$20 triggers PNC row


Guyana Chronicle
August 29, 1999


FORMER General Secretary of the People's National Congress (PNC), Mr. Aubrey Norton owed the party only $20 in membership dues and sources said all the avenues for collection had not been exhausted before he was asked to leave a Central Executive meeting of the party.

One source confirmed that Norton, who was last year sacked as General Secretary by party leader, Mr. Desmond Hoyte, had owed the party $20 in membership dues for this year.

However, according to party policy, if a member is found in arrears, he/she is given six months to right himself/herself.

But a source said this was not the case with Norton.

According to reports, Hoyte asked Norton to leave the last Central Executive meeting of the PNC about a week ago, because his membership dues had not been paid up.

Sources said the PNC leader instructed his personal security detail, provided for him by the Police Force, to remove Norton from the party's Congress Place, Georgetown headquarters, but the former General Secretary refused to leave.

An official explained that the personal security should only remove persons from Hoyte's presence if they are a threat to his safety or are disruptive.

The Chronicle understands that the security detail eventually backed off from removing Norton.

Norton reportedly matched words with Hoyte and refused to leave the meeting, arguing that he is an elected member of the party.

The former General Secretary was fired suddenly in the latter part of last year after returning from a trip to the United States. He was replaced by Mr. Oscar Clarke.

At least one Central Executive member of the party left the meeting during the fracas.

One source told the Chronicle that the meeting was set to discuss the Bharrat Jagdeo Presidency and there was some feeling that the younger PNC members would put forward suggestions for a change in the party's leadership for "younger blood."

However, another source said he was not aware of moves by any members to challenge Hoyte's leadership.

Sources said Norton has since paid the $20 owed for membership but has been told that Hoyte has asked that renewal of membership be channelled through him.

This is reportedly not usually the case, since membership is looked after by the PNC General Secretary.

The PNC Biennial Congress scheduled for this month was postponed to next year for cost cutting measures, Clarke had said.

According to Clarke, the party would have had to hold a congress again next year, since general elections were due in 2001, and it would have been added expense to the party.

Norton received the most votes for membership of the Central Executive at the party's congress last year. (MICHELLE ELPHAGE)


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