Winston Jordan should take the plank from his eye before criticising others

Sep 08, 2025 Letters

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Dear Editor,

After reading Winston Jordon’s call for PNCR leader and APNU chairman, Mr. Aubrey Norton, to step down from both positions on the heels of the 2025 General and Regional Elections results which show APNU party was defeated, particularly in its two strongholds: Districts Four and 10 and the incumbent People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) is set to secure a second term from 2025 to 2030. I remembered as a child attending St. Paul’s Anglican church in Plaisance that the late Mr. Lloyd Forde once told me “Before criticising others that you must first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” This is something I will never forget.

The phrase “take the plank out of your own eye” is a biblical teaching from Matthew 7:3-5, which emphasizes the importance of self-examination before criticizing others. Jesus uses the metaphor of a large plank in one’s own eye to illustrate that we often focus on the minor faults of others while ignoring our significant issues. The verse encourages individuals to first address their own flaws before extending judgment to others, highlighting the need for humility and honesty in our interactions.

As I reflect on this biblical teaching from Matthew 7:3-5,  I would like to advise Mr. Winston Jordan to look at himself in the mirror first before criticising Mr. Aubrey Norton for the People’s National Congress (PNC)-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)’s poor performance at the 2025 polls held on September 01, 2025 since he (Mr. Jordan is a part of the 68-year-old  party biggest defeat from not being in Government nor in opposition that was formed by formed by the late President Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, OE on October 07, 1957 .

Let me be fair, Presidential candidate Mr. Aubrey Norton, was given a basket to fetch water. The low voter turnout among the APNU supporters mostly the youths was largely because of how the David Granger Government treated them between 2015 and 2020 after fighting and working hard to get the PPP/C out of office.

What has made it even worst is that NONE of those who ate pork and grapes, draw down big and eat fat during Granger’s government including Prime Minister Mr. Moses Veerasammy Nagamootoo, Mr. Joseph Harmon: Minister of State, Mr. Winston Jordan, FORMER Minister of Finance and others did not come out to campaign for the coalition. Disgraceful and selfish!

Irrespective of the way they felt about Mr. Norton, if they so love the partnership and so cared about its base, they would have been on the stage. At this point, you can’t blame the supporters for not coming out because they are fed up, you can’t blame Mr. Norton because he was given a basket to fetch water. In other words, Mr. David Granger’s Government did not leave a nice red carpet for Mr. Norton or anyone  to walk on…This is something that the PNC have to look at as they go forward in future elections.

Mr. Rickford Burke: Activist and Consultant Rickford Burke who is a prominent figure in the Guyanese community, known for his work as a political activist and consultant also highlighted and shared the same views said, “The quality of political representation from party leaders and Members of Parliament over the last five years was substandard and devastating unsatisfactory. While Mr. Norton must accept significant responsibility for this election’s fiasco, he alone cannot be assigned all of the blame.

In fact, I can confidently say that the APNU-AFC Coalition government and President David Granger, of which Winston Jordon was a key member, failed the party’s constituents catastrophically. This failure precipitated the rapid decline in confidence in the party’s leadership and is unquestionably a factor in the prevailing circumstances”.

In going forward, I strongly believe that the PNC executive should learn from what the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan did when he was in opposition for 28 years under the PNC government form 1964 – 1992. They would see that challenging and fighting each other will not result in the PNC winning a general election.

Dr. Cheddi Jagan, and his members embrace each other as one political party with one goal which led to the PPP party victory at 1992 elections and now under His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who will be sworn in as Guyana’s Ninth Executive President following the 2025 polls.

Supporters are the strength of any pollical party and not to be overlooked like what the President Granger did to his supporters while in Government. And every time a member of a political party criticises or leaves the party, it only weakens the leadership and the ability to win an election and this is what Mr. Winston Jordan doesn’t know but choose to blame Mr. Aubrey Norton for the party’s poor result at the 2025 pools, which is not right. It is not him,  it is  what President Granger did.

Mr. Norton, Leader of the People’s National Congress (PNC) – led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) ran a clean election campaign although the odds were stacked up against him and did his best to return the PNC party to office  at the recent  the 2025 General and Regional Election which is commendable.

I believe that the People’s National Congress (PNC) – led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) will Rise Again, Standing Firm as we Journey toward a Stronger, Fairer Guyana. Will Emerge Stronger as the Struggle for Democracy Continues Like the Oak Tree, Rooted, Unbroken, and Rising Again once there is unity and not division among the leader, members and supporters of the party.

Your faithfully.
Rayvonne P. Bourne

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• Mr. Winston Jordan, National Congress, People's Progressive Party, Rayvonne P. Bourne, Regional Elections

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