Amanza Walton-Desir resigns from PNCR

Last Updated on Wednesday, 18 June 2025, 21:53 by Writer

Ms Amanza Walton-Desir on Wednesday resigned from the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), party General Secretary Sherwin Benjamin confirmed.

He said her resignation was dispatched to party leader Aubrey Norton.

Ms Walton-Desir declined an effort to contact her, but Mr Benjamin said she stated “explicitly” that she would not be joining Azruddin Mohamed who has declared his intention to contest the September 1 general and regional elections.

Sources indicate that she might be leaning closer to the Alliance For Change.

Ms Walton-Desir, the Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister, also resigned from the National Assembly, second to Ms Geeta Chandan-Edmond who has openly endorsed President Irfaan Ali and the People’s Progressive Party Civic for re-election.

Prior to her resignation, Ms Walton-Desir had rarely appeared at opposition press conferences. She was seldom also seen in Norton-led delegations that met with the diplomatic community.

Ms Walton-Desir recently met by herself with top western diplomats.

She had also publicly expressed concerns about the transparency of the PNCR’s internal elections and she eventually dropped out of the leadership race against Mr Norton.

She also has a one-man public relations assistant and appeared frequently on her own radio and social media programmes.

A lawyer by profession, Ms Walton-Desir had worked for many years with the People’s Progressive Party Civic-led administration and specialised in aviation matters.

The PNCR has been hit by several defections to the PPPC. They include Ms Chandan-Edmond, Region Four Chairman Daniel Seeram, Region Four Vice Chairman Samuel Sandy and former Executive Member, James Bond.

Former PNCR executive member, Thandi McAllister was one of the early departures from that party after the 2020 general and regional elections

Mr Norton has repeatedly downplayed the impact of such resignations on his party’s chances at the upcoming polls, but has said that every effort would be made to ensure the PNCR is not faced with such a situation again by ensuring committed persons are candidates.