Former President and longstanding leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), David Granger, has described the recent wave of resignations from the party as “damaging, but not destructive.”
In an interview with Kaieteur News, Granger said he has no intention of walking away. “I shall never walk away from the hardworking members, especially the women and young people,” he stated. “There is no variableness, neither shadow of turning in my support for the People’s National Congress.”
His remarks come in the wake of three female MPs parting ways with the party: Geeta Chandan-Edmond, Amanza Walton-Desir, and Natasha Singh-Lewis. Each played a visible role in Parliament and had been seen as part of the PNCR’s next generation of leadership.
The resignations did not stop there. At the regional level, the PNCR lost its Region Four Vice Chairman, Daniel Seeram, as well as Daniel Sandy—another regional figure aligned with the party. Both men have since declared support for the governing People’s Progressive Party as it seeks re-election in September.
Granger described the series of resignations as “damaging, but not destructive.” He acknowledged that such departures can leave a mark, especially when they involve young leaders and women, but insisted they do not break the party.
He suggested that the recent exits were less about ideology and more about individual ambition. “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,” he said.
Still, Granger stressed that the internal issues prompting these resignations must be confronted. “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.”
He warned that such moments can trigger a ripple effect. “It would be a serious error to discount the possibility of the ‘copycat’ effect of the departures,” he said, adding that defections may not win elections, “however notorious and well-timed,” but they do affect the morale of the electorate—particularly women voters.
As the countdown to the September 1 polls continues, Granger cautioned that more surprises could be in store. “Guyanese have endured turbulent weeks,” he said, “but more shocking events are likely to occur over the next ten long weeks ahead until E-Day.”
