In a dramatic and emotionally charged announcement that is already creating ripples across Guyana, Amanza Walton-Desir, a prominent opposition Member of Parliament and senior figure in the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), has officially tendered her resignation from both the party and the National Assembly. She now steps boldly into a new role — founder of a political movement she is calling Forward Guyana.
“[Tuesday], I submitted a letter of resignation with immediate effect to the Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform, Mr. Aubrey Norton,” Walton-Desir revealed. “I have also written to the Representative of the List informing him of my resignation from the party.”
In an assertive and personal address, Walton-Desir spoke of “agonising” soul-searching, prayer, and deep reflection before making what she described as a difficult but necessary decision — one rooted not in betrayal but in principle.”
Soul-searching
“I cannot, in good conscience, remain where my contributions are undervalued and my voice is silenced,” she declared, citing a troubling pattern of being sidelined from campaign activities and critical meetings within her own portfolio. Walton-Desir was shadow minister of foreign affairs and international trade.
Her decision comes amidst growing discontent within the opposition and frustration among the electorate. Yet Walton-Desir was clear: this is not merely about departure — it is about creation.
“Sometimes, to step up, you must first step out. And so, I step forward out of deep responsibility to the people of this country and a conviction that something new is needed, something greater!”
That “something greater” is Forward Guyana — a movement she says is built not of concrete, but of “courage, conscience, and collective will.”
With unwavering clarity, Walton-Desir painted a picture of a nation in crisis and a political system in gridlock — one where the majority of Guyanese feel alienated, impoverished, and exhausted by a choice between two entrenched political giants.
“There is a fundamental problem in Guyana we can no longer ignore. For far too long, our politics has been reduced to a false choice… between the two dominant parties that do not necessarily thrive on performance, ideas, or vision.”
She did not mince words about the state of the nation, citing “poverty in the midst of plenty,” and condemning the “rampant corruption at every level in the midst of a booming oil industry.” With fiery conviction, she challenged both the Government and Opposition for failing to deliver meaningful change.
“The truth is, despite the presence of good people in the opposition, we may have not done enough over the last five years to effectively check the excesses of the PPP [People’s Progressive Party government].”
Addressing the recent national trauma, Walton-Desir referenced the heartbreaking death of Adrianna Younge, calling it a painful symbol of systemic failure:
“Anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear knows that justice has never entered there, much less served.”
At the heart of her message was a direct call to action to every Guyanese — especially the youth — to reclaim power through the ballot box.
“You are not required to vote based on the colour of your skin or the texture of your hair. You must vote for the vision you want to see. For the justice your generation demands.”
Forward Guyana, she insists, is not politics as usual. It is a movement for “the poor, the single mother, the frustrated youth, the undervalued teacher, nurse, doctor …the discouraged farmer and local businessman.”
“This is your moment,” she urged, “If you believe, as we do, that Guyana and Guyanese deserve more, then join us. Join us in building a movement not rooted in fear or personality, but in hope, honesty, and hard work.”
In a parting salvo aimed at cynics and skeptics alike, Walton-Desir acknowledged the doubts:
“Yes, we do this at great personal and financial risk… Because we believe the people of Guyana deserve more. They deserve a wider choice. A real choice.”
As Forward Guyana begins to take shape, all eyes will be on Walton-Desir to see whether her call for “bold, courageous change” can gain momentum in a political environment long dominated by party loyalty, ethnic division, and entrenched power structures.
“Forward Guyana is not just our name[;] it is our direction. And together, we can move this country forward, not by chance, but by choice,” the former parliamentarian proclaimed.
One thing is certain: the 2025 political landscape just shifted.
See full speech below:
Forward Guyana: A New Chapter Begins
Tuesday, I submitted a letter of resignation with immediate effect to the Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform, Mr. Aubrey Norton.
I have also written to the Representative of the list informing him of my resignation from the party.
After being repeatedly omitted from most campaign activities and key meetings within my designated portfolio, I sought and was granted a meeting with the Leader of the Opposition. My intention was to clarify what role, if any, I was expected to play in shaping the future of the PNCR.
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. The PNCR is the party in which my grandparents, my parents, aunts and uncles gave yeoman service. It is a party that helped shape my identity, my convictions, and my sense of duty to country. It has been the only political home I have known!
The doubts have been many, would my Guyanese brothers and sisters understand?
Would they see this as a betrayal rather than an act of conscience ?
Would my family’s legacy of service be misunderstood or worse, used against me by those who benefit from the status quo?
Would the critics dismiss this moment as ambition rather than principle?
But ultimately, I have come to see that this is not about leaving it is 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 uncomfortable for me and some others, Guyana simply cannot wait; and Guyanese are out of patience with poverty in the midst of plenty.
Poverty in terms of unnecessarily hard lives, from a high cost of living, poor wages, underemployment, hunger, unsafe public transportation, a lack of adequate public safety and rampant corruption at every level in the midst of a booming oil industry where the government early millions daily and Exxon billions every year.
Sometimes, to step up, you must first step out.
And so, I step forward out of deep responsibility to the people of this country and a conviction that something new is needed, something greater!
The truth is, despite the presence of good people in the opposition, we may have not done enough over the last five years to effectively check the excesses of the PPP. We must now bring vigorous and continuous representation of the hundreds of thousands of Guyanese who voted for us at the last general and regional elections and for the rest of the nation that may not have voted for us not but still expect and depend on a robust opposition to keep the government and ruling party in check.
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.
There is a fundamental problem in Guyana we can no longer ignore. For far too long, our politics has been reduced to a false choice…either-or…. between the two dominant parties that do not necessarily thrive on performance, ideas, or vision. This has stifled real progress and left too many Guyanese disillusioned, disenfranchised, and voiceless.
The Guyanese electorate is hungry for a change and the time has come for us to present to the Guyanese people a real alternative not necessarily one that begins with the illusion of a parliamentary majority, but one rooted in clarity and bold conviction. One that will fight everyday for the poor, the single mother, the frustrated youth, the undervalued teacher, nurse, doctor …the discouraged farmer and local businessmen…
It is for people like these that Forward Guyana was born. 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.
We understand that no one party or movement holds all the answers. That is why we
remain open to collaboration and coalescing but not for coalescing’s sake. Unity cannot be based on expedience. It must be grounded in shared principles, coherent policies, and a common vision for a just and inclusive Guyana. We are prepared to work with others who are serious about dismantling systems of corruption, inequality, and exclusion and who agree that collaboration must be rooted in clear commitments to justice, service, and the long-overdue transformation of our political culture. What we must have is a common purpose…. and a real agenda for change, and that is enough to build something new.
We know the doubts will come. “We’ve heard it all before.” “We’ve seen better try and fail.” “This will never work.” That kind of cynicism is real and it is understandable. But we must not let past disappointment become a prison. That is why the power of your vote matters. That is why Guyanese must exercise it as often and as wisely as they can. Because the vote is not just a ritual, it is your right to demand better, your tool to hold leaders accountable.
And if those you elect fail to deliver, then vote them out! You are not stuck. Change is not betrayal. It is your right and sometimes your duty. Yes, being afraid of change is human. But to surrender to that fear is to accept a cycle of disappointment, a holding pattern that gets us nowhere. This is the moment to break that pattern, to choose not the lesser of two evils, but the greater possibility.
And yes, we do this at great personal and financial risk, and we accept that. Because we believe the people of Guyana deserve more. They deserve a wider choice. A real choice. One where they can vote with their heads and hearts, not just with their memories.
For too long, our politics has been trapped in myth and memory: stories recycled, excuses repeated. We have heard every reason why this couldn’t work, why that must fail, how things must stay the same. But as a young woman, a mother, a lawyer, and someone who has worked inside the political structure, I have come to this conclusion: we have all come to this conclusion: that it cannot go on like this!
Too much suffering. Too much anxiety. Too little hope. When you ask how people feel about the future, the truth is, many feel they have none. What we’ve been left with are tales from the past and a few handouts – and that is not development.
Development is not about silencing problems or pushing people aside. It is not about personalities. Real development is rooted in values, in differences, in the harnessing of collective expertise. That is what we stand for. That is what we are committed to building.
Everyone seems to have an answer. But if that’s true, then why are so many still hungry? Why are our children still struggling to get to school? Why is healthcare, despite all the hospitals, still a source of fear and anxiety for so many?
The truth is, the essential structures …the foundations of equity ……simply are not there. There is no real guarantee of a good outcome for the average Guyanese. Not in education. Not in health. Not in food. And certainly not in justice.
When we talk about entrepreneurship and opportunity for young people, we must first confront the reality that too many of our citizens are living below the poverty line. Too many have been left behind.
But here is what is true: The future of this country belongs to you the people especially the young people. You are not bound to vote like your parents, grandparents or greatgrandparents. You are not required to vote based on the color of your skin or the texture of your hair.
You must vote for what you believe the dialogue in this country should sound like. You must vote for the vision you want to see. For the justice your generation demands.
Because the truth is that the people of Guyana are not asking for miracles they are asking for fairness. They are asking for leaders who see them, hear them, and fight for them. What is true is that we can no longer build a future on loyalty to the past. We must build it on courage, on honesty, and on a shared determination to do better – together.
So, we say to the people of Guyana: if you have ever felt unseen, unheard, underrepresented, this is your moment. If you have ever wondered whether politics can be different, this is your moment. If you believe, as we do, that Guyana and Guyanese deserve more, then join us.
Join us in building a movement not rooted in fear or personality, but in hope, honesty, and hard work. Forward Guyana is not just our name , it is our direction. And together, we can move this country forward, not by chance, but by choice.
May we all be strengthened by our respective faiths for the journey ahead.
Thank you.
