THE A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) launched its 2025 Manifesto ahead of the upcoming regional and general elections, which are 15 days away.
Party Leader Aubrey Norton delivered the feature address to the gathering, outlining his vision and policies for the next five years should he be elected the President of Guyana. Norton painted a grim outlook of current affairs in this country under the incumbent PPP/C Government. He alleged that poverty, crime and criminality, the cost of living, malnutrition, and corruption were all increasing in Guyana today.
Norton said, “Current estimates reveal that Guyana has lost nearly 600 billion dollars because of corruption and mismanagement from 2020 to 2024”. He heavily criticised how the current government was dealing with the Treasury, the Police Force, public servants, private sector growth and competition, and the non-oil economy.
The Party’s political leader then promised to “eliminate poverty” while increasing the current Old Age Pension to $100,000 in the next five years. Norton’s Manifesto included a $200,0000 minimum wage for all public servants, a childcare allowance of $120,000 per month for children under school age, and for school-age children attending school.
In addition, Norton said that he would extend the tax exemption threshold for all workers from $130K per month to $400K per month. “For those who will have to pay taxes, the tax deduction for charitable contributions will be extended to them. Further, each post-secondary school student will receive 50K per month, and every person working under the special part-time programme will earn 50K per month,” according to Norton.
The former opposition leader said household incomes will be further enhanced with an electricity subsidy of up to $10,000 per month, and a water subsidy of up to $5,000 per month. Friday’s launch saw Norton committing to a development bank, setting up Guyana’s junior stock market, and giving the Amerindians 50 per cent of all carbon credits.
Firstly, the launching ceremony was humdrum. There was no excitement, passion or drive present on the faces of those in attendance or those presenting. It was scarcely attended. For some reason, all the other senior politicians, like David Granger, did not attend the launch.
Former MPs and former executives were a no-show, except those who are seen as the leader’s favourites.
The Prime Ministerial Candidate, Juretha Fernandes, could not even be bothered to attend such a “grand and historic” occasion. Norton, making an excuse for her absence, said she was campaigning with the team in the hinterland. That, in and of itself, smacks of disrespect for the people and every party signing the agreement. Fernandes should have been at the signing with all other executives.
For starters, the WPA’s David Hinds should have been there; there is no number of excuses that will suffice. The other parties which showed up to the launch event but said nothing were duly noted.
The APNU could have afforded a better-organised and nicer launch, with more seats and food. Friday’s attempt at a Manifesto launch gave off an ‘APNU on a small budget’ vibes. It was not this grand fanfare and big deal like it was painted to be. The audio and sound problems were giving people the impression that they were not prepared for the presidency.
The Manifesto launch lacked a PowerPoint presentation for viewers who require graphic images to understand, because of their disability. There is so much more that can be criticised. This was a sordid attempt at a Manifesto launch; it was a talk shop.
Secondly, there was no new idea. No big, bold and ideological school of thought that moved the voting public or voters to jump aboard APNU’s political ship. This is not good for the APNU team and leadership. And
that is why only 169k people were watching.
After all, it would be child’s play for anyone who holds themselves as objective and unbiased to criticise the garbage that Norton spewed. He did not just lie to the public; he lied to our faces blatantly, and without cause. This was the point when he had a golden opportunity to speak to the voting public about his vision, philosophy and projects, but ended up describing a Guyana that clearly does not exist; to put it bluntly.
Where did Norton come up with that figure of $600B that he said was lost over the five years to corruption? Which study was it plucked from? Or did Norton lie? Maybe he is getting the story wrong; $600B was the APNU+AFC Government’s corruption.
All the promises made by Norton and those contained in the Manifesto plan bear a striking resemblance to the PPP’s Manifesto plan, which will be launched tomorrow.
1. APNU is brave to announce that they will be increasing the hallmark water and electricity subsidies after they took them away from the vulnerable pensioners, who they also failed to double their pensions.
Isn’t APNU and Norton ashamed to announce public sector wage increases and salaries when they clearly shafted and fired thousands during their tenure in office? They only incrementally increased salaries during the period 2015 to 2019. This administration brought the cumulative salary increase from 2021 to 2025 to 46 per cent. At the end of 2024, the public sector wage bill grew by more than $90 million since 2020. So, APNU’s economic plan is not to be trusted.
And, Norton must have sat and listened to the incumbent President, Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s plan to open a development bank. The PPP had that idea first, and will give the Amerindians 15 per cent of all carbon credits. He was initially opposed to the village leaders accessing 10 per cent, and thought it should go directly into their hands. What happened, Norton? Now, how did Norton end up with 50 per cent?
He is giving off Father Christmas vibes in August. One would think that these APNU policies are just not economically viable and not mathematically sound.
Where did Norton get the idea that the government was outspending and competing with the private sector? He lies and lacks the basic comprehension skills to explain what is happening.
He pledged to “eliminate” poverty, but failed to paint the right analysis of the situation. The PPP/C did not make people poor, and poverty has been in existence for a long time; since the days of slavery. The situation was exacerbated by the PNC regime with its brutish and discriminatory policies, which lasted up until 1992.
Every government has had a plan to tackle poverty, except the Granger administration, which has seen Guyana’s poverty levels reduce. This government knows too well that buses, bicycles, boats, and books are not enough to comprehensively deal with poverty. So, a clear, workable and realistic strategy will form part of the next PPP/C Government.
And why lie when one could be fact-checked so easily, Norton? You are cutting your nose to spoil your face. The government has a further plan to get the cost-of-living phenomenon under control. It is disingenuous to quote prices for food times and paint a picture of prolonged inaction of the PPP/C Government. Five of the six factors, including the price for gasoline and freight, have been dealt with by this current government that impact the general cost of living.
Finally, Norton must hire competent professionals to write his speeches. They contain a bunch of jumbie economics and miscalculations to attempt to scare voters and the public about the reality that the public is experiencing. Things are not as bad as they are painted to be in Norton’s manifesto speech. There is a long way to go but the government has been monitoring, proactive and reactive to developments that seek to undermine the socioeconomic gains that Guyana has made.
The PPP is not shy but bold in delivering its overarching manifesto commitments and policies. When one hears Norton criticize and complain but offer no real reforms, policies and plans, one must look and assess him clearly. He is bluffing and reading out, many times not his words, to pubic.
One thought that maybe Norton would have his team around him at the manifesto launch, depicting a solid vision and hard work on education, energy, Amerindian development, health, finance, social security, the elderly and vulnerable. And, he wants to be president?