Still seeks membership to national assembly
Presidential Candidate of the Liberty and Justice Party, Lenox Shuman, is a citizen of Guyana, as well as a citizen of Canada.
Canadian Citizen, Lenox Shuman
It is with this dual citizenship status that the pilot presented his name on his party’s list of candidates to contest the General Elections of March 2, 2020. The Constitution of Guyana disqualifies dual citizens from election to the National Assembly.
In February 2019, Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George made it clear that by swearing allegiance to another State, an MP is not eligible to be elected to serve in the National Assembly.
The court ruling reaffirmed Article 155 (1) (a) of the Constitution of Guyana which states, “No person shall be qualified for election as a member of the National Assembly who is, by virtue of his own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state.”
During a Kaieteur Radio interview on the show, Petroleum 101, on January 13, last, the LJP Presidential Candidate was asked to shed light on his dual citizenship status.
He confirmed previous reports that he had already started the application process to relinquish his Canadian citizenship. However, Shuman has not received any document verifying or confirming that relinquishment from the Canadian authorities.
He said, “Today [January 13], I was at the Canadian High Commission inquiring on one thing, because up until last week, I was assured that everything has been… all the requirements for that had been satisfied.”
He is confident that his Canadian citizenship will be relinquished.
“I am simply awaiting just a small document that confirms. And when I went in today, they gave me every assurance that that is already dealt with and it’s on its way.”
The issue of dual citizenship has served as an issue for several small parties, not just LJP.
Presidential Candidate of the United Republican Party, Vishnu Bandhu, also announced yesterday that he is a dual citizen. The politician has indicated that he has started the process of relinquishing his dual citizenship.
Co-founder of Change Guyana and former prime ministerial candidate, Nigel Hinds, has on the other hand, withdrawn himself from the political race.
Hinds said in a statement that he would have relinquished his citizenship, had it not been for the fact that an unfortunate medical prognosis requiring him to seek better healthcare in the United States.