THIS week, the public learnt of some vexing decisions that were made under the cover of secrecy and clandestinely by Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton. We were informed that Norton decided on a Shadow Cabinet reshuffle that would affect varying personalities in the opposition benches after the National Budget is presented.
We were told that the reshuffle was discussed widely as there were consultations with respective parliamentarians before the decision. As a matter of fact, Norton was quoted in the media as saying that “the reshuffling is to ensure MPs are more effective and efficient…and provides an opportunity for MPs to do more work in their regions.”

In the days that followed that announcement, the public was again surprised and caught off guard when APNU+AFC Parliamentarian Jermaine Figueira said he was disrespected by the decision to not receive a call, text or meeting to discuss the changes. It turned out that he was not reshuffled from his former shadow portfolio but was kicked out completely.
The poor MP, who had been crying and begging allegedly, sought to write the Central Executive Committee, hoping for a reversal of Norton’s decision. After all, Figueira thought that he was doing a great lot for the party socially and had done well with representing the Culture, Youth and Sport portfolio both in and out of Parliament.

He quizzed if it was his decision to shake the hand of President Dr Irfaan Ali or his cordialness with the PPP MPs. Other MPs, who were affected by Norton’s quick blow, did not speak up in the media but would join the whispering squad to criticise Norton sharply.
What happened to Figueira is just the beginning of the havoc and turmoil that Norton will create in the PNC, and the wider opposition parties in Guyana.

Norton knows fully well that it was pure revenge and puerile internal politics that made him strike at that parliamentarian now at the beginning of the year. He knows too well that the handshake that was seen across the world, depicted that he was not in control of all the MPs and there were cracks in the leadership of the party.
So, trying to spin the narrative that the reshuffle was to ensure effective representation is nothing short of a lie. Ok. Let’s analyse Norton’s selection of Nima Flue-Bess as the shadow for the portfolio. Norton boasts of her qualifications but fails to list one in the area of Culture, Youth or Sport. Is it because she is from Mocha which is a PNC/APNU stronghold? No. Figueira is from Linden.

Is it her interaction with youths in the sports arena? No. Figueira knows the innerworkings of all sports at the level of youths and young adults. He is far more competent than Flue-Bess in a debate or in that portfolio.
Anyways, if it comes down to who “naturally” would have been the selection using Norton’s selection and appraisal, any sensible or sane person would have chosen MP Christopher Jones not Flue-Bess. Recall, he was the Director of Sports in the previous APNU+AFC administration. Or is the Chief Whip and lead politician not competent, qualified, or naturally experienced to lead?

It does not make sense. What makes sense is that Norton has a score to settle with both Figueira and Jones and is willing to use Flue-Bess to get his ounce of political blood before his time is up as the party leader and the opposition leader.

Bess is being used, but visibility and the promotion is seemingly acting as jaundiced in the eye. She is a yes-man to Norton’s political game. The MP is not respected and is often laughed at, and viewed as a racist and ‘division-ist’ in Parliament. How could Flue-Bess whose political career which is not impressive lead the seniors in the opposition in Culture, Youth and Sport? Norton needs to know that this is not kidde’s sports or a political game for selected amateurs. This is the lifeblood and lives of young people and adults we are talking about.

He has not learnt from his over 40 years in and out of the political wilderness. Norton has not learnt from the Granger Administration and their toying with the sector. He has not learnt from his time as an unwanted Advisor on Youth that he must not underestimate the youth, and meritocracy and experience is the way to go in the selection of a person for a portfolio or job.

Norton is making a bold-faced mistake by selecting Flue-Bess four years into the game. Surely, she cannot make a difference in the portfolio or offer up good representation and leadership.
Guyanese know the truth that Norton and the opposition apologists are trying hard to make the public forget. The truth of the matter, is that no amount of reshuffling will make the PNC or the opposition appear as whole or seem to the general public as ‘people who could get it right’. They cannot do the things that the PPP is doing in Youth, Culture and Sport.

In 23 years, plus three years in office presently, the PPP has built several major sporting facilities across the length and breadth of Guyana, including the National Racket Centre, Leonora Track and field Facility, the Guyana National Stadium, Gymnasium, and the Aquatic Swimming Centre to name a few.
In comparison to 28 years, plus five full years, when the opposition had built the eyesore Durban Park and National Sport Hall. Norton needs to answer for the APNU+AFC’s unspeakable assault on the sector and quiz his former colleagues who have gone mute about the $600M from Durban Park’s $1.6B.

Before Minister Charles Ramson Jnr took over the portfolio in 2020, there was no significant investment in sporting facilities done countrywide. As a matter of fact, there was no sector and it was relegated to a department with three former ministers passing through and none doing anything to help the sector which was on its knees. Nothing for culture, youth, and certainly not sport. Reshuffling the shadow minister for the portfolio will not make Guyanese forget that.

Additionally, the PPP increased its spending on the community grounds over the past three years. Norton should find out why the APNU+AFC Administration cut expenditure on community grounds by more than half from $300M to $100M down in 2018.

There is constant development of the cultural policy, youth policy and focused interventions in Guyana. There was not any initiative or change of the status quo during the tenure of the previous administration. There could hardly be anything said about the 28 years of PNC rule. Flue-Bess does not know the inner workings of the portfolio. She cannot grasp simple concepts such as inflation and development but Norton has confidence in her to shadow Minister Ramson. Tell the public, it isn’t so.

Also, the reassignment of Geeta Chandan- Edmond from the portfolio of Home Affairs to Governance is symptomatic of confusion and will not auger well. Moving Khemraj Ramjattan, Coretta Mc Donald, Vinceroy Jordan and rewarding these opposition parliamentarians with Home Affairs, Education and Agriculture is wild and in poor judgement as none are seen as performers or delivering any competent representation.

Finally, Norton’s decision simply indicates that he has no vision and no capability to read the mood of people or portfolios they are representing. This reshuffle of the shadow cabinet certainly is not leadership and representation of the opposition or people.
It is saying to the body politic in Guyana and beyond that Norton is hoping that his last stroke will keep him alive as they are too many scheming opposition politicians and snakes around him; his back is against the wall and he is panicking so he has no choice but revenge and reshuffle.
But Norton missed a salient point, he cannot reinvent his image or the party’s image again, people see who they are! Norton will be the end of the PNC and the opposition if they do not rescue their party from the edge of the cliff.