By Svetlana Marshall
Contending that her contributions were “undervalued” and her voice “silenced,” Opposition Member of Parliament, Amanza Walton-Desir, announced that she is ready to move forward with her own party, Forward Guyana.
The announcement of the new party came hours after her resignation from the People’s National Congress Reform.
Addressing a packed room at the Brandsville Hotel, Walton-Desir in an emotional address, said she had been sidelined by her party, and a recent meeting with the Leader of the PNCR, Aubrey Norton, confirmed that it was time for her to move on.
“There was not sufficient clarity for me on the way forward in the PNC/R as it is currently constituted. While I appreciated the opportunity to engage, it became clear that I cannot, in good conscience, remain where my contributions are undervalued and my voice is silenced. This decision has been an agonizing one, and arrived after much soul-searching, prayer, and the counsel of family and trusted friends,” Walton-Desir said.
She added that Guyanese should not see her departure from the PNCR as an act of betrayal. She said it is not about leaving, but rather about new ideas, new leadership and new energy.
“I respect those who have given years to this struggle– that matters, but leadership is not just about how long you’ve been around, it is about what you have done with the time. Guyanese are frustrated, not because of age, but because they do not feel connected. So, I am now stepping forward because I know can make a difference, and although it may be uncomfortable for me and some others, Guyana simply cannot wait; and Guyanese are out of patience with poverty in the midst of plenty,” she said.
Convinced she could help to unseat the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Walton-Desir said Forward Guyana intends to address poverty, the high cost of living, poor wages, underemployment, hunger, crime and security, and corruption among other issues plaguing the country.
“Our country is hurting. We are not blind. We see the inequities, the injustices, the fear, the erosion of trust, the stifling of voices, the breakdown of law and order, the madness on our roads. We see the suffering and slaughtering of our women, the snuffing out of the lives of our children- few things have laid this bare more painfully, than the death of Adriana Younge. Anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear knows that justice has never entered there, much less served. And we all know, deep down, we know that tinkering at the edges will not save us. Only bold, courageous change will,” Walton-Desir said.
She said too long Guyanese have had to choose primarily between the two major parties – the PPP/C and the PNCR. She said her party provides an opportunity for Guyanese to vote for real change.
“Forward Guyana is a bridge to a better future. A bridge built not of concrete, but of courage, conscience, and collective will. It is a bridge away from the politics of division, corruption, and favoritism, toward unity, integrity, and real results. Guided by core values like service over status, courage and conscience, and transparency, Forward Guyana is ready to help lead this nation across old divides and into a new era where leadership is about responsibility, not rank; about action, not rhetoric; and about putting country first and before party. The bridge is ready. The time to cross it– together- is now,” she said.
Forward Guyana, according to Walton-Desir, is opened to coalescing with other parties ahead of Nomination Day.
Though not ruling out the option of forming a joinder list, Walton-Desir said a coalition would be the better option, and she is open to negotiations.
However, she said a coalition with others must be grounded in principles, coherent policies, and a common vision for a just and inclusive Guyana.
Her party launch was attended by Opposition Member of Parliament Dawn Hastings-Williams, former Minister of Government under the David Granger Administration, Ronald Bulkan; former PNCR Executive Mark Archer, A New and United Guyana (ANUG) Leaders Dr Mark France and Kian Jabour, former City Mayor Ubraj Narine, V-PAC Leader Dorwain Bess, Businessman Terrence Campbell, and Chartered Accountant Nigel Hinds among others.
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