Vice President of Toshaos Council to contest 2020 elections

Vice President of the National Toshaos Council, Lenox Shuman has announced that he and other supporters are forming a political party to contest the 2020 General and Regional Elections.

In a public Facebook post announcing the “NEW Political Party,” Shuman said, “we are just simply tired as Indigenous Peoples and citizens of Guyana of how we are treated.”

He outlined that the Indigenous persons are tired of “begging” for their lands and “begging” for their rights.

The Indigenous leader also expressed dissatisfaction with moves being made by the Government to establish townships without the consent of the Indigenous peoples.

He also pointed out that the Government is failing to move forward on the promise of Constitutional Reform while the education system and other systems to protect women and children are all failing.

“Don’t wait for change. Be the change you want to see!” was the tagline of the post.

News Room contacted Shuman this evening but declined to comment in detail about the new party.

He told News Room that the group of persons behind the new party are working out some details which will conclude during the week after which more information will be given.

Shuman in April had a public confrontation with Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Sydney Allicock.

Allicock in a statement to the media chastised the executives of National Toshoas Council (NTC) for what he said was “divisive, disingenuous and sometimes incoherent statements” made by Shuman.

The Minister said letters written to the President by the council are “confrontational, demanding and disrespectful to the Office of President of Guyana.” He alleged that Shuman also issued a call for mass public protest against the Government of Guyana by the Indigenous Peoples.

However, this was refuted by the Chairman of National Toshao’s Council Joel Fredericks.

Allicock also alleged that the NTC has failed to account for its government subvention over several years.

While the two sides on April 19 held a joint press conference painting the picture that everything was back to normal, it was still believed that the rift continued.