–Norton exposes Cathy Hughes’ untruth about inviting PNCR/APNU in joint press conference with other parties

LEADER of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton, on Friday revealed that contrary to what was said by Alliance For Change (AFC) executive member Cathy Hughes, neither he nor his party the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR)/A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) was invited to a joint press conference held by political leaders in the wake of 11-year-old Adrianna Younge’s death.

Norton made this known during his party’s weekly press conference, during which he was asked about his absence at the said press conference, which was held just outside the Double Day Hotel at Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, where Younge’s body was discovered.

Footage from that press conference showed Hughes stating that both the Leader of the Opposition and members of the APNU/PNCR were invited but could not make it.

Norton, however, told his Friday news conference, “The truth is we were not invited to that press conference.”

While two members of the APNU or PNC were there, he said those persons were there in their individual capacities.

The opposition leader reiterated: “As far as I’m aware, we weren’t invited to any press conference. I saw the circumlocutious type of answer given by one member of the AFC, but we were not invited to the press conference, that is the stark fact.”

Giving further details, Norton said too that at no stage was his party invited to discuss anything concerning the death of the 11-year-old, and was also not a part of the meeting of political heads that was held prior to the press conference.

He added that earlier in the week the General Secretary of the party received a message asking for the two parties along with others to work jointly, and he recalled that he urged the General Secretary to communicate with them and have a plan on how to move forward.

“That is the last I heard from them, and then I saw them in a political gathering for want of a better word,” he said.

While two members of his party were present at the conference, the opposition leader was asked whether he was worried that they might leave his party or whether this shows cracks in their relationship with the PNC.

To this end, he went on to say that none of them have indicated that they intend to leave the party and further, in relation to their appearance there, he cannot stop persons from being present in their individual capacities.