Aubrey Norton, leader of the People’s National Congress (PNC) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), expressed his views on the recent crossover of Juretha Fernandes, Sherod Duncan, and Deonarine Ramsaroop from the Alliance for Change (AFC) to APNU, stating there is nothing wrong with their transition while still representing the AFC. This statement comes amidst internal criticism faced by PNC’s Geeta Chandan-Edmond for her support of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) while remaining a PNC member and parliamentarian.
Norton remarked, “We see the coming of Juretha, Ricky, and Sherod as a positive development, showing their interest in coalition-building and joining us to ensure that the coalition reflects the APNU+AFC.”
He reiterated that PNC/APNU remains open to discussing a potential coalition with the AFC, despite recent tensions. The AFC has recently proposed a reduced seat allocation of 35 percent, down from an initial 65 percent, which PNC/APNU has rejected. The AFC’s scaled-back proposal also included a demand for the prime ministerial candidacy.
However, Norton emphasized that he has already committed the prime ministerial position to Fernandes, stating it would be up to her to decide if she wishes to yield that opportunity to the AFC. “If Juretha wants to give the opportunity to the AFC to select the candidate, we have no problem with that. But we will not renegotiate our commitments to satisfy late requests after months of negotiations,” he stated.
Norton explained his rationale for selecting Fernandes as the party’s prime ministerial candidate, noting broad support among PNC/APNU members. “I spoke with everyone in the APNU, and we generally agreed that we needed Juretha Fernandes as the prime ministerial candidate. She has the intellect, she is a woman from the indigenous community, and we believe she’s qualified to be prime minister,” he said. He further clarified that Ganesh Mahipaul, who participated in these discussions, is also a strong candidate for the Vice Presidency should the coalition win the elections.
While the PNC/APNU continues to prepare for the upcoming elections as an independent entity, Norton reassured that the door remains open for a coalition with the AFC, signaling ongoing discussions and possibilities for collaboration as the election date approaches.
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