Days after announcing his resignation from the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), former Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira has elaborated on the reasons for his decision, which also includes stepping down as an Opposition Member of Parliament.
In a statement released this morning, Figueira, who hails from Linden, described his departure as the result of deep moral reflection and a re-examination of his obligations to principle and country. He expressed a refusal to remain complicit in a trajectory he believes undermines the democratic, ethical, and national ideals that members are sworn to uphold.
Figueira criticized the PNCR leadership for exhibiting a troubling tolerance for “rising ethnic antagonism.” He stated, “What was once a platform for unifying vision now flirts perilously with sectarian dogma. This is not the movement I joined. The responsibility to defend and promote national unity is absolute; its abdication is a moral failure.”
He expressed concern over the internal culture of the PNCR, which he described as having deteriorated from principled deliberation to an insular environment characterized by “sycophancy, vindictiveness, and the systematic sidelining of faithful contributors.” Figueira noted that he has personally experienced arbitrary exclusion from party activities.
The former Chairman of the PNCR group in Linden also lamented the absence of visionary leadership within the party. He argued that the current leadership lacks the imagination, unity of purpose, and renewal mechanisms necessary to address the rapidly evolving national context.
Figueira specifically criticized the party’s decision to walk out of a parliamentary debate condemning threats from Venezuela against Guyana. He deemed this action a dereliction of parliamentary responsibility and a betrayal of the party’s founding ethos. He asserted, “Leadership must be rooted in love of country, above all else.”
Opposition Leader and PNCR Leader Aubrey Norton had clarified before the walkout that the party continued to support Guyana’s territorial integrity but felt ignored by the government regarding input on the issue.
While Figueira has not outlined his political future, he reaffirmed his commitment to the people of Linden and the people of Guyana. A teacher by profession, he became a Member of Parliament in 2015 and was reselected for the position in 2020, making him one of the longest-serving MPs from Region 10 in recent years. In the National Assembly, he held the position of Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee.
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