Latest update June 19th, 2025 3:06 AM
Norton names AFC’s Juretha Fernandes as running mate
Prime Ministerial candidate for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Juretha Fernandes
Kaieteur News – Shadow Minister of Finance and member of the Alliance For Change (AFC) Juretha Fernandes, has been named the prime ministerial candidate for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) in the upcoming General and Regional Elections.
Opposition leader, Aubrey Norton told this publication in a telephone interview, that the political body has been searching for a capable person, confirming that Fernandes has been doing a lot of work in parliament. These include shadowing the finance minister, and robust budget presentations, among other things.
“We also look to see if the person is someone who engages the ordinary man on the ground. So, we only want intellectual capacity. We also want the prime minister candidate to be somebody who can engage with people on the ground, and in this regard, we thought that she was a good candidate.”
He revealed that PNCR executive member Ganesh Mahipaul, who is also a member of parliament will also be part of the top candidates. He said these decisions were made so that the top of the list will have representatives of every ethnicity reflecting the true nature of Guyana.
“…in fact, as an Indigenous woman, we think she can work with the Indigenous communities, both in opposition and in government. So, we felt that that is the way to go. In addition, she was always one of the persons who have been pro coalition, wanting to see us work together and to the extent that we couldn’t get agreement with the AFC, and she
Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton
was prepared, on principle, to promote coalition politics by joining us, we have accepted her and is promoting her as our prime ministerial candidate,” he added.
Having Fernandes as the PM candidate was agreed on by all APNU member parties, as Norton confirmed there have been engagements on the criteria which she fits perfectly.
“…we have been engaging, and our party had long decided the basic criteria we were looking for, and she fitted into the criteria we were looking for, not only us, but even our partners in the APNU, we spoke with them. They were comfortable with her as a prime ministerial candidate,” he added.
In a subsequent interview, leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Nigel Hughes said he was not aware of any resignation from Fernandes, and that she did not have the support of the party on the move. In this regard, he said he was “expecting her resignation shortly.”
“Ms. Fernandes certainly did not enjoy any support or approval from the Alliance For Change in relation to this report that she is the prime ministerial candidate for APNU, so she is certainly not the AFC’s candidate for prime minister, and she certainly does not have the support of the AFC in so far as appointment for that position is concerned,” he said.
This comes a few hours after the Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Amanza Walton-Desir resigned from the party and as an opposition Member of Parliament and announced the formation of her own party.
Leader of the Alliance For Change, Nigel Hughes
Reports of Fernandes being offered a PM position by the PNCR began surfacing in April of this year, after she appeared alongside PNCR officials during a recent parliamentary outreach in Essequibo. When asked about the speculation, Fernandes reportedly told another section of the media that her attendance was based solely on her duty as an elected representative responding to the needs of her constituents.
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