–despite glaring rejections of his leadership by many party members

OPPOSITION Leader, Aubrey Norton, has boasted that he is confident he will return as Leader of the People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) when the party’s overdue congress is held.
He holds on to this belief despite reports and visible indications that fellow PNC/R members were attempting to displace him.

Norton, during a press conference on Thursday, stated: “I have no doubt that at the next congress I will be rejoined as the leader of the party; I’ve done work throughout this party…”
However, he did not expound on some of these works that he has supposedly done.

Moreover, based on the established policy, Norton’s stint at the helm of the party practically expired in December 2023.
Despite this, Norton attempted to shift focus to the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), instead of his own party.
Norton then went on to say: “As a party, we reserve the right to develop our own strategy…. and we will say… when the decision is made [when] the congress [will be] held.”

“I still don’t hear anybody asking the PPP about not having congress in seven years. But the state media can come to ask [us] about congress…” he further said.
However, the governing PPP/C has already announced that it will be hosting its congress to elect a new leadership in May of this year.

Additionally, just recently, concerned citizens were on the outskirts of the PNC/R headquarters, Congress Place, calling for the congress to be held. Within this light, Norton had stated that it will be held no later than August 31, 2024.

Instead of acknowledging those persons and the reason they were protesting, Norton had accused them of being paid by the current government and someone within his party who no longer “wields power.”

Furthermore, last year, there were clear efforts by senior members of the party to displace Leader of the Opposition, Norton.
A recording of what appeared to be a conversation among senior members of the PNC/R discussing internal matters, surfaced recently on social media.

Referencing the recording, Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo had previously said: “Norton has bigger problems and it is a den of cut throats in there [PNC].”
He went on to say: “So, his problem is not the PPP now, his problem is in his own party… because from the revelation of the tape that followed the resignation of the treasurer, one could clearly discern a clever campaign at displacing Norton.”

The Vice-President said too that the tape reveals too how duplicitous senior PNC/R members could be.
Amidst the internal power struggle, the party appointed Dawn Hastings-Williams to be new General Secretary.
Reports were that the party made this decision, casting aside purported GS hopefuls, Ganesh Mahipaul, Mervyn Williams and Simona Broomes.

The announcement came after the resignation of Geeta Chandan-Edmond from the position following months-long leave.
When Norton was asked during the conference what led to Hastings-Williams being chosen for the position over other persons who were in the running, he told members of the media that it is not the place of his party to say what are the factors that led to her appointment.
He then said that she was academically qualified and acquainted with the party’s constituents.