Norton promises to tackle race relations if re-elected, but refuses to condemn allies’ racist remarks

The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) has identified race relations as one of its national priorities, should it be re-elected to Government.
This commitment comes despite the current leadership’s failure to condemn or act against racist remarks made by some of its political allies.
“Improving race relations depends on establishing mutual respect and shared understandings among the races. We in the PNCR/APNU (People’s National Congress Reform/A Partnership for National Unity) have identified race relations as one of our national priorities,” the party stated on its website, where it outlines several other promises to voters ahead of the 1 September elections.

However, its promise appears hypocritical as the leader of the PNC, Aubrey Norton has refused to previously condemn the racist remarks of its coalition partners.
In March 2023 for example, Working People’s Alliance (WPA) member Tacuma Ogunseye was widely criticised for stating that the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) used the law enforcement bodies to “execute” Africans and encouraged his ethnic group, especially those who are members of the Joint Services, to be “battle ready” for a “fight.”
While Ogunseye was strongly condemned by a wide cross-section of society over his inflammatory statements, Norton refused to speak up. Norton instead described the utterances from the WPA member as just “poor choice of words” and noted that Ogunseye’s right to free speech must be respected.
The WPA member was later charged with attempting to incite racial ill will and placed on $100,000 bail.
Similarly, in February 2025, WPA member David Hinds during his “Politics 101” programme, hurled a series of insults at Afro-Guyanese, calling them “lick bottoms,” “house slaves,” and “sell outs”, among others.
Again, Norton had refused to condemn the remarks, saying “I have no say or control over what Mr Hinds says.”
The PNC-lead APNU has indicated it will partner with the WPA to contest the upcoming elections.