Norton warned against those “claiming to be priests” who financed the infamous Phantom Squad

Melanie, East Coast Demerara – July 21, 2025 – In a fiery address at the Melanie Rally organized by the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton lambasted the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government, accusing it of mismanagement across sectors from foreign affairs to infrastructure and cost of living. Speaking to a crowd of enthusiastic supporters on Sunday evening, Norton positioned the APNU as the solution to Guyana’s woes, promising a return to competent governance ahead of the September 1, 2025, general elections.

Norton opened his speech by highlighting threats to Guyana’s territorial integrity, particularly in the Essequibo region, amid ongoing disputes. “We don’t have a big military to defend the Essequibo, but we have always had people with brains in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that can negotiate and do diplomacy to ensure we are secured,” he said. He took aim at President Irfaan Ali’s diplomatic capabilities, quipping, “I don’t know how on earth Irfaan can negotiate with anybody or defend anybody if he can’t even talk.” Norton pledged to restore the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to its former strength, emphasizing APNU’s history of mobilizing international support.

Shifting to domestic issues, Norton criticized the government’s infrastructure projects, calling them substandard. “They deliver a road which won’t even allow me to read messages on my phone,” he remarked, referring to bumpy roads unfit for pregnant women to travese. He accused the PPP/C of destroying public works, including the inherited Soesdyke-Linden Highway, and vowed to enforce laws allocating 25% of contracts to small contractors while training young people from all ethnic groups to ensure quality work.

Norton announced plans for inter-regional highways to connect regions, opening lands for housing and business at affordable prices. “We believe that there is enough land in this country for all Guyanese, and we want to guarantee, as we work on those inter-regional highways, we will not only open land for you, but we will open land for you that are cheap,” he stated. In housing, he committed to a rent-to-own scheme and a house repairs program for the poor, arguing that deteriorating homes lose value and that the government has failed to deliver on its promise of 50,000 house lots.

Addressing the exodus of teachers and nurses, Norton stressed retention over mere training. “You don’t train a teacher in two years, when you lose people with 10 years experience, 15 years experience, you are losing a lot,” he said. His solution? livable wages and dedicated housing to keep professionals in Guyana, framing APNU as a “people-centered government.”

Norton touted APNU’s candidate quality, contrasting it with what he called rejects bonded by money in other parties. In a veiled jab that some observers allege to be a reference to Azzrudin Mohamed, leader of the emerging Working Independent Nation (WIN) party, which has been gaining traction by drawing votes from both PPP/C and APNU, Norton warned against those “claiming to be priests” who financed the infamous Phantom Squad. “You cannot murder our young people and then come as if you’re a priest,” he declared, urging voters to remember past irregularities and reject “fancy offers” from those enriched at public expense.

On the economy, Norton highlighted soaring costs, citing a woman’s story,  eggs rising from $600-700  in 2020 to $2,500 per tray today, and bread from $200 to $500-560. “The cost of living continues to go up, and the PPP refuses to do anything,” he said, promising salary increases and measures to lower living expenses. He also outlined a cash transfer program aimed at lifting youth out of poverty permanently, not through handouts.

In a nod to Linden, Norton criticized the PPP/C for excluding locals from its top-up list despite claims of support there. “It is the ultimate eye pass… that the PPP could name a top-up list of over 80 people and can’t find one person from Linden,” he said, predicting an APNU win in the region.

Closing with a call to action, Norton reminded supporters of APNU’s past achievements, like developing farmlands on the East Coast and turning Guyana Power and Light (GPL) profitable. “When you put your X next to the palm, you are guaranteeing the first indigenous Prime Minister in this country,” he proclaimed, referring to the APNU symbol and urging votes for a “safe and secured future.”

The rally, part of APNU’s campaign push, drew cheers as Norton announced upcoming events across the various regions.

As Guyana heads toward what polls suggest could be a tight race, with WIN potentially splitting votes from traditional powerhouses, Norton’s speech underscored APNU’s strategy to rally its base around competence, inclusivity, and anti-corruption themes.