PNCR-APNU knew of recent planned defections before- Mahipaul

Last Updated on Friday, 15 May 2026, 16:16 by Denis Chabrol

The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR)-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) on Friday said it was aware of plans by five of the seven persons to defect to the ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC).

“The party, in terms of being caught by surprise: No because when you look at the postings on Social Media, when you look at the way in which there was 180 (degrees) in terms of their postings, their positions, their posture and so on; I don’t think it came as a surprise,” PNCR Executive member, Ganesh Mahipaul also told a news conference.

Mr Mahipaul said, in response to queries from other persons, why no action was taken against them, he suggested that the evidence was weak. “You can’t act on merely what you see and it is not the desire of the party to lose anyone,” he said.

Knowledge of their plans to part ways with the PNCR/APNU is almost identical to being aware that then APNU+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government parliamentarian, Charrandass Persaud was likely to vote in favour of the PPPC-sponsored no-confidence motion in December 2018. Information to that effect had also been circulating in sections of the public shortly after the 2015 general and regional elections.

Although two PNCR General Secretaries– Geeta Chandan-Edmond and Dawn Hastings– and Chairman Shurwayne Holder have defected to the PPPC and We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) within the past five years, Mr Mahipaul downplayed their impact on access to his party’s confidential information. “They’re not exposed to any of our internal decisions. They’re not exposed to any of our strategy and those kinds of things so they don’t affect us in terms of continuing to move forward positively for the development of APNU,” he said. He also clarified that none of the recent defectors was near areas of responsibility for APNU’s continued work.

The recent defectors are former members of parliament Rickly Ramsaroop, Shurwayne Holder and Dinesh Jaiprashad, along with current regional councillors Ravoldo Birbal, Sheik Yaseen, Prince Holder and Gangadai Lloyd. There is no recall legislation for Regional Councillors although they have crossed the floor.

Mr Mahipaul said persons leaving the PNCR-APNU might have been motivated by the multi-million dollar contracts. He said loyalty, commitment and dedication were desirable qualities and he praised those for doing so.

Citing the recent sign-up of 397 new members despite fears of alleged PPPC victimisation, he said since the 2025 general and regional elections had embarked on a campaign to “improve its presence” across Guyana and remain relevant to the society.

Norton’s Future

Asked to respond to views by ordinary people that due to the state of the PNCR, its leader Aubrey Norton should leave office, Mr Mahipaul said that was a decision for Mr Norton and his family and party members at a congress.  He said non-members had no say on who should make up its leadership.  “Our political party does not work on what Jim Jones or Tom Jones want to say on the outside. We work based on structure and order,” he said.

“It is the people  who have that financial authority by way of their membership that that decision rests with; not those who are on the outside and doesn’t know how it works and want to tell us how it should work. You want to tell us how it should work, then come and join us,” he said.

Mr Mahipaul hoped that Mr Norton would not resign and leave the PNCR in limbo. Instead, he believed that he should remain in office to provide guidance and institutional knowledge even if he is no longer leader in the future. “You just can’t drop off the sky and come off the map and abandon your ship. What kind of a leader will you be should you just run away and leave the ship?,” he said.

Under Mr Norton’s leadership, the APNU has suffered its worst political defeat, relegating it to 12 of the 29 opposition seats in the 65-seat National Assembly. The political newcomer, We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), is now the main opposition party with 16 seats and Forward Guyana Movement with one seat