The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), the largest party in the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change Coalition (APNU+AFC) opposition coalition, is facing a deepening political crisis as another high-profile resignation rocks the party. On Saturday, Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira submitted his resignation from both the PNCR and the National Assembly, sending shockwaves through a party already grappling with internal unrest.
Figueira, a longstanding Region 10 representative and one of the PNCR’s most visible Linden-based politicians, offered no explanation for his sudden departure. His terse resignation letter, addressed to PNCR Leader and Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton, was void of detail—but in the context of mounting defections and dissatisfaction, the silence was deafening.
His resignation is not an isolated event but part of a troubling and accelerating trend that paints a troubling picture. In recent months, the PNCR has seen the exit of several prominent figures:
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Amanza Walton-Desir, Member of Parliament (MP), broke away to form the Forward Guyana Movement, presenting herself as a reformist alternative.
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Geeta Chandan-Edmond, former General Secretary and MP, crossed the floor to join the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).
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Daniel Seeram, Chairman of Region 4’s RDC, also left citing disillusionment and joined the PPP/C.
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Samuel Sandy, Vice Chairman of Region Four RDC, exited under similar terms and followed suit to the PPP/C.
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Natasha Singh-Lewis, resigned from both the party and her parliamentary seat.
Figueira’s departure is particularly damaging. Region 10 has long been considered a PNCR stronghold, and his exit significantly undermines the party’s influence in its traditional base.
Meanwhile, further disarray looms within the wider opposition. Over in the Alliance For Change (AFC), three MPs—Juretha Fernandes, Deonarine Ramsaroop, and Sherod Duncan—defied their party by aligning with APNU. While they didn’t resign from the AFC, the party swiftly moved to terminate their membership. The trio responded with threats of legal action unless reinstated, deepening tensions in the coalition.
With General and Regional elections drawing near, the opposition finds itself fragmented, disoriented, and losing touch with a disillusioned electorate. What was once a dominant political force now finds itself in a spiral of internal dissent, crumbling morale, and an escalating crisis of leadership and legitimacy. Unless the Opposition urgently confronts the growing fractures within its ranks, it risks sliding into political irrelevance at a time when the country needs robust, credible opposition more than ever.
