For the first time in its long and proud history, the People’s National Congress (PNC) has suffered a major defeat in the September general and regional elections. The blame rightly falls where it belongs—on the shoulders of the party’s current leader, Aubrey Norton. From the moment he took charge, Norton transformed the PNC from a disciplined, principled political group into a joke.
The PNC was founded by the legendary Forbes Burnham, a man whose vision and leadership shaped generations of Afro-Guyanese empowerment. Today, he must be turning in his grave, witnessing how Norton has destroyed his legacy. Norton’s tenure has been nothing short of disastrous—an example of what happens when ego-driven leadership replaces vision and values.
A Control Freak and Personality Void
Since taking charge, Norton has acted like a tyrant within his own party. He quickly removed experienced party stalwarts, replacing them with a handpicked circle of yes-men with no roots or credibility. Many longtime supporters openly complain that Norton lacks the charisma and gravitas that Burnham and other past leaders brought to the table.
Instead of uniting the party, he alienated core supporters with divisive rhetoric and reckless decisions. His refusal to extend basic courtesies — such as shaking hands with President Irfaan Ali — showed a petty and immature leader, more interested in spectacle than statesmanship.
Playing the Racism Card in a Changing World
Norton’s ongoing effort to label the PPP as racist has failed from the start. While some Caribbean and American communities have historically used accusations of racism as a political tool, this is a new era. Such tired narratives no longer sway Guyana’s voters.
It’s time for Afro-Guyanese to embrace unity and move beyond outdated grievances. A country can only succeed when it recognizes itself as a multicultural society working together, rather than clinging to divisive identity politics.
From Pillar to Pariah
The PNC, once a major force, is now fading into obscurity. In an overwhelming election, Norton turned it into a minor third-party player in parliament. His aim to stay in power until 2030 is just a pipe dream — a castle in the air built on denial and manipulation.
Aubrey Norton’s decision not to support the previous government case, including AFC leader Nigel Hughes, against Azruddin Mohamed — a criminal sanctioned by the Americans for gold smuggling, money laundering, invoice fraud, drug trafficking with Colombian cartels, and alleged dealings worth $50 million USD — is both baffling and shameful.
Norton, ironically, thought that Azruddin would split the PPP voters and help PNC win the general elections. However, Aubrey Norton was completely wrong, and it was his own passionate supporters who abandoned him, choosing instead to vote for the WIN party for financial gain. Aubrey Norton and Nigel Hughes shot themselves in the foot; Nigel Hughes is practically finished, his AFC Party is dead as a DODO and the PNC is heading toward extinction if Aubrey Norton stays on as leader.
Our research confirms that Aubrey Norton is committed to leading the PNC into the next general election in 2030. This is bad news for the 29.3% Afro–Guyanese population in Guyana.
Aubrey Norton and Nigel Hughes mistakenly thought that Azruddin Mohamed would weaken the vote bank of the PPP party. Instead, they ended up hurting the PNC in Linden and Region 4, as loyal PNC supporters chose to vote for the WIN party. Both leaders faced criticism for their assumptions. The Indo-Guyanese chose to ignore Azruddin and voted for the PPP Party.
Azruddin failed to attract votes from the Indo-Guyanese, especially the 30% of the sizable Hindu population in Guyana. Additionally, he received a few votes from his 6.3% Muslim population, but most Muslims supported the PPP party.
The Money Game and Voter Shame
Azruddin’s tactics allegedly exposed his policy of giving money to the voters within his Win Party. Reports supposedly indicate that money was given to sway Afro-Guyanese and Amerindian voters. However, the Indo-Guyanese majority remained strong, rejecting illegal funds and voting for the PPP with a clear 36-seat majority in Parliament.
It’s a sad day when votes are bought with cash instead of conviction. Those who accepted the money should feel deep remorse — they empowered a criminal and disrespected the democratic process.
Where Does PNC Go from Here?
Norton’s desperate attempt to remain in power until 2030 is doomed, sealing the fate of the PNC party. His belief that regional voting blocs will save his struggling party is laughable. Without immediate resignation and restructuring, the PNC risks becoming as irrelevant as the now-defunct AFC — lacking parliamentary seats and political influence.
The best move would be for Norton to step aside and let someone capable of taking over to save what’s left of the party. Keeping him in charge only accelerates its decline.
A Curse on the PNC
In summary, Norton has become a burden for the PNC — a liability that threatens its relevance and reputation. Instead of building a future, he’s creating illusions, leading the party into division and disgrace.
If he genuinely wants to rebuild the PNC party, he must start by walking away — because the path he’s on only leads to failure he can’t fix.
Guyana needs a mature and respectable opposition party like the PNC, not a gold smuggler as the leader of the opposition. It is a sad day that Guyana’s voters elected an alleged criminal as their leader of the opposition. Hopefully, Azruddin will not stay long enough to damage Guyana’s democracy. It is up to a new leader to take over the PNC and regain the support of voters in Linden and Region 4. This can be achieved with the right leader, and it is not Aubrey Norton.