Norton puts Guyana on early general election alert

Last Updated on Monday, 6 March 2023, 7:56 by Denis Chabrol

Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton addressing A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) public meeting in Albouystown, Georgetown on March 5, 2023.

Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton on Sunday night predicted that Guyanese would go to the polls next year in early general and regional elections, claiming that Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo was attempting to deceive the country that elections would be held in 2026.

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“What he is doing is seeking to make you complacent and believe that elections are going to be until 2026 and once you become complacent, he will call elections earlier. We must see through his strategy and prepare for elections next year. I want to say to you that the PPP (People’s Progressive Party) is calling elections next year. We must continue to work and be ready this year,” he told a public meeting in Albouystown, Georgetown.

His forecast came days after Mr Jagdeo said the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) administration would be taking back the five months from the wait between election day- March 2, 2020- to the convening of Parliament on September 1, 2020 following the declaration of results on August 2, 2020. “As you know elections will be held some time in November- December of 2025 so there is still nearly another three years to go largely because of the extended delay that we had in declaring the results and then the period after convening Parliament,” Mr Jagdeo said last week.

The results were declared on on August 2 following a national vote recount to settle a raging controversy over the several declarations for Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) that would have seen Mr Norton’s People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR)-led coalition of A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) retaining office for a second straight term.

Mr Norton said Guyana’s Constitution states that five years after the Parliament is sworn, elections have to be held.

Meanwhile, Mr Norton and other speakers at the public meeting cautioned residents of Albousytown against allowing the PPPC to gain control of Georgetown at the June 12, 2023 Local Government Elections.