Leader of the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), Amanza Walton-Desir, has declared she will not be intimidated after receiving a threatening WhatsApp message, even as tensions rise within her coalition.
Speaking during a live Facebook broadcast on Wednesday, Walton-Desir read the message aloud to her viewers: “I am giving you one last chance to reconcile with the V-PAC movement or else.”
She described the message as a clear crossing of the line and said she could not remain silent.
“I will not be intimidated,” she stated firmly. “I do not take threats lightly. That is the last bit of grace that I will offer him.”
Although she did not name the sender, Walton-Desir said the threat made it necessary to go public.
“I will always make every effort to reconcile private and internal business privately, but I will not tolerate threats,” she added.
Framing the incident as part of a wider issue, Walton-Desir spoke out against the ongoing abuse and intimidation faced by women in public life.
“We have women who are being murdered, abused, disrespected,” she said. “The level of disrespect that we as women have to tolerate in the life of the last assembly is unacceptable. You are not going to bully me.”
The comments come amid growing friction with the Vanguard for Progressive and Accountable Change (VPAC), one of FGM’s coalition partners. In a sharply worded statement issued on Facebook, VPAC accused Walton-Desir of dishonesty and betrayal, alleging that she broke a power-sharing agreement over the coalition’s sole parliamentary seat.
According to VPAC, the agreement between itself, FGM, and The People’s Movement (TPM) provided for equal rotation of the seat. However, it claims Walton-Desir kept 60% of the term for herself, allocated 40% to TPM leader Nigel London, and excluded VPAC entirely.
The group further accused Walton-Desir and London of failing to condemn a racist public remark when urged to do so. VPAC dismissed her broadcast as an attempt to deflect criticism. “No threats were ever made,” VPAC said in its statement. “She has been exposed for her bullying, her dishonesty, her opportunism, and her betrayal.”
The party also accused Walton-Desir of weaponising her gender to evade legitimate criticism:
“She used victimhood to mask failures of leadership,” it stated, while insisting that the parliamentary seat belongs equally to all coalition members.
In contrast, The People’s Movement (TPM) issued a separate statement voicing full support for Walton-Desir and the FGM. TPM Chairman Theodore A. Adams rejected what he described as “bullying tactics” and called for dialogue and mutual respect within the coalition. He reaffirmed TPM’s commitment to “inclusivity, accountability, and collaboration.”
Walton-Desir, a former Member of Parliament with the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), resigned from the People’s National Congress (PNC)—the coalition’s major party—in June to form the Forward Guyana Movement. Ahead of the 2025 General and Regional Elections, FGM entered into a coalition with VPAC and TPM, securing a historic seat in the National Assembly, making Walton-Desir the first woman in Guyana to found a political party and win parliamentary representation.
The coalition was founded on a shared agreement titled the ‘Statement of Principles,’ signed by Walton-Desir, London, and VPAC leader Dorwain Bess. The document outlines a bold and comprehensive vision for a new era of Guyanese politics, grounded in courage, conscience, and collective will. The alliance declared itself a “people-powered alternative to the status quo,” committed to confronting systemic failures such as poverty, corruption, and exclusion.
The coalition’s founding document rejects racism, violence, and tribal politics, while advocating for transparency, good governance, and institutional reform. “Forward Guyana Movement is not just a name—it’s a direction,” the declaration states.
Looking ahead, Walton-Desir said preparations for the 13th Parliament would continue.
“This next Parliament is going to be exceedingly important,” she said. “We have five years before us that are going to be very, very important. We need all of our strength and focus.”
She also pledged continued public engagement and committed to further broadcasts to address public concerns.
