GUYANA - The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) has been dealt another blow following the resignation of longstanding member Shurwayne Holder as the party’s chairman.
It is unclear whether he will also resign from the party. Holder, a former Member of Parliament officially stepped down from his position on Monday. In an email addressed to PNCR leader Aubrey Norton, Holder wrote, “I hereby tender my resignation as Chairman of the People’s National Congress Reform with immediate effect. I would like to thank you as Party Leader, the Central Executive Committee, and the membership of the Party for the confidence reposed in me over the years. I wish you and the Party well in your efforts to rebuild and revitalise.”
When contacted by Kaieteur News for comment, Holder declined to go into detail about his reasons for resigning. He stated only that he has no political plans at the moment and intends to focus on his family and personal development. Holder previously served as a PNCR Member of Parliament from 2020 and played a central role in the APNU+AFC campaign, particularly on the Essequibo Coast and across Region Two, where he also served as the lead party representative. However, he was not chosen as one of 12 candidates selected to serve in the 13th Parliament, a decision that appears to have triggered discontent within the party.
On the same day, another member of the PNCR, Robert Maison, also confirmed his resignation. Maison, who has been involved with the party since the era of former leader Desmond Hoyte, currently serves as a Councillor for Constituency Seven (Stabroek-Bourda) at the Georgetown Mayor and City Council and is an executive of the PNCR Georgetown District. Despite resigning from the PNCR, Maison said he will continue in his council role until the end of his term. Maison, speaking with Kaieteur News last Monday, noted that he followed party protocol in submitting his resignation to Norton, stating, “Based on the structure of the party that I have been a part of since 1997, I resigned accordingly.” He also revealed that his resignation was in protest of how Holder was treated, describing it as “disrespectful” that he (Holder) was excluded from the list of parliamentary candidates. (Kaieteur News)
