People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) member and parliamentarian Annette Ferguson slammed the so-called endorsements of the PPP/C by former Party members, declaring that such betrayals will never erase the blatant abuses and failures of the government over the past five years. She demanded sharply, “the public deserves to know why these individuals, who once criticized the PPP/C, now stand in support of it.”
Ferguson made these remarks in response to a letter from Randy Persaud, who attempted to discredit her argument. She reminded him that “all information attributed to me is thoroughly researched and factually grounded prior to publication.”
Among those who have expressed support for President Ali or the PPP are Daniel Seeram, Chairman of the Demerara-Mahaica Regional Democratic Council; Samuel Sandy, Vice-Chairman of the same council; public servant and diplomat Dr. Richard Van-West Charles; attorney-at-law James Bond; and former PNCR Member of Parliament Geeta Chandan-Edmond.
While Seeram, Sandy, and Chandan-Edmond offered justifications for their actions, many criticized their reasoning. Retired Lt. Colonel Lelon Saul pointed out that Chandan-Edmond, Seeram, and Sandy were elected under the APNU+AFC coalition through Guyana’s proportional representation system.
Saul highlighted the trust inherent in this system, explaining, “Voters cast their ballots for a party list and its stated principles, placing their faith in the elected representatives to uphold the mandate given to that coalition.”
He views their defection not as a personal choice but as a direct breach of the trust placed in them by thousands of citizens who voted for the APNU+AFC coalition.
“This act is a betrayal of the highest order,” Saul said. “It disregards the explicit will of the electorate, who chose representation based on the coalition’s platform and values, not the individual ambitions of these members. Their departure fundamentally undermines the democratic contract inherent in proportional representation.”
Saul expressed his strongest condemnation of what he called the cynical abandonment of their mandate. “It erodes public trust in the political system, disrespects the democratic will of the people, and prioritizes personal advancement over principled representation,” he said.
He concluded by asserting that “the defectors have shown their true priorities lie not with the people, but with power and privilege.”
