PNCR to hire international public relations company

Last Updated on Sunday, 27 August 2023, 20:31 by Denis Chabrol

The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), the major party in the opposition coalition, plans to recruit an international public relations company for the next general and regional elections scheduled in 2025, party leader Aubrey Norton said on Saturday.

“We have to recognise that there is a a strong PR machinery out there which we will have to challenge with, I believe, an international PR company. I don’t think we can go to elections challenging them with the resources we have at home,” he said.

Addressing an internal party meeting in Maryland, United States, he told attendees “don’t underestimate the strength” of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC)-administration’s propaganda. “We mustn’t bury our head in the sand. The PPP has always had a well-oiled PR machinery. That is why they could lie, take their lie put it out there and people believe it is true. It is because of that machiner and we need to deal with that,” he said.

During the question-and-answer segment, Mr Norton said “we have engaged” a “proper” PR company but he opted not to provide details. “We will continue to do what we’re doing but you need a professional PR company to help us,” he said.

The PNCR’s official newspaper, New Nation, has

for several decades not been printed regularly in hard copy and its electronic version comes 0ut occasionally. That party relies heavily on its social media platforms to broadcast its press conferences and a few select events to which the formal media are seldom invited. Its premier output is its weekly news conference with the formal media.  Several months ago, the Guyana Press Association (GPA) had chided the PNCR for being abrasive rather than forthcoming with detailed answers to questions at news conferences.

In contrast, the PPPC maximises the use of the State-owned radio and television stations which also cover Guyana’s vast interior in addition to the State-owned Guyana Chronicle and the party newspaper, Mirror, online and hard copy.  The PPP also has at least 10 other radio and television stations, online and hardcopy news outfits that are sympathetic to its cause.

Reflecting on achievements in the areas of security, sanitation, health and water while the David Granger-led APNU+AFC was in office from 2015 to 2020, he said instead the PPP “in some regard they feed our youth a diet of entertainment and lawlessness.”