Dear Editor,
The newly elected leader of the People’s National Congress Reform, Mr Aubrey Norton has been on a relentless campaign seeking relevance. It is sad to see and hear the rhetoric emanating from this relic politician of a bygone era. In various recent media appearances since becoming the new leader of the People’s National Congress Reform, Mr Norton has vowed to do a lot. Such comments leave much to be desired as most of these will not materialise.
One such statement was the PNC leader signalling his intention of holding the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government, led by Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali accountable. Whilst this is admirably said and seems a genuine thing to do, the reality is a different story.
Firstly, and quite frankly, what does Mr Norton and by extension, his political outfit the People’s National Congress know about accountability? Mr Norton was an executive member of the PNC, the party that controlled the Government during the A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance for Change controversial reign in office. Never once did that clique of geriatrics which campaigned at the last General and Regional Elections on honesty and decency, seek to hold any of their officials accountable for the atrocities that occurred – the open nepotism, corruption, racism, and cronyism.
This nation remembers all too well the events of the failed elections rigging and the way in which the likes of Norton and his cohorts defended the attempt to subvert Guyana’s democracy. Norton was a daily mouthpiece for the corrupt cabal who were bent on remaining in power at any cost so as to cover their own corrupt practices, of which many of them are before the courts on various charges of corruption, misconduct in public office, and notably electoral fraud. Norton’s failure to hold his own Government accountable to the Guyanese people who elected them and his subsequent silence and support of other wrongdoings renders him significantly unqualified and ethically unfit to hold the current Administration accountable.
Norton is a tribalist leader and cannot be expected to foster the unification needed in Guyana in this our country’s embryonic stage of transformational development. Such a task requires strong leadership and leadership qualities the likes of which have significantly eluded the People’s National Congress Reform for more than two decades now.
Many of the younger generations of Guyanese who have heard of the PNC and witnessed what transpired over the past few years whilst they were in Government have gotten a glimpse of the indecent, corrupt, and racial tendencies of the People’s National Congress. All of Guyana saw and suffered as a result of the racist policies of the past Administration and their infamous attempt to rig an election thereby attempting to thwart the will of the people; violating the Constitution of Guyana, the supreme Law of the Land, and their recent desecration of Parliament.
Sincerely,
Thomas Cole
