THE elections are over and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic is back in power with a massive majority.

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali is back in the driving seat and has promised to deliver more infrastructural and socio-economic development to bolster the lives of all Guyanese.

The country is a hive of activity, and life as we know it continues despite the bitterness of the elections campaign and cycle.

While President Ali is getting down to the business of governance, the opposition party, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR)-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is still reeling from its surprising loss at the polls and rejection of its plans for Guyana.

The loss is surprising only because the party lost its seat as the main opposition party. The elections handed the PNCR/APNU a mere 12 seats in parliament, down from its former 30 seats.

The PNCR bled during the campaign suffering from the loss of several popular politicians and party executives. The PNCR had been bleeding all along, but the bad decisions of its leader Aubrey Norton had caused it to bleed profusely. And no bandage could stop the bleeding or even cover the wounds.

The PNCR was rotting away from inside and we called it correctly several times from the dethronement of David Granger, selection of Joseph Harmon, election of Aubrey Norton to the power play and elections. The writing was on the wall for all to see it, yet some people chose to ignore it. They were more than happy to continue living in ‘la-la land’ and delusion.

Up to the time of the calling of elections, everything was in their favour.

PNCR is in a deep cesspool and only change and reform will help it. Continuity could help also but not in the direction it is going. Some things and people in the party have to change. The voters are growing tired and angry with its preaching about alleged corruption and racism. It is tired of the alleged discrimination banter.

The voters want an opposition that does more than criticise the existing government. It wants a party that cares, feels, and displays empathy when the cameras are not rolling. They want a PNCR that was dedicated to social justice and was an advocate for reducing poverty and racism.

Voters demanded a PNCR that listens and responds to their needs. Voters said they wanted a militant party that is disciplined and understands their mood.

They wanted renewed hope and change. So, they dealt a blow to the party by humbling it and taking away its stronghold, beating the party into minority and third place.

For many, this was enough to tell Congress Place that something in the buttermilk was not good and ‘things not regula’.

Firstly, the party leader must resign or step down from leadership. Say what you want and point a thousand fingers around, Norton must do the right, the honourable thing and give up. The public and voters have spoken loud and clear. They are rejecting Norton and ‘Nortonism’. They do not see a future under his leadership. His own village voted against him and unwillingly voted for the PPP/C and WIN in certain quarters.

How many times will PNCR membership, and the country must reject Norton before he goes or steps away from the limelight?

Isn’t there any other PNCR leader that could step up to the challenge and unite the party?
One must know when to go! The time is now and there has never been a better moment. Any attempt by Norton to play this election defeat which was decisive as someone else’s fault or say that the process and outcome was not fair will be embarrassing. The recount was embarrassing, and he learned his lesson.

He could remain in power until the party congress. He should not go to parliament.
Secondly, the PNC must rebuild, retool, reorganise and reform itself if it is ever going to rise again.

The party must pour cold water on a possible name change. It must stop hiding behind the coalition and entering sham arrangements with these parties that bring nothing to the table but expect to share all the PNCR electoral victories. It should enter viable partnerships that would show their strength and unity.

Norton could start to lay the foundations for an open discussion with party members who feel aggrieved and neglected away from the cameras. He should spend some time in Linden and Georgetown reaching out to former party supporters and the public to try to get to the root cause as to why they did not support the party.

Change the leadership of the party in Linden, Georgetown and Berbice with consultation of the people. Make the systems work for reorganising the PNCR to be effective.

Pinpoint a preferred new or old candidate for leadership and start to give him/her the opportunity to lead.

While there are some people who believe that Norton should not play a role in politics, there are others who feel he should offer political advice and take on the role of mentorship.

Thirdly, it is disingenuous to think that a support base could be bought. Then, the PNCR never had a genuine support base after all. Thinking that way without accepting the fact that the PNCR appeared unprepared for this year’s elections. It did not have a financial support system. It was unattractive to voters.
How else do you explain WIN taking away your supporters and relegating you to third in a region you had control of.

The law is clear on vote buying. It (the vote) is your property, not the PNCR’s.

Finally, Norton has turned Congress Place into a ghost town. Members are afraid to speak their minds freely and frankly.

The elderly council should seek to bring all warring factions together. This is essential to the forward movement of the party.

Norton’s guise could jeopardise this unity and he must stay far away from these talks in particular. Then and only then can the PNCR embark on its healing and reconciliation process.
The party must be reformed. The public expects the PNCR to be honest and conduct the necessary audits of the party.

WIN is a temporary phenomenon. Its support base will see growth, but Burnham’s party will rise again. It will weather the storm because like the PPP/C, it has history and legacy on its side.

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.