Fernandes for PM, Mahipaul for VP as Norton attempts to reenergise APNU

Peoples National Congress (PNC) Leader Aubrey Norton has defended his selection of Juretha Fernandes as the coalition’s Prime Ministerial Candidate, calling her appointment a reflection of principled leadership and a step toward a more inclusive political future.
The announcement came amid rising tensions between the PNC-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC), with negotiations to form a united coalition for the upcoming September 1 General and Regional Elections still unresolved.

Fernandes, alongside AFC parliamentarians Sherod Duncan and Deonarine “Ricky” Ramsaroop, recently crossed over to APNU, a move that sparked backlash within the AFC, which claims it was not formally notified and has since canceled the trio’s party membership. Despite this, Norton said the decision to embrace Fernandes and name her as the Prime Ministerial Candidate was both strategic and principled.
“I spoke with all the persons in the APNU, and we generally agreed that we needed Juretha Fernandes as the Prime Ministerial Candidate,” Norton said Friday. “She has the intellect, she is a woman, she is from the Indigenous community, and she is in contact with the Indigenous community. We believe she’s qualified to Be Prime Minister.”
He further explained that the promise of the post had already been made to Fernandes and would not be revoked to accommodate the AFC’s recent demands, which include the right to name the Prime Ministerial Candidate despite lowering their proposed seat allocation from 65 to 35 per cent.
“If Juretha wants to give the opportunity to the AFC to select the candidate, we have no problem with that,” Norton said. “But we will not give her our word and then renege on it to satisfy a late request when we have been negotiating for months with some impossible suggestions.”

“Petty”
While Norton said the coalition remains open to continued talks with the AFC, he described the party’s decision to expel Fernandes, Duncan, and Ramsaroop as “petty,” particularly in light of the AFC’s own attempts to recruit APNU members.
Responding to criticism over the crossovers occurring before any formal resignation, Norton drew attention to what he described as a double standard within coalition politics. “We see the coming of Juretha, Ricky, and Sherod as a case of people who are interested in coalition and coming to join us to ensure that the coalition reflects the APNU+AFC,” he said.
Fernandes, who served on the Bartica Town Council and rose through the AFC ranks before her switch, broke her silence in a statement accepting the nomination.
“To be selected as the Prime Ministerial Candidate for the APNU Coalition is both an immense honour and a profound responsibility, one I accept with humility, knowing that no meaningful progress is achieved alone,” Fernandes said.
Norton also disclosed that Member of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul, a participant in the coalition talks, supported Fernandes’ candidacy and could be considered for a Vice President role should the coalition win the election.