Forde to challenge Norton for PNC leadership

– Mahipaul signals interest in race
– Norton insists he has “integrity” to lead party

Executive Member of the People’s National Congress/Reform, Roysdale Forde, SC, has announced that he will be running for leadership of the PNCR against incumbent leader Aubrey Norton, who believes he has the “integrity” to lead the Opposition to victory at the 2025 elections.
On Thursday, Forde launched his campaign to run for the leadership of PNCR – the leading party in the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)-majority Opposition – at the upcoming Biennial Delegates Congress where the party elects its leader, chairman, vice chairman and 15 members to sit on its Central Executive Committee (CEC).
It was previously announced that the PNCR Congress would be held before its August 31, 2024 deadline.

While no date has been set as yet, Forde believes that there is a short time between the Congress and the upcoming 2025 General and Regional Elections. As such, he rolled out a “Regroup, Refocus and Rebuild” plan which he believes will deliver electoral victory for the party.
“I hereby announce that I’m making myself available for nomination to contest for the position of leader of the People’s National Congress Reform when Congress is officially announced.
“I have travelled to many communities across Guyana and met with party comrades and supporters of the coalition who are demanding an approach that not only holds the People’s Progressive Party accountable but also an approach that imbues hope in the hearts and minds of Guyanese throughout the length and breadth of Guyana. An approach that shows unity, strength, collectivism, integrity and patriotism as we work together to build our strong future together. To build this future we must Regroup, Refocus and Rebuild,” he stated.

Having served in the PNCR since the 1990s and now being at the highest decision-making body within the party – the CEC, Forde, who is currently the Shadow Attorney General in the National Assembly, believes he not only has the experience but has garnered the support of membership across the country to take the top spot in the leading Opposition party.
“I believe that I have done the work that is required. I have travelled throughout the length and breadth of Guyana to interface with our supporters and I believe that they have expressed their interest and confidence in seeing me as the leader of the party. On the question of experience, I believe that I bring to bear, sufficient and adequate experience which will be able to impact positively on moving the party forward. I am aware that the Leader said that he is experienced, and the party would not want to be placed into the hands of an inexperienced person, I certainly agree with him, but I believe that my track record, in and out of politics, demonstrates sufficient experience,” Forde told reporters at his launch.
On this note, the PNC Executive added, “I call on our members and supporters to come on this journey with me, to regroup, refocus and rebuild, as we work to make our party stronger than ever. Join me as we work together to Unite the PNC and Rally the Coalition to Victory in 2025.”
At his campaign launch, Forde was surrounded by several top PNC members, including his colleague Opposition parliamentarians Annette Ferguson, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley and Natasha Singh-Lewis. Also there to support Forde were former Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine and Region Four Chairman Daniel Seeram.
In addition to Forde, Norton could also be facing another PNCR Executive Ganesh Mahipaul, who has also expressed interest in running for the party’s leadership post.
Shortly after Forde’s announcement, Mahipaul, while sitting alongside Norton at the party’s weekly press conference on Thursday, told reporters that he believes he has what it takes to lead the PNCR. But he said that it would be up to the party’s membership to decide whether he would run.
“I believe that I am aptly qualified to run for leader of this party. I believe that I satisfy all the requirements, and I believe I am very experienced when it comes to the party’s structure and workings. And if groups from this People’s National Congress Reform see me fit and they nominate me for such a position, I will take into serious consideration, their nomination and decide at the right time,” Mahipaul stated.
In their quest to contest the leadership post at the upcoming Congress, Forde and Mahipaul would first have to be nominated by the party’s membership to challenge Norton for the PNCR leadership.
Only a year ago, Forde and Mahipaul were at the centre of the leaked telephone conversation with Treasurer Faaiz Mursalin, who had expressed concerns about the PNCR leadership on a host of issues including him being instructed to sign several blank cheques.
Meanwhile, Norton is confident that he is the man for the job. The incumbent PNCR leader told reporters at Thursday’s press conference that while anyone could run for the position, he has the integrity to lead the party.
“This party is also a politically sensible party. A lot of party members speak to me and there are certain things they are looking for in the leader at this stage. One of them is that the PPP must have nothing on you so that they can use it to their advantage.
“You must not be involved in any oil scam or there must not be any document left in the government drawers that could be used to control you. And I am one of the persons who stand out as somebody whose integrity is intact and the Government has nothing on me. I believe that as a political party, our membership is politically intelligent,” Norton stated.
Following this remark, the Opposition Leader was asked to clarify whether he was inferring that those challenging him for the party’s leadership post were involved in corruption and he responded, “…there was never an inquiry into me and my actions, [but] there are some who are running that there are written inquiries on them and the Guyanese know that, and the membership knows that as well”.
Norton was elected PNC Leader in December 2021 after defeating Dr Richard Van West-Charles and Joseph Harmon, who was supported by Forde at the time. (G8)