A NEW party– The New Movement– with a woman at the helm, has been launched to contest next year’s general and regional elections.

The newly formed party hosted its official launch on November 21, 2019, when it announced Dr. Asha Kissoon as the party’s pick for Presidential Candidate and Dr. Gerald Ford as its Prime Ministerial candidate for the 2020 elections.

Kissoon, in remarks, said the party was birthed out of a collective vision held by a group of young professionals who wanted change. She said the founding members of the grouping wanted to create a party that would foster change, that would bridge the gap of racism and division that has been rampant in the country.

The party, according to its manifesto, is pushing for greater national unity, citizen and youth involvement, democratic accountability, the legalisation of marijuana, and constitutional reform, among other things. The party is aiming to secure the maximum number of seats possible in the general elections.

Kissoon is a medical doctor by profession and is currently reading for her master’s degree in public health administration at the Texila American University. In addition, she had been involved extensively in volunteer work throughout her life. “We took this step towards making Guyana the best Guyana we can have. We believe that we are the change we want to see. We want improvement; change has been promised to us many times, but we are above change right now; what we need is improvement,” Kissoon told the gathering at the launch.

The movement, she said, supports women’s rights “which is something we are very passionate about. We are working to ensure that women’s rights are protected, as well as focusing on greater national unity, citizen and youth involvement, democratic accountability…” “I believe this country deserves leaders who make it possible for everyone to live their best life,” stated Kissoon.

The party is the fourth political party to be birthed this year, since talks of early elections became a front-burner issue following the December 21 no-confidence motion against the government.

In January 2019, Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), led by former Vice Chairman of the National Toshaos Council (NTC) Lenox Shuman, was the first party to be launched. Later that month, a group of Berbice lawyers launched the Federal United Party (FED-UP), which was quickly followed by the launch of A New and United Guyana (ANUG), led by former PPP executive, Ralph Ramkarran.

Endorsing the party’s efforts was proprietor of GuyEnergy, Turhane Doerga, who said, “let us give this fresh crop of politicians which believe in research and development which is looking at how to make this a welfare state where everybody can prosper; these are the people I want to support.” Further, he stated that the change the party would bring in the country’s current political state is a welcomed one.