sham and party leaders, at the end, left the meeting more disappointed and convinced of Norton’s motive of delaying the party’s congress and leadership elections.

They were dismayed at the number of ‘yes’ men in Norton’s corner, including party elder Hamilton Green who seemed to be happy with the outcome of the meeting or the way in which the party was going.
Many party leaders are justifying Green’s support of Norton’s questionable management of the party as a reward for him acknowledging Green’s history throughout politics in Guyana. Green himself has been called upon to give speeches at the party’s gatherings and events much to the consternation of other younger and more relevant PNCR members.

Norton also ensured that he said a lot of nothing to the party’s leaders. He did not have to make the party general council meeting about Venezuela but he did. He could have called a meeting with MPs and other pertinent party heads to have a separate discussion.

Norton knows his time is up in December and wants Congress in August next year, so he has adequate time for campaigning in the party’s group and to utilise the congress place machinery against potential challengers to his post.
In other words, he is displaying worrying signs of holding on to power at any expense just like the previous APNU+AFC Administration tried to do. He is saying by his surreptitious attitude that he cannot be trusted with political power.

He planned the general council meeting and cherry picked the issues he would entertain. The guests and groups were also carefully selected in advance and told what to say. After all, Norton does not run the party like a democracy.
The fact that the CEC now has to meet and decide on a date for congress, is just what Norton wants. He will get his way and emerge the party’s presidential candidate for the 2025 elections. He does not care about unity, discipline or democracy being alive in the party, just power.

The PNCR is in a bad state. It is losing members with each confusing policy it adopts and every bad, undeserving critique of the PPP government. Its finances are becoming tight and spent due to poor financial management. Norton does not see congress place where the best ideas, intellectuals and discussions could form policies to hold the government to the fire, but as a vehicle to be used for his own political advancement and enrichment.

Sadly, despite the murmurs of members, the PNCR under Norton’s control is sinking but thinks it is being smart, tactful and using useful political strategy. It thinks by keeping the membership and public in suspense about its policies, they will surprise Guyanese and win the next general election.

Norton knows what he is doing ever since he caught wind of the plot and plan to remove him as leader by senior persons within his circle. He has too much to lose and is being strategic and cunning even if it means jeopardising the future of the PNCR.
Norton’s fight to stay alive is very much alive. He is holding on to a thread but the plots and plans to remove him have been emboldened and are getting stronger as the days go by.