Lenox Shuman

The Honourable
Lenox Shuman
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Guyana
In office
2 September 2020 – 31 March 2023
Member of the National Assembly
In office
2 September 2020 – 31 March 2023
Personal details
Born13 September 1973 (1973-09-13) (age 51)
St. Cuthbert's Mission, Guyana

Lenox Ron O'Dell Shuman[1] (born 13 September 1973)[2] is a former Guyanese politician who served as Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Guyana and Member of Parliament from 2 September 2020 to 31 March 2023. He is also the founder of the Liberty and Justice Party.[3]

On 2 September 2020, Shuman became the first Indigenous-Guyanese to become Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly.[4]

Background

Shuman was born on 13 September 1973. His mother was of mixed race, and his father descended from a long line of Lokono chiefs.[5] In 1990, the family emigrated to Canada. He graduated from Confederation College in business and obtained a pilot licence.[2] Before entering the world of politics, Shuman was a Canadian citizen working as a pilot for Sunwing Airlines.[6] In 2009, he married Amanda Van Herten.[2]

In 2009,[2] Shuman returned to Guyana, and was elected toshao (village chief) for St. Cuthbert's Mission in 2015.[4][2] The same year,[2] he was elected vice-chairman of the National Toshaos Council.[4] In 2019, the courts ruled that members of the National Assembly had to have Guyanese citizenship only,[7] therefore Shuman relinquished his Canadian citizenship, to form the Liberty and Justice Party and run for president in the March 2020 Guyanese general election.[6]

References

  1. ^ "General Election National Top-Up Declaration of Results" (PDF). The Official Gazette of Guyana: 1506–1509. 20 August 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Guyana: Lenox Shuman of the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) for Parliament". Guyanese Online. 7 August 2020. Archived from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ "Vice President of National Toshaos Council to run for President in 2020". iNewsGuyana. 19 June 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "Manzoor Nadir elected Speaker of 12th Parliament". Department of Public Information. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  5. ^ "First indigenous Deputy Speaker elected in Guyana". New York Carib News -. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Shuman submits proof he is no longer Canadian citizen - Clerk". Stabroek News. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Key foreign posts announced". Guyana Chronicle. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
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