Amanza Walton-Desir Breaks Silence on Exit from PNCR and Launch of Forward Guyana Movement
By Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News
Georgetown, Guyana — In her first in-depth remarks since resigning from the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and the APNU coalition, attorney and presidential hopeful Amanza Walton-Desir opened up about her departure and the launch of her new political outfit, the Forward Guyana Movement.
During a televised sit-down on Sunday night, Walton-Desir reflected on the country’s long-standing political model and what she described as a cycle of “winner-takes-all politics” that has hampered Guyana’s development for the past six decades.
“We’ve been strapped with a winner-takes-all system for over 60 years,” she said. “It’s time to break that cycle.”
Forward Guyana Opts Out of Regions 7, 8, and 9
Though barely a month old, the Forward Guyana Movement has already qualified to contest the September 1 General Elections in all 10 administrative regions, though the party will not be contesting regional seats in Regions 7, 8, and 9.
Walton-Desir acknowledged the limitations of being a new, smaller party in a polarized political space but maintained that their participation is about laying a foundation for long-term democratic reform.
Fear and Intimidation on the Ground
She also raised concerns about what she called a climate of fear and political intimidation, especially for newcomers challenging the two dominant parties.
“One of our female candidates, a businesswoman, lost a client simply because her photo appeared on our platform,” she revealed. “This fear of victimization is real.”
Walton-Desir accused the incumbent PPP/C administration of exacerbating the situation, citing leaked correspondence and WhatsApp messages allegedly discouraging support for her party and its allies.
Coalition with VPAC and the People’s Movement
The Forward Guyana Movement has since coalesced with two other emerging groups—the Vigilant Political Action Committee (VPAC) and The People’s Movement. Walton-Desir said the merger was driven by shared values and mutual respect among the parties’ leaders.
“You can’t do this alone,” she stated. “What united us was far greater than what divided us.”
Former educator Nigel London will serve as the alliance’s prime ministerial candidate, and Darwin Bess of VPAC rounds out the leadership trio.
Acrimonious Exit from the PNCR
Walton-Desir’s departure from the PNCR came after a very public fallout with the party’s current leader Aubrey Norton. Tensions reached a boiling point when she withdrew from the party’s internal leadership race just two days before its Congress, citing a lack of transparency in the electoral process.
“The trust between myself and the PNCR leadership broke down irreparably,” she said.
Now on a new political path, Walton-Desir says her movement seeks to give voice to Guyanese who feel sidelined by traditional politics and offer real change in both policy and political culture.
