GEORGETOWN, Guyana – June 11, 2025 — Former Vice President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock, has publicly endorsed President Dr Irfaan Ali for a second term, calling for national unity and stability as Guyana continues its path of development.
Allicock, a respected Indigenous leader from the North Rupununi in Region Nine, made the announcement following consultations with colleagues and residents across the country, particularly in the hinterland communities he has long represented.
“I believe that with another term, President Ali can take Guyana even further,” Allicock said in an interview with the News Room on Wednesday. “What I would love to see is the unification of this country to benefit from what Guyana has to offer.”
His endorsement is notable not only because of his former leadership role in the APNU+AFC administration, but also because he remains a senior figure in the Guyana Action Party (GAP), a smaller party aligned with the APNU coalition. In recent months, internal tensions have surfaced within the broader opposition alliance, including the PNC and the AFC, which Allicock acknowledged with concern.
“There’s too much fighting within,” he said, describing the ongoing power struggles in the opposition camp. “It’s distracting from what the country needs.”
Allicock served as Vice President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs from 2015 to 2020, a period during which he advocated for the rights and development of Indigenous communities. His shift in support signals growing movement among some opposition figures toward the current administration, at a time when Guyana faces both the promise of rapid economic growth and the challenge of ensuring that it is broadly shared.
By publicly backing the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and President Ali, Allicock joins a growing list of former opposition officials urging political cooperation and continuity of leadership.
“What matters most now,” he said, “is that all Guyanese feel the benefits of the country’s progress — not just a few.”
