In a moment that shocked both party insiders and the viewing public, longtime executive member of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Mervyn Williams, announced his resignation from the party live on Nation Watch, the PNC’s flagship broadcast programme, on Sunday morning.
The announcement came at the conclusion of an interview with businessman and incoming A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) parliamentarian Dr. Terrence Campbell. As host of Nation Watch for several years, Williams used the platform’s closing moments to drop the bombshell, thanking the party for its years of support but declaring, “I’ve reached the point in the road where I must say goodbye.”
Williams, a former parliamentarian and longstanding member of the PNC, is widely known for his steadfast advocacy on behalf of Guyana’s Indigenous peoples. He has championed Indigenous rights, land security, and equitable development for hinterland communities, consistently pushing for the inclusion of Indigenous voices in national decision-making. His work as a policy advisor and activist has earned him respect across both political and Indigenous circles.
At the last PNCR Congress, Williams secured the second-highest number of votes among executive candidates—a sign of the confidence the party’s base reposed in him. However, during his live resignation, he revealed that he had contemplated stepping away before the September 1 General and Regional Elections but delayed the decision out of loyalty to the party. He cited unnamed “unfortunate occurrences” both before and after election day as the final push behind his departure.
“It was a difficult decision,” Williams said. “But the circumstances dictate that I take this decision… I had a good run.”
While Williams offered no further details on the internal matters that prompted his resignation, his exit adds to the turbulence facing the PNCR in the aftermath of its worst electoral defeat in the party’s 67-year history.
While Williams has promised to continue advocating for the people of Guyana outside the PNC, his departure marks more than the end of a political career—it symbolises the crisis of confidence gripping one of Guyana’s two major political forces.
His resignation also adds to internal turmoil within the party, where calls have been mounting for party leader Aubrey Norton to step down in light of the devastating electoral defeat.
