Norton criticises Demerara Waves story headline; says “satisfied” with diplomatic community’s proposals for free, fair elections

Last Updated on Wednesday, 11 June 2025, 21:59 by Denis Chabrol

– Demerara Waves maintains report is accurate

Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Aubrey Norton on Wednesday issued a  statement titled “Demerara Waves headline is misleading” but the news publication insisted that the headline and report accurately reflected the interview earlier in the day.

He said Demerara Waves asked him about  him about Tuesday’s meeting with the American, British, Canadian and European Union Chiefs-of-Mission and asked if he was satisfied with the meeting and the proposals made by the diplomatic corps. In the PNCR Leader’s statement, he said  “I was satisfied with the meeting and proposals made by the international community in an attempt to have free and fair elections.”

In response to Mr Norton’s statement, Demerara Waves, however, pointed out that nowhere in the interview was any reference made by the journalist or him to “proposals” as quoted by the Opposition Leader. Demerara Waves said it was Mr Norton who used the word “mechanisms”. After that, the reporter asked him whether any assurances were given about how that would be addressed. He responded: “I wouldn’t get into that”. The next question was “But you’re satisfied?” Mr  responded: “Yes , I am”. Demerara Waves said that on a logical continuum, it follows that the reporter’s question had nothing to do about the overall discussions but instead about the “mechanisms” to address what Mr Norton said were “problems that exist”.

In the PNCR Leader’s statement, he confirmed that “I was satisfied with the meeting and proposals made by the international community in an attempt to have free and fair elections.”

Earlier Wednesday Mr Norton, who is also Guyana’s Opposition Leader, said he was satisfied with planned “mechanisms” by the international community to ensure free, fair and transparent elections on September 1.

He said the talks, which were held with the chiefs-of-mission focused on “helping to put mechanisms in place to ensure free and fair elections, accepting the problems that exist.” He declined to say what assurances were given to address those concerns. “I wouldn’t get into that.” Pressed on whether he was satisfied, he said, “Yes, I am.”

Mr Norton, in his reaction, said unfortunately, Demerara Waves article gives the impression that he said he was satisfied with the mechanisms for free and fair elections. “I never said that”.

He said he and his PNCR delegation raised with the diplomatic community their concerns that these elections cannot be free and fair with a bloated list, registration of ineligible persons to vote, threats by the PPP against government workers, misuse of state resources by the PPP to campaign for the PPP (People’s Progressive Party).

The PNCR, Alliance For Change and the Working People’s Alliance have repeatedly complained that a bloated voters list – preliminarily at 757,066 – opens the door for multiple voting and voter impersonation.

The Guyana Bureau of Statistics is yet to complete its report on the 2022 census but the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates Guyana’s population is 814,000.

The PPP is on record as saying that there are sufficient safeguards to minimise the chances of voter fraud.

Pressured by the opposition and its nominated election commissioners, Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Retired Justice Claudette Singh earlier this year conceded that digitalised biometric registration is legally possible, but due to time constraints that could not be done for the upcoming elections. She, however, cautioned that digitalised biometric verification could not be used exclusively at polling stations as that would be unconstitutional.