Norton, Harmon to continue talks on Opposition Leader’s position

Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon is expected to facilitate further discussions with the newly-elected Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Aubrey Norton to iron out the Opposition Leader’s position in the National Assembly.

The Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the PNC had decided that its newly-elected Leader, Aubrey Norton would have to sit in the National Assembly and hold the post of the country’s Opposition Leader. This now means that Aubrey Norton would replace Joseph Harmon as Leader of the Opposition.
While discussions this week between the two did not result in any concrete decision, Norton was tight-lipped during a press conference on Friday, stating that it is an internal matter that will be deliberated on. After this upcoming round of discussions, a decision will be announced.
“It’s an internal matter and we will discuss it internally. Once we would have completed those discussions, I will inform the press,” the new PNC Leader told media operatives.

Until then, he outlined that the party’s work is progressing.
“Our work is going. It’s going in the right pace and we will continue to do our work…I think I have been elected by the membership of the People’s National Congress Reform. They’re comfortable with the work I’m doing. I will continue to do the work and I’ll be guided by party leadership as we proceed.”
Last week, it was reported that Harmon has indicated that PNC must now follow the protocols of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) in which it is a coalition member, and take its concerns to the executive body.
As it stands, former President and former leader of PNC, David Granger is the Representative of the List of Candidates for APNU/AFC. Granger is also the Chairman of APNU while Harmon, on the other hand is the General Secretary.
But just last week, Harmon, who lost his bid for the PNCR leadership to Norton, had insisted that he should remain Opposition Leader. However, the Opposition Leader noted that he would only step down if his presence in the National Assembly hampers the APNU/AFC’s parliamentary performance.
The PNCR is the leading party in the A Partnership for National Unity faction of the Opposition and holds the majority stake in the coalition arrangement with the Alliance For Change.
In addition to losing his contest for the party’s leadership, Harmon was also not elected to any of the Central Executive Committee seats of the PNCR. In fact, he was hoping to be co-opted unto the party’s executive as was done in the past.
Meanwhile, in a statement on Friday evening, APNU said that in 2011 at the birth of the APNU, a collective decision was made as to who would be Head of the List, adding that in 2015 a collective decision was made as to who would be head of the list when the Alliance for Change coalesced with APNU.
According to APNU, if there are issues or concerns that need to be addressed, any member of the partnership or coalition knows the method that should be used in addressing those issues or concerns.
The members of the APNU, the statement noted, would therefore expect that all members, in keeping with the proper and ethical norms, would bring their positions on matters before the APNU Executive for consensus and agreement rather than making public pronouncements on matters that cannot be decided upon by any one party.
Meanwhile, with the new leadership of the party elected at the December 2021 Congress and Norton now heading to Parliament, a shake-up amongst the current cohort of Opposition Members of Parliament is likely – something which Harmon does not believe should happen. He had told reporters recently that the Opposition’s current crop of MPs are doing a good job, hence no need for a recall.
But Norton subsequently explained that the party’s Central Executive will have to discuss this issue of recalling Opposition members in the National Assembly. However, changes to the line-up of Opposition parliamentarians would have to be done by the Representative of the party’s List. David Granger, who Norton replaced as party leader, currently holds that post.