Dear Editor,
The time has come for all of us to seriously consider Aubrey Norton’s insistence on being the Presidential candidate in the upcoming General and Regional Elections in Guyana, our beloved country. As the efforts at presenting a coalition of parties continues to fail as a consequence of Norton’s intransigence and focused disruption, we must collectively reject this egotistical excursion into sheer fantasy and strive to convince Mr. Norton that his candidacy is a non-starter and predictable failure! Much to the detriment of so many of us who want to see the PPP banished to the dustbin of history.
We believe that Norton is unelectable as a candidate and has proven beyond any doubt that he is unsuitable to be seriously considered as a national leader. His intransigence in pursuing the role of Presidential Candidate is suicidal for any coalition, the PNC and its supporters and, a reprehensible insult to the efforts of those of us who are seeking to remove the PPP from its role as the incumbent government. Aubrey has repeatedly demonstrated an inexplicable obsession with the presidency despite what is clearly a tenure of abysmal failure as Leader of the Opposition with no remarkable accomplishments with which he can reasonably attempt to persuade us to support his candidacy.
Mr. Norton has demonstrated several traits which have pointedly weakened the party and its support. The few supporters who remain committed to his candidacy can advance no compelling arguments except to resort to bullyism and public insults on social media while demonstrating an uncanny deficit when called upon to list his accomplishments.
Norton has mastered the arka of divisive manipulation, calculatingly moving some of his more talented members around distancing some from the party’s administrative center while bringing some closer and then reversing this repeatedly, to ensure a collective insecurity among the more talented in his team. Norton does not understand that politics requires the arka of addition and not his clear obsession with division which ultimately ensures more of the talented in the party seek to find an exit as they find a party environment increasingly lacking in collaborative, focused political work.
Despite the convenient party motion passed at the controversial party congress that delegates the choice of the Presidential Candidate solely to Norton, and many who have witnessed and experienced the party’s ability to garner a victory in the past through a process of honest introspection and evaluation of candidate suitability, Norton has pursued his obsession with the candidacy with a remarkable obstinacy.
While all the objective polls conducted by patriots committed to the removal of the criminal PPP point to Norton’s unsuitability and unelectability, he continues to demonstrate a frightening level of tone-deafness while he maneuvers and plots to an inevitable crushing collective defeat should he continue with his foolish obsession.
Norton has failed to inspire and motivate beyond some rather rudimentary electoral soundbites which fail to touch upon a grand vision for this rapidly growing Oil and Gas economy. Promises of free school buses and vague references to his plagiarized people centered strategy fail to resonate with citizens and each successive pronouncement of Norton reinforces how clearly distant he is from the vision, charisma and political astuteness of the Comrade Leader whom he deceitfully suggests he evvel provided advice to.
Norton’s recent public refusal to personally acknowledge and express sympathy on the passing of Amna Ally is additional demonstrable proof of a flawed leader with deep psychological deficiencies including an inability to demonstrate magnanimity and compassion – traits that are critical for national leadership particularly in a polity where our divisions, racial and otherwise are so extremely amplified.
That Norton would seek refuge for this disappointing lack of judgement under the cover of his abusive social media crusaders places him next to Irfaan Ally as the other side of the same coin. We would recall that Ally demonstrated a lack of compassion and deceit in his recent approach to the recent homicide of Adrianna Young confirming his clear unsuitability for national leadership despite his obsession with off-beat gyrations and clownish entertainment, a cringeworthy presidential tendency that Guyanese have grown tired of viewing.
At a moment in our nation’s history when there is a fierce urgency in rescuing Guyana from the corrupt and malignant governance of the PPP with a united umbrella of all Guyanese, Norton is singularly focused on thwarting such an enterprise. Today, that coalition of willing requires consensus building, widening and expanding a unified tent of Guyanese brothers and sisters led by a team of servant leaders anchored with a steadfast vision and sense of purpose.
Unfortunately, Aubrey to date has failed to live up to those expectations and continues in his project – an apparent effort to continue in the opposition, a role he has spectacularly failed in but has developed a level of comfort, safe in his goal of providing an ever-diminishing challenge to the status quo of PPP intransigence, corruption and oppression.
As an alternative to government and often referred to as a government in waiting, to date, what is the measurable scorecard of the opposition led by Aubrey Norton. Guyanese are poorer for guidance and inspiration from this visionless leader and team. In the area of Policing and Public Security, what are the ideas and policies?
During the current economic malaise and perilous uncertainty burdening Guyanese with runaway cost of living pressures, Aubrey Norton is missing inaction with any agenda that can reassure citizens of any plan towards addressing their concerns. Instead, weekly, the citizens are assaulted with meandering and unsound economic arguments and policy positions if at all.
We are at too critical juncture in our nation’s history to continue to repose leadership and confidence in such inept and bankrupt leaders. Aubrey must give way now for the sake of suffering Guyanese.
In a few months Guyanese will be heading to the polls towards electing a government to guide us towards collective peace and prosperity for the next five years. No citizen deserves another five years of corruption, discrimination and the widening gap between the few friends and family extremely rich and the majority poor.
To secure electoral victory with a new and grand coalition Aubrey Norton in no uncertain terms cannot be that leader uniting Guyanese towards that victory. We can no longer gamble with such a future and for a hopeful and better tomorrow for all Guyanese. The PPP is confident that its victory and a larger parliamentary majority is secured with Aubrey Norton as its opponent as the presidential candidate in those elections. Elections are about winning, and, in doing so,capturing the hearts and minds of the citizens.
We must be serious about our future and our role in Guyana’s development. Now is the time for new leadership that can win at the polls tomorrow.
Yours truly,
Hector Stoute Jnr.
US Army Ret.