Norton confident of getting re-elected at upcoming congress

Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton is positive that he will be re-elected as leader of the People’s National Congress/Reform (PNCR) when the party holds its congress later this year.
“I have no doubt that at the next congress, I will be returning as leader of the party,” Norton said during a press briefing on Thursday.
According to Norton, he has done a great job upholding the party and his work as leader of PNCR speaks for itself.
However, despite his certainty of being re-elected as leader, a definite date for the PNCR congress has not been set, instead, Norton hinted that it will be held no later than August 31, 2024.
Based on the established policy, Norton’s position as Opposition Leader of the PNCR practically expired in December 2023.
“I said that our congress will be no later than the 31st of August. As a party, we reserve the right to develop our own strategy and tactics and we will see when Congress is held, when the decision is made when congress will be held,” Norton said.
Further, following several lines of questioning from local media operatives about the congress, Norton issued a call for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) to disclose when it will be holding its congress.
According to the Opposition Leader, the party has not held congress for the past seven years and no new leader has been elected to head the PPP/C.
“…the State media can come to ask us about congress, feel free, we welcome your questions we’ll answer you, but again the PPP has no moral right to ask anything about Congress. Jagdeo has been there unilaterally for seven years,” the Opposition Leader added.
PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo has already disclosed that the organisation will be electing new leadership in May of this year.
Meanwhile, when questioned about the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) partnering again for the 2025 General Election, Norton disclosed that both parties have to meet to discuss this.
On this point, Norton explained that engagements will be held for a decision to be made as to whether both parties will form a coalition or go forward separately.
“In a coalition you work together, you discuss, you narrow the differences and produce some kind of confluence of interest to be able to move forward…the AFC makes its decisions. PNC-APNU make our decision and then we have to meet to find a confluence, but it’s not a case where the PNC can decide for AFC or the AFC can make decisions,” Norton explained.
The AFC formally broke its coalition with APNU back in December 2022.
The revised Cummingsburg Accord, a political agreement between the two organisations, had provided for this separation.
At the time, AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan had indicated that the two political organisations would do their political work separately, but work in Parliament jointly.