The opposition is imploding before the nation as the clock ticks down to Guyana’s 2025 General and Regional Elections. The Alliance for Change (AFC), A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), and the newly formed Forward Guyana movement, led by Amanza Walton-Desir, have become symbols not of unity, leadership, or vision, but of selfish ambition, betrayal, and chaos.
With defections, secret backdoor deals, misleading public statements, and internal backstabbing, it is clear that the opposition is entirely unfit to lead a country undergoing unprecedented growth and development under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).
The Collapse of Coalition Politics
The AFC and APNU have spent months engaged in a tug-of-war over who deserves what, resembling schoolchildren fighting over lunch money rather than leaders focused on national development. The AFC began by demanding a 65% share of seats — an outrageous request given their rapidly declining relevance in the national political landscape. Even after lowering it to a more “realistic” 35%, APNU refused to agree. This refusal, however, had less to do with principle and more to do with sheer arrogance and the delusion that they possess electoral weight they clearly do not.
The AFC, holding on to whatever scraps of influence it still possesses, tried to negotiate terms that would at least maintain a shred of independence, the ability to nominate the Prime Ministerial candidate and the Speaker. However, even though that was too much for Norton’s camp, which seeks total control, neither unity, nor consensus, nor leadership, but dominance, it is precisely this tribal approach to politics that has weakened the opposition from within.
What is most laughable is that while AFC leader Nigel Hughes continues to speak of being “independent,” the party has essentially dissolved under his watch. Three sitting Members of Parliament—Juretha Fernandes, Sherod Duncan, and Ricky Ramsaroop—have openly joined the PNC list without even the courtesy of formal resignations. They have betrayed the very party that provided them with their political identities. And Hughes, ever the optimist, claims he’s “hoping” they send in their resignation letters. Hope, however, is not a political strategy.
APNU’s House of Cards
Meanwhile, Aubrey Norton’s PNC is far from a model of stability. The exodus of senior party members, including Amanza Walton-Desir and others like Geeta Chandan-Edmonds and Daniel Seeram—who resigned and switched to the PPP—speaks volumes. These actions do not indicate a party on the rise but rather one in terminal decline.
Walton-Desir’s dramatic and emotional resignation press conference was revealing. Despite the PNC’s claim that she was offered a parliamentary seat and leadership roles for the campaign, she insisted that her voice was “silenced” and “undervalued.” This situation is not just internal discontent—it’s a leadership crisis. Norton’s fixation on retaining the presidential candidacy, even as his party loses support, demonstrates that the PNC is no longer a political movement. It has turned into a personal fiefdom.
Norton’s attempt to reframe every defection as a strength—claiming that the party becomes stronger during internal turmoil—is a laughable display of delusion. Political hemorrhaging does not strengthen a party; it exposes its fatal weaknesses. If anything, the PNC is now relying on poaching candidates from the AFC instead of inspiring support from the public. Aubrey Norton is focused on his 29.1% of Afro Guyanese to become the President of Guyana, thus ignoring the over 70% majority in the country. Norton needs to take a course in mathematics.
Amanza Walton-Desir: A New Party Built on Old Failures
Let’s be clear: Forward Guyana is not a breath of fresh air. It is a last-ditch vanity project by a disillusioned politician trying to salvage her public career. Walton Desir’s decision to launch a new party is less about principle and more about personal relevance. Her resignation letter may be filled with poetic regret, but her political motives are evident. She wasn’t guaranteed a seat in Parliament and walked away—not because she wasn’t valued, but because she wasn’t promised power.
Even before launching a manifesto, Forward Guyana already shows signs of being another weak offshoot with little political influence. Walton-Desir says she’s “open to collaboration,” but she refuses to clearly state with whom she is open to collaborating. She distances herself from controversial figures like Azruddin Mohamed while keeping the door open. What values, principles, or policies guide her movement? The answer is simple: none. Just opportunism and vague promises.
The presence of former Granger-era officials like Ronald Bulkan and media figures such as Mark Archer at her press conference suggests that Forward Guyana is simply a repackaged version of the same failed coalition politics that voters rejected in 2020. The only thing “forward” about it is the name.
The PPP: Delivering Progress While the Opposition Implodes
The PPP governs while the opposition disputes seats, launches attacks, and engages in betrayals. Under President Dr. Irfaan Ali, Prime Minister Mark Phillips, and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, Guyana has made unprecedented progress—economically, socially, and diplomatically. The government has initiated large-scale infrastructure development, expanded access to healthcare and education, invested in job creation, and maintained stable international relations.
In contrast, what has the opposition achieved? Nothing but weaken itself. The public is watching. Voters see that the opposition can’t agree on who should lead them into the elections. How can they manage a nation if they can’t manage their parties?
And what about their “vision”? There is none. Hughes offers soundbites, Walton-Desir makes emotional appeals, and Norton enforces authoritarian control. None of them provide policies, demonstrate leadership, or inspire hope.
Final Thoughts: The Opposition is a Danger to Stability
Guyana cannot afford to rely on political experiments, fractured alliances, or opportunistic vanity projects for its future. The upcoming elections are not merely about choosing representatives; they represent a choice for stability, progress, and maturity.
The AFC is already fractured beyond repair. The PNC is led by a leader focused on internal power rather than national unity. Forward Guyana appears to be a political balloon inflated by media hype but lacking real substance. These entities are not contenders for national leadership; rather, they are symptoms of a broken and outdated political model.
The PPP will head to the polls in September with a track record that speaks for itself, and a leadership team united behind a common goal: building a prosperous Guyana for everyone. In contrast, the opposition is fragmented, lacks direction, and is driven by egos.
As September 1 approaches, the people of Guyana must choose between genuine leadership and political theater, effective governance and divided ambitions, and progress and turmoil.
The PPP is ready and prepared, but the opposition is not.