Not going to Parliament, Shurwayne Holder resigned chairmanship not from PNC/R

Former Chairman of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Shurwayne Holder, is now searching for employment opportunities as he navigates life outside Parliament and away from the leadership of the party he once helped to steer.

Holder’s father, Prince Holder, took to social media Friday morning to defend his son against criticisms that followed his resignation as PNCR Chairman. He clarified that while Holder has stepped down from the chairmanship, he remains a member of the party.

“I am Prince Holder, Shurwayne Holder’s father. I have noticed that both of you came out bashing my son … He did not resign from the party, which means that he is still a member of the People’s National Congress Reform,” the elder Holder wrote in a widely circulated statement.

He urged detractors to “desist from reckless and irresponsible behaviour,” pointing out that his son, who is an engineer with two master’s degrees, now faces the personal reality of providing for his wife, three daughters, and young son while also servicing a mortgage.

“Shurwayne is out of a job at present and has his mortgage to pay, which means that he has to find himself a job. If he is not going to Parliament, he has to go out there and work,” Prince Holder explained, while stressing that critics should “stop the nonsense.”

The resignation of Shurwayne Holder marks yet another significant departure from the PNCR’s upper ranks. His exit came just a day after former Executive Member Mervyn Williams also announced his resignation, citing “unfortunate occurrences” within the party.

Holder, who was at the forefront of the APNU+AFC’s campaign on the Essequibo Coast and across Region Two, was notably absent from the list of 12 candidates selected by the coalition to sit in the 13th Parliament.

Although efforts to contact him directly have been unsuccessful, the PNC/R confirmed both resignations earlier this week.

The back-to-back resignations have stirred unease within the PNCR, with concerns mounting about dissatisfaction over how senior and parliamentary positions were distributed in the wake of the party’s electoral defeat.