Former Mayor Ubraj Narine Calls for Norton’s Resignation as PNC/R Faces Potential Georgetown “Wipeout”

By Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News|

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA – Former Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine has issued a blistering ultimatum to the leadership of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R), warning that the party risks political extinction in the capital city unless Leader Aubrey Norton steps down immediately.

In a sharply worded letter and a subsequent exclusive interview with Nightly News, Narine argued that Norton’s leadership is “dismantling” the party. The former Mayor’s intervention comes at a period of unprecedented crisis for the PNC/R, following a string of high-profile defections and a devastating performance in the most recent national polls.

A Capital in Crisis

Narine’s warning follows the recent “crossover” of several sitting councillors and former Members of Parliament to the governing PPP/C—a move he views as a direct symptom of leadership failure. He described the current era as one marked by stagnation, internal infractions, and a profound disconnect from the party’s traditional base.

“The party has so many infractions… people leaving parties or splitting councillors like we saw yesterday,” Narine lamented. “I love the PNC; it is a great party. But this nonsense that this gentleman is doing—you need to get a grip of yourself and allow the party to breathe.”

The Shadow of the 2025 Defeat

The call for a leadership change is intensified by the statistical reality of the September 1, 2025, General and Regional Elections. The APNU, led by the PNC/R, suffered what many consider its worst electoral defeat in modern history:

• Parliamentary Seats: APNU secured only 12 seats, while the PPP/C claimed a dominant 36 seats.
• Opposition Status: The newcomer party, We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), secured 16 seats, effectively displanting the PNC/R as the main opposition party.
• The Loss of Georgetown: For the first time, the PPP/C captured District 4 (including Georgetown), outpolling APNU by nearly 2-to-1 (87,536 votes to 46,956).

With national support for the coalition falling to approximately 18%, Narine argues that the PNC/R can no longer claim to be the voice of the capital without a radical change in direction.

The Road to Local Government Elections

The timing of Narine’s critique is critical as the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) begins preparations for the next Local Government Elections (LGE). While APNU maintained control of the Georgetown City Council in 2023 with 19 seats to the PPP/C’s 11, the shifting political landscape has put that majority in jeopardy.

President Irfaan Ali has already begun a campaign to win over Georgetown residents, urging them to give the PPP/C a chance to manage the city’s affairs directly. Narine believes that under Norton’s current trajectory, the PNC/R will be unable to mount a successful defense of City Hall.

As internal debate intensifies, the PNC/R now faces a fundamental choice: double down on its current leadership or heed the warnings of its former Mayor to rebuild before the next trip to the polls.