McAllister cites low interest in youths, poor leadership for PNC/R exit

In her withdrawal from the People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) effective June 15, 2021, former party member Thandi McAllister explained that she did so because she felt the party’s leadership was not prioritizing the future of Guyanese youths or the development of the nation in general.

In a candid letter, McAllister, who had been part of the PNC/R for over 25 years, called it quits.

“After very careful and agonizing consideration, I concluded that the present direction of the leadership is ill-suited to the fulfilment of the aspirations of young people in Guyana, the enhancement of the party’s supporters, and the advancement of the nation,” she stated, adding:

“In this connection, I can no longer accompany a process that, in my view, has departed from serving the interests of the many who reposed faith in the PNC/R to champion their causes, and to offer constructive pathways for the development of our beloved Guyana.”

The McAllister family line is known for its association with the PNC/R. From the age of 12 in 1994, McAllister began participating in PNC-related activities but had to wait until she was14 years old to become an official member.

She started out by joining the youth arm of the PNC/R, the Guyana Youth and Students Movement (GYSM) in Uitvlugt on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD). There, she served as the Treasurer then, at 15, she served as the Regional Assistant Secretary/Treasurer of the GYSM in Region Three. By age 25, she became the Junior-Vice Chairperson and later the National Chairperson of the GYSM.

McAllister had also served as the representative of the Central Executive Committee of the PNC/R group in Region Three. McAllister is also a maritime attorney-at-law, who graduated as valedictorian of the International Maritime Administration’s (IMO) International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI).