GUYANA | Walton-Desir's Dramatic Exit Exposes PNCR's Descent Into Political Irrelevance

GEORGETOWN,  Guyana, June 18, 2025 - In a moment that crystallized the opposition's accelerating collapse, Amanza Walton-Desir shed visible tears on Wednesday morning as she publicly announced her resignation from the People's National Congress Reform (PNCR), citing being sidelined, undervalued, and silenced within the party's leadership structure. 

The seasoned attorney and former Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister didn't just resign—she delivered a damning indictment of a party that appears to be hemorrhaging talent faster than it can staunch the wounds.

Her resignation, she confirmed, was submitted with immediate effect to PNCR Leader Aubrey Norton on Tuesday, June 18, but what came next was perhaps more devastating to the opposition's prospects: the launch of Forward Guyana, her own political movement designed to contest the upcoming September elections.

It's a move that transforms Walton-Desir from defector to direct competitor, taking aim at the very seat of power Norton has struggled to consolidate.

The timing could hardly be worse for Norton, whose leadership has been marked by a steady exodus of prominent figures that reads like a political obituary.

Walton-Desir's departure joins an increasingly crowded field of former  prominent members of the PNCR leadership, who have abandoned ship, including member of parliament Geeta Chandan-Edmond, Region Four Chairman Daniel Seeram, Regional Vice Chairman Samuel Sandy, and James Bond—names that once formed the backbone of the party's institutional memory.

The most damaging aspect of Walton-Desir's exit wasn't just her departure, but her unflinching account of internal dysfunction. "I was not offered any position," she bluntly stated, directly contradicting the PNCR's claims that Norton had promised her a parliamentary seat and campaign role.

The party's immediate response—calling her claims "a gross misrepresentation of the facts"—only succeeded in highlighting the very communication failures that drove her away.

This public dispute over basic facts exposes a party apparatus so fractured that leaders and members can't even agree on what was said in private meetings. "It is not my place to request that my party provides me with a position," Walton-Desir said. "I believe leaders should harness the talents of those around them. I did not ask—but I did seek clarity, and I did not get it."

Norton's dismissive response to these defections has become a masterclass in political tone-deafness. "I don't want to get into specifics but I don't believe any of them can pull three votes," he said, demonstrating the very arrogance that has driven competent figures toward the exits. His assertion to be "not concerned at all" at losing senior members demonstrates a leadership perilously out of touch with political reality.

The broader pattern reveals a party in free fall. High-profile members, including stalwart and son-in-law of the party's founder, Dr. Richard Van-West Charles have endorsed President, Dr. Irfaan Ali and the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C). These aren't fringe figures or opportunistic climbers—they represent the institutional core of what was once a formidable political machine.

Former PNCR executive member Thandi McAllister was among the early departures after the 2020 elections, presaging the current wave of defections. Region Four Chairman Daniel Seeram described the party as having become "totally unattractive in a way that it kind of repels youth, it kind of repels progressive thinking".

When your own regional chairmen are publicly describing the party as repulsive to young voters, the writing isn't just on the wall—it's been there so long it's starting to fade.

The PNCR's internal democracy has also become a casualty of Norton's leadership. Both Walton-Desir and Roysdale Forde "suspended" their campaigns due to alleged irregularities and lack of transparency surrounding the congress, effectively handing Norton an uncontested victory that felt more like a political coronation than a democratic process.

What makes Walton-Desir's departure particularly stinging is her stature within the party and beyond. The letter writer in Stabroek News who noted that "Ms Walton-Desir possesses qualifications necessary to serve as president" and emphasized her "fervour, assertiveness, debonair and zeal" captured what many saw as Norton's failure to nurture obvious leadership talent within his own ranks.

Her launch of Forward Guyana represents more than personal ambition—it's a direct challenge to the opposition's claim on representing alternative leadership. "We are serious about this," she said firmly. "This is an audacious time, and it requires audacious action."

The movement promises to fight for "the poor, the single mother, the frustrated youth, the underpaid teacher, the nurse, the doctor, and the struggling businessperson"—precisely the constituencies the PNCR has struggled to energize under Norton's stewardship.

The implications for the September 1 elections are stark. The PNCR's haemorrhage of experienced leadership and Norton's apparent insensitivity to this crisis provide openings for the PPP/C to consolidate authority over previously contested seats, and record a landslide victory at the upcoming elections.

Norton's promise to ensure "committed persons are candidates" rings hollow when the party's most committed figures are walking away in disgust.

Walton-Desir acknowledged that many Guyanese are skeptical of new movements, citing previous disappointments and betrayals. But she warned against giving in to cynicism or fear. "Change is not betrayal. Sometimes it is a duty. To surrender to fear is unacceptable."

As Norton surveys the wreckage of what was once a disciplined political organization, he might reflect on whether his dismissive attitude toward departing talent has created the very weakness he claims doesn't exist. When seasoned politicians would rather start from scratch than continue working within your party, the problem isn't with their commitment—it's with your leadership.

The PNCR's founding principle, as Walton-Desir reminded supporters, was to be "a political party for all Guyanese irrespective of race or creed." Under Norton's leadership, it increasingly appears to be a party for no one but Norton himself.

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