Opposition Leader faces allegations of discrimination, racial hostility

Just one year after he became Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R), a party he served for decades, Aubrey Norton is facing allegations of discrimination and racial hostility.

The party has also been rocked by the resignation of two executives – General Secretary Geeta Chandan-Edmond, who was handpicked by Norton and Faaiz Mursaline who was elected treasurer.

While Chandon-Edmond and Mursaline had initially remained silent on the reasons for their resignations, they are now speaking out in a bid to protect their integrity.

In a letter written to the members of the Central Executive Committee, Mursaline detailed his reasons.

But in a telephone interview with the News Room on Sunday, the emotional former treasurer whose resignation took effect one week ago said, “the party is in a bad state when comes to leadership.”

He accused Norton of being a “one man show.”

“As a businessman, I couldn’t continue. I am willing to stay with the PNC but not with the current leader.

“Norton is like an aloof leader… I am the treasurer and I was elected but all I was used for is to sign cheques and that was merely my duties there with Norton’s leadership,” Mursaline said.

He detailed that in February of 2022, he submitted a work plan to the Leader on how the party can get finances and to date there has been no communication or deliberation on that plan.

“I am fed up of the discrimination and racial hostility,” the former treasurer added while noting that Norton is supported in his ways by an equally discriminatory senior party member whom he named.

Mursaline, who served the party for nine years, believes his experience is shared by other East Indian members of the party.

The former treasurer detailed instances during which he claimed Norton exhibited racial hostility.

“From the time I took office as the elected treasurer of this great party, I was signing blank cheques with no supporting documents. I am always called to sign cheques and whenever I share an opinion of dislike towards this, I am met with hostility. In the month of November it got worst.

“…in that month I signed about 20 blank cheques. ”

He added, “I requested of the Leader for us to do a financial audit of the finances of Congress Place for our own benefit and for us to ensure proper accountability and transparency. I even suggested that because Cde. Volda Lawrence has the skills in that area we use her to be our guidance. The intention was solely to do what is right for our party and to build trust among our membership. The Leader told me that is a conflict of interest and that he will take care of it. To date nothing has been done,” the former treasurer’s letter to the CEC added.