‘Resignations, defections will not impact PNCR’ – Granger

Jun 23, 2025 News

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…says “there is no shadow of turning in his support for the party”

Kaieteur News – As the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) prepares to contest the General and Regional Elections in September under the banner of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), it does so with the full backing of former President David Granger. “I affirm, unhesitatingly that there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning in my support for the People’s National Congress,” Granger told the Kaieteur News in a recent interview.

His renewed commitment to the party comes at a time when the PNCR is facing a wave of resignations and defections. Granger emphasised that the PNCR had placed its trust in him—not only to lead the party but also to govern the country—and he has no intention of turning his back on the organisation. “I had the honour of having been elected and re-elected as Leader of the PNC for a decade until I reached the age of 75 years in 2020 when I chose to cease competing for political office.

I led the PNC in a coalition which gained nearly 218,000 votes by GECOM’s count and earned 31 seats in the National Assembly in GRE 2020. I still support the thousands of faithful followers in every region who supported APNU and the PNC through the last three general elections. I have never, and shall never walk away from the hardworking members, especially the women and young people,” Granger said.

The party’s recent challenges include the defection of Geeta Chandan-Edmond, who served five years in Parliament under the APNU+AFC Coalition before publicly endorsing President Irfaan Ali for a second term. Adding to this, PNCR was rocked by the endorsements of President Ali by Region Four Regional Chairman Daniel Seeram and Vice Chairman Samuel Sandy. In another blow, Member of Parliament Amanza Walton-Desir resigned from Parliament and launched her own political party, Forward Guyana, citing alleged marginalisation by the PNCR leadership. Another MP, Natasha Singh-Lewis has also resigned.

Will have no impact

Granger compared the current situation with past political realignments in Guyana’s history, noting that while some defections had major historical significance, the present developments are unlikely to undermine the PNCR’s foundation.

Granger said except in the cases of Guyana’s grand historic schisms, such as those of Forbes Burnham’s separation from the PPP to establish the People’s National Congress in 1957, and Hamilton Green’s and Raphael Trotman’s defections from the PNC to establish the Good and Green Guyana (GGG) in 1993 and the AFC in 2005, respectively, solitary defections, such as Brindley Benn’s departure from the PPP to form the Working People’s Vanguard Party in 1969, remain just that. He argued that recent defections, though newsworthy, are driven more by personal ambition and internal disputes than by ideological shifts.

“Defections, despite their short-term shock effect, tend to be driven by private desires and personality clashes rather than by the determination to fulfil the legitimate expectations of the people from whom they expect electoral votes and money. The notorious defection of an AFC parliamentarian who voted with the PPPC Opposition in the National Assembly in December 2018, however, was extremely damaging. It not only triggered the collapse of the government and precipitated fresh elections in the short-term but also fomented the lingering, long-term distrust between the parties to this day,” Granger said.

Still, he acknowledged that the resignation of the three young female coalition MPs is a matter that must not be ignored. “The…opposition parties need to address, not dismiss, the internal ‘push factors’ that triggered their decisions. Desertions are always likely to occur in Guyanese politics and, though undesirable, should not be unexpected. Elections are not won by splendid defections, however notorious and well-timed. Equally, they do cause uneasiness in the wider electorate, especially among women voters. It would be a serious error to discount the possibility of the ‘copycat’ effect of the departures. Guyanese have endured turbulent weeks but more shocking events are likely to occur over the next ten long weeks ahead until E-Day,” Granger said.

Granger also took note of leaders from several smaller parties switching allegiance to the governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP), suggesting that their exits have left their voter bases without representation. At the same time, he pointed out that new parties—such as the Assembly for Liberty and Prosperity (ALP), Forward Guyana (FG), The People’s Movement (TPM), and We Invest in Guyana (WIN)—have emerged to fill that vacuum. “Small parties can play a role in offering voters a wider menu of choices and their collapse is regrettable,” the former leader said.

Reflecting on recent developments, Granger acknowledged the damage done, but insisted that the party’s foundation remains intact. Granger said the events of the past week have been damaging, but not destructive. Noting that “…a week is a long time in politics,” he said it is likely that the chaotic events over the past week may have altered affiliations and allegiances and may be repeated. He urged Guyanese citizens—especially young and first-time voters—not to be swayed by rhetoric and empty promises.

“They have an opportunity to bury the ‘winner-takes-all’ practice that has been smothering their neighbourhoods, villages and households and demand inclusionary solutions to their problems. It is said that ‘all politics is local’ and, in essence, the act of voting for parties, even small parties, indicates that constituencies want to be involved in making decisions that affect their well-being,” the former president said.

Granger concluded by emphasising the importance of voter participation and the need for voters to support candidates and parties with a track record of delivering for their communities. He noted that voter turnout also sends a signal to the big parties to compete for their support with a promise to protect their livelihoods in local matters such as safety, sanitation, social cohesion, sports, schooling, flooding and fires. Voters should strengthen the solidarity of their constituencies and support candidates who they know and think that they can trust, Granger said, adding that they should vote for parties which have a record or reputation for supporting their constituencies.

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• APNU, David Granger, defections, Elections, PNCR, resignations

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