Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) presidential candidate Lenox Shuman has had discussions with APNU about a possible coalescing but says that no decision has yet been made as he is still to do a “a final analysis”.
“At the launch of the party, we had sent out a letter to all of the other parties to have talks with them. I got responses and have met with ANUG, FED UP and APNU…so yes, we have had talks with APNU,” he told Stabroek News yesterday.
“Everything needs a final analysis. There are a lot of considerations to be taken…,” he added.
Shuman was quick to point out that the talks did not encompass discussion of any ministerial or party position for members of the LJP as the talks were to gain insight into what developmental plans each party had for the country and how he would be better able to fuse with them to make “a better Guyana”.
He said that while there are talks in some quarters that he was offered positions by APNU, “the only party that offered a Prime Ministerial slot, and that was through the back door; not formally, was one and that was not the APNU,” he said.
And while ANUG was one of the first parties the LJP executive held talks with, he expressed disappointment in their recent choice of Presidential Candidate in Ralph Ramkarran saying that even if he was mulling joining, that has been erased as his party feels youth leadership should be championed.
“What we had hoped was that the smaller parties would bond…what we see is that there is a challenge in embracing young leaders. Most interestingly, we look at the selection of ANUG’s presidential candidate which expresses their reluctance to embrace young leadership,” he said.
Shuman is also disappointed in the People’s Progressive Party as he said that he sent out letters to all parties earlier this year but there has been no response from the PPP and he does not foresee one.
“The lack of a formal response speaks volumes. There has been indications that there might be a willingness to talk but there has been no formal response,” he said.
Shuman reiterated much of what he said when he announced the formation of the party saying that he is patriotic and wants “a better Guyana for everyone and where everyone benefits from the natural resources of this country and that means the indigenous people must not be left out.”
The LJP has as it symbol two hands of different colours clasping. It has identified itself with the colour, blue.
Indigenous citizens comprised the majority of those in attendance at the party’s launch back in January of this year.
It is expected that given Shuman’s national profile as an indigenous leader, the party could draw significant support from the indigenous communities. Shuman has, however, said the party will be one for all citizens, regardless of their ethnicity. Shuman previously served as Toshao of Pakuri Village on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway and Vice-chairman of the National Toshaos’ Council (NTC),
The diaspora, he also said, has much to offer and he noted that the country’s two largest parties, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), could not be what they are without it. “The diaspora has a significant role to offer and I think it is time we look at how we could deal with constitutional reform to ensure that our sons and daughters who would have left our shores for whatever purposes are given that opportunity to come back and serve Guyana,” he stated.
Shuman, who has held Canadian citizenship for 28 years has filed to relinquish it. And even as that process is ongoing he has declared that no one can question his patriotism to this country.
