Georgetown, Guyana — A New and United Guyana (ANUG) has lost two of its most well-known founding members in the wake of its announcement to contest upcoming elections in partnership with the lesser-known WIN Party.
Attorney-at-law Timothy Jonas confirmed his departure from the party on Friday, saying, “This serves to inform that today I resigned as a member of A New and United Guyana.” Jonas has long been considered one of the party’s public faces, known for his outspoken advocacy for constitutional reform and political accountability.
The announcement came just hours after another founding member, veteran politician and former Speaker of the National Assembly Ralph Ramkarran, also indicated that he was cutting ties with ANUG. While Ramkarran noted he had not been active in the party for some time, he felt it necessary to make his resignation official. “As you know I have not been active in ANUG for about five years now and I have paid no membership dues. I am therefore unclear of my status. In the event that I still remain on the books as a member, I hereby formally tender my resignation,” he said.
The resignations have stirred questions about the future and direction of ANUG, a party that emerged ahead of the 2020 general elections with the aim of disrupting Guyana’s entrenched two-party system. Its formation was hailed at the time as a serious attempt to offer a multi-ethnic, issues-based alternative to the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).
The decision to align with the WIN Party, a relatively new and low-profile political group, has raised eyebrows among political observers and supporters alike. ANUG has yet to explain the rationale behind the alliance in detail, but the backlash underscores ongoing challenges for third-party movements in Guyana’s polarized political landscape.
Both Jonas and Ramkarran have played significant roles in shaping political discourse in Guyana over the years. Their exits mark a notable shift in ANUG’s identity and raise doubts about its ability to maintain its initial vision of unity and reform without its key architects.
At the time of reporting, the party had not issued any public statement on the resignations or the future of the alliance with WIN.
