Hoyte, Norton in verbal clash at stormy PNC executive meeting
Indications that all is not well in the upper echelons of the main opposition People's National Congress (PNC) surfaced on Thursday night during a stormy meeting of the Central Executive Committee of the party. Reliable sources told Stabroek News that party leader Desmond Hoyte told former General Secretary and member of parliament, Aubrey Norton to leave the Central Executive meeting, one of the major policy making bodies of the party, since his membership dues had not been paid up. Both Hoyte and Norton refused to comment on the incident when contacted by Stabroek News yesterday explaining that it was a matter internal to the party. Hoyte explained his refusal by pointing out that the party had not changed its policy in relation to matters internal to it. Norton also declined to speak on what he described as his party's business in the media. However, when pressed, the former General Secretary would only say that he was a member of the party and that no one, "not even Mr Hoyte" could get him out of the party he joined since his youth. Norton was sacked by Hoyte late last year after he returned from what sources say was an unauthorised trip to the United States. According to the source, Hoyte appeared upset when Norton turned up for the meeting as was his right as a member of the Central Executive, and told him to leave, since according to the PNC Leader his membership dues were not up to date and therefore he was not a member of the party. At this stage, Norton took his seat and refused to leave, saying according to the sources, that he was an elected member of the Central Executive and a PNC member of long standing and as such had no intention of leaving the meeting. At one stage, Norton said that he was "through tolerating all the lies and fabrication", being peddled against him. Meanwhile, as the exchanges became more heated, Vice Chairman of the Party, Vincent Alexander walked out saying he would have no part of such a meeting and long-standing PNC member Yvonne Harewood-Benn appealed for calm saying there were more important issues to discuss at the meeting. It was then that other Central Executive members including General Secretary, Oscar Clarke attempted, to no avail, to get Norton to leave. Stabroek News understands that the major agenda item at the meeting centred around relations between the PNC and the PPP/Civic government in the light of the new administration of President Bharrat Jagdeo.
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