– will work towards building a new political movement
Less than a year after it was formed, Change Guyana (CG) – one of the new political parties that contested the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections – has announced its dissolution.
Change Guyana Chairman Nigel Hinds and Presidential Candidate Robert Badal at the party’s launch back in October 2019
This was indicated in a joint statement from several of the Executive Members on Sunday. The missive was signed by the party’s Chairman, Nigel Hinds; Prime Ministerial Candidate, Attorney-at-Law Mishka Puran; Vice Chairman, Ramesh Ramoutar; and Executive Members, Everton Morris, and Ryan Dey.
“In this August month of 2020, the month where we have had a democratic transition, the majority leadership of Change Guyana who have signed [the statement], made the decision that the dissolution of Change Guyana as a political party is in the best interest of our members and supporters,” the party said.
Notably, however, businessman Robert Badal, who was one of the Executive Members as well as the party’s Presidential Candidate at the March 2 elections, was not a signatory on the document.
Prime Ministerial Candidate Mishka Puran
Nevertheless, the missive further stated that Change Guyana has achieved outsized accomplishments in pre and post-March 2020 General and Regional Elections of Guyana.
Launched only months before elections on October 29, 2019, the party had secured 1953 votes at the March 2 polls.
“It is with much gratitude that we say thank you to all our members and supporters here in Guyana and in the diaspora. Of the six new parties that contested in Guyana’s March 2020 elections, Change Guyana received the second most votes in the Regional Elections and third most votes in the General Elections. The results stand as testimony to our courageous outreach efforts across Guyana and the need for implementation of the socio-economic policies set out in our manifesto.”
According to the five Executives, the unique and outstanding contributions made by the party over its ten months of existence – set out core economic and social policies that speak to the socio-economic needs of Guyana, by outlining policies for massive poverty alleviation, focused job creation, inclusive economic development, restructuring of a burdensome tax system and servant leadership.
Moreover, they pointed to Change Guyana’s role in ensuring democracy prevailed during the post-election period when the country was embroiled in a political impasse for five months before the protracted electoral process finally came to an end earlier this month.
“Our uncompromising and courageous conduct expressed in our writings and actions to ensure a democratic transition based on the majority votes resulting from Guyana’s March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections, was second to none.”
Nevertheless, even with the announcement of Change Guyana of its dissolution, the Executive Members have indicated their intention to continue in the political arena.
“The former leaders and members of Change Guyana can now work independently or collectively towards building a new political movement or political party or pursue their goals afresh, while always being appreciative of those individuals who supported and continue to seek a change in the political culture of Guyana.”
The members further outlined that the focus of Guyanese in leadership positions must be to significantly reduce poverty across Guyana and practice inclusivity and diversity in governance and employment at the Private Sector and public sector levels. This, the five Executive Members contended, must be our continuous pursuit.
Upon its formation, Change Guyana had described itself as “A new and bright political party on a mission to ignite economic and social development for the benefit of all Guyanese.”
Meanwhile, its Facebook page says, “Our focus is the economic transformation and social development of Guyanese by harnessing the entrepreneurial energies of the private sector and the guardianship of civil society. We promise a lean, clean, open, transparent and accountable Government.”
Initially, Hinds was named as the party’s Prime Ministerial Candidate to run alongside Badal, who owns the Pegasus Hotel and Guyana Stockfeeds Limited. However, he had to drop out the race due to his dual citizenship status.
Article 155 (1) of the Constitution of Guyana states, “No person shall be qualified for election as a member of the National Assembly who (a) is, by virtue of his own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or State.”
Nevertheless, days after being sworn into office, President Irfaan Ali had named Hinds, a Certified Public Accountant, as part of a four-member special technical team to conduct a “rapid financial and management review” of a number of key State agencies.
