PNC must act to stem the exodus of members – Greenidge

While the departure of senior People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) members hasn’t reached heart failure inducing status, it is a matter that must be addressed by the PNC/R leadership. This is according to elder statesman in the party and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge.

Sharing his views with another section of the media, Greenidge noted that cross overs have been present in Guyana’s political culture since the 1960’s and 1970’s. According to him, however, PNC/R should not take these latest crossovers lightly.
“Back then, we had a first-past the post system that tolerated that because MPs (Member of Parliament) were elected by constituency and not as part of a slate with persons who may not even have been known to voters. It did not have quite the same implications that go with proportional representation.”
“Politics is not an easy or comfortable passion. It is not about sameness. It is about fighting for change and how to trigger and handle change. It concerns how to handle failure. It concerns trying, even in the face of lack of success,” Greenidge said.
Meanwhile, the former Minister-turned Guyana’s agent at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) also warned that politicians must remember the electorate and fellow citizens in all their actions. According to him, there can be various motives for persons crossing the floor.
“For many of us it is about striving to give those Professor Clive Thomas referred to as, ‘the poor and powerless’ the opportunity to better invest in and to be better involved in the development and management of the country.”
“They would not be happy with those who cut and run at the first hurdle or those who see politics as the business of filling politicians’ pockets, let alone doing so at the first opportunity. Clearly, that motive drives some people who cross the floor,” he said.
During his Independence Day speech last month, President Dr Irfaan Ali had announced that the official date for the 2025 General and Regional Elections will be September 1, 2025. He had noted that he reached this decision following consultation with the GECOM Chairperson, on the agency’s readiness.
Following the announcement, several opposition figures have declared their support for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C). These include The Citizenship Initiative (TCI) founder Shazam Ally; Chairman of Region Four, Daniel Seeram; A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament, Geeta Chandan-Edmond; former PNC/R executive, Dr Richard Van West-Charles; and former Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs and Vice-President under the coalition Government, Sydney Allicock.
Even before then, however, the PNC/R had been bleeding members. As a matter of fact, several prominent members of the PNC/R have resigned from the party since 2020. In 2021, Thandi McAllister, a longstanding member and Central Executive Committee (CEC) member, resigned.
McAllister, who in addition to former PNC/R Parliamentarian and Attorney-at-Law James Bond have since joined the PPP/C platform, had cited that the leadership’s direction was not aligned with the aspirations of young people, party supporters, and national development.
Since her departure, other members also resigned, including former PNC/R Treasurer Faaiz Mursaline and former General Secretary Dawn Hastings-Williams. Additionally, the late Amna Ally, who was a former General Secretary and Minister for the Opposition party, also resigned earlier this year.
At the time she had resigned, Ally had been scathingly critical of Opposition and PNC/R leader Aubrey Norton and his lack of leadership abilities… a criticism that was further compounded when Norton was a no show at her funeral a few weeks ago. In March 2025, General Secretary of the PPP/C, Vice President (VP) Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, had refuted claims made by Norton that resignations from the PNC/R had resulted from bribery done by the ruling party.
Jagdeo had argued that those leaving the PNC/R have made independent assessments of the party’s leadership and future, rather than being influenced by financial incentives. According to the VP, Norton’s misrepresentation of these departures showed how “divorced from reality” he was, especially because of the PNC’s limited engagement with people, and its poor policy formulation.