Dear Mr. Norton,
I write to you not as a politician, but as a young teacher, a daughter of this soil who loves her country and desperately wants to see it move forward.
I write with no agenda other than hope: hope for a better Guyana, for accountable leadership, and for a future where the cries of the people are not drowned out by party politics or personal ambition. Mr. Norton, with all due respect, I urge you to do what we all know must be done: step aside and allow Amanza Walton-Desir to lead the PNCR and the Coalition into the next general election.
I speak not only for myself but for many teachers, nurses, single mothers, small business owners, and youth, Guyanese who still believe in this country, but who are deeply disappointed by the state of our political leadership. If we are serious about change, we must be honest about who can truly deliver it. That person is not you. It is Amanza.
Under your leadership, the party has failed to inspire or mobilise. You are usually silent when your voice is needed most. During the teachers’ strike, when we were on the streets, braving insults and indifference, you chose to hide behind distant press statements and remarks. I cannot remember seeing you walking with us, standing beside us, or demanding action on our behalf.
In contrast, Amanza Walton-Desir stood with us when others stood by. She didn’t just issue statements, she showed up. She marched with us. She lent her voice to the voiceless. She listened, she empathised, and she fought. That is leadership. That is heart. That is what this country desperately needs.
When tragedy struck in Linden recently and young Adriana Younge lost her life, it was Amanza who rushed to the scene, who spoke with the family, who demanded answers. She didn’t wait for the cameras or political permission. She led with principle. That consistency, that courage, and that compassion are what set her apart. You had every opportunity to be that leader, but time and again, you chose to do nothing.
Mr. Norton, you represent the politics of old, closed, transactional, and out of touch with the reality of our time. Today’s Guyana is a youthful one. We are a generation that refuses to be silenced. We want bold, visionary, and relatable leadership. We are not inspired by the same tired rhetoric. We are inspired by authenticity, by conviction, and by a leader who sees us and values us.
Mr. Norton, I am asking you, not as an enemy but as a fellow Guyanese, to do the honourable thing. Step aside and let the person with the momentum, the message, and the movement lead us forward. Let Amanza Walton-Desir lead. Be remembered as the man who put Guyana first, not the one who stood in the way of its progress.
Respectfully,
Donnette Nicholson
Concerned Young Teacher
Region 9
