–Norton says despite public, party members’ growing concerns; skirts around questions of party’s financial state
THE Leader of the People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R), Aubrey Norton, has remained tightlipped on the financial state of the party, even as public concern grows.
The PNC/R has constantly faced various challenges, among which is financial accountability. However, the party has constantly swept these issues under the rug.
Recently, PNC/R member, Egland Gomes, in a letter published by another news entity highlighted the party’s crumbling foundation.
He said that the monthly operating cost for Congress Place is approximately $3,000,000 and the cash inflow is approximately $800,000.
“How can the Biennial Congress team member reconcile that the monthly operating cost for Congress Place is approximately $3,000,000 and the cash inflow is approximately $800,000? The math does not add up when there has been no financial accountability under the incumbent PNCR party leader. Where are we going, party supporters and members?” Gomes asked in the letter.
During a press conference on Friday, the Guyana Chronicle questioned the incumbent leader about these damning allegations. However, Norton’s response left more questions than answers.
“I don’t know he has the authority to speak on anything in the People’s National Congress/Reform and so I would not respond to anything that is said by Egland Gomes,” he said.
Norton later went on to say: “Our financial operations are our business; we have had an audit conducted on at least one part of our operations. But we are not obligated to put our audits in the public domain.”
In another letter, Gomes highlighted how the party is in “disarray” and noted that ever since the PNC/R’s incumbent leader took over, Congress Place has become “hostile” to the wider membership.
“There has been no financial accountability for the party’s financial resources, the central executive team has failed to provide comprehensive oversight and accountability for the party, with no accountability or responsibility for the multiple violations of the party’s constitution. Some very egregious acts, like the now notorious blank-cheques scandal, which saw the resignation of the party treasurer. No auditor was ever appointed as mandated by the party’s constitution,” the letter read.
Gomes also said that without an independent audit and report, the Biennial Congress elections will not be credible and presents a “dark future” for the party’s democracy.
The issue of financial accountability in the party has been a sore topic for years, and has once again surfaced ahead of its congress.
“I told them that I need to fix the finances of this party. It was mentioned when we won the congress,” former party treasurer Faaiz Mursaline recently stated in an interview with Ossie Rodgers on “The Diaspora Connected.”
However, this was fruitless as there were efforts to prevent that from happening.
From the time he assumed the position of elected treasurer, Mursaline said he was made to sign blank cheques with no supporting documents.
He had previously told the Guyana Chronicle that the party’s finances have not been audited since July, 2020.
