PNCR Leader insists Private Sector Commission is “politically affiliated”

Last Updated on Wednesday, 22 December 2021, 12:46 by Denis Chabrol

Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Aubrey Norton on Wednesday held firmly to his position that the Private Sector Commission (PSC) is politically biased.

“Unfortunately, this wide concept of the private sector has been reduced to the Private Sector Commission which is not at all reflective of the Guyanese private sector.

It is my sincere hope that we move towards a wider more representative private sector rather than one that is politically affiliated and purporting to represent the private sector in Guyana,” he said at the Seven Ponds Place of Heroes, Botanical Gardens at the tomb to mark the 21st death anniversary of the PNCR’s second leader, Hugh Desmond Hoyte.

Mr Norton restated that the private sector involves all businesses operating in Guyana and suggested the need for organisations like the PSC to be broad-based.  “Private sector institutions should reflect this reality,” he added.

The PNCR Leader did not react directly to the PSC’s statement on Tuesday in which it said his contention that it was politically biased seemed to be as a result of its stance against efforts by A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) to rig the March, 2020 elections.

The coalition had months ago deemed the PSC a “stooge” of the People’s Progressive Party.

The PSC, which has a governance subcommittee, had criticised the multiple declaration of results of the polls in favour of APNU+AFC and had observed the national vote Recount which had been the basis for the PPP having been declared the winner.

The coalition continue to maintain that the elections rigged, while the PPP and international observers have insisted that efforts had been made to rig the polls.

There are two pending APNU+AFC election petitions in the appeal court system.