Guyana and Leaders – A New Brand

Jan 21, 2019 Features / Columnists, Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,
Please permit me a few lines to speak on how
once again the Indigenous Peoples of the world are being sabotaged and attacked whenever they try to stand up and participate in the political process.
I have watched the impending carnage in Brazil with its new leadership taking an aggressive stance against its Indigenous Peoples. The history of oppression faced by these people across the world is well known and continues to this day and in some cases like Colombia, it seems a sure death sentence to be an Indigenous Leader.
Now I see this attitude mirrored in Guyana and death comes in many forms.
Before the Dutch landed in Guyana and decided to make a country of it, none of them asked the Indigenous Peoples, if they wanted to be part of a country. In fact, after the survey was completed, it separated many families who traversed the territorial boundaries these foreign powers demarcated.
When the Dutch decided to give Guyana to the British in 1814, they did not consult the Indigenous Peoples to receive their consent to give themselves as property. When the Independence movement decided to seek independence, they did not ask the Indigenous Peoples if they consented to such a move. I watch in absolute awe and disgust from afar on the demoralizing repeat of history at a most profound time in Guyana’s history.
When Lenox Shuman announced his new party and his candidacy in the next election, questions of his eligibility were immediately raised. To question Shuman’s eligibility borders on insanity, especially since he is the only one to publicly declare his intent to give up his Canadian citizenship, something none of the others have offered to do despite the public outcry.
I would humbly submit that no other candidate is more eligible to seek political office and representation than Lenox Shuman, a man whose people’s history in Guyana goes back thousands of years.
How does one begin to question the original peoples of their eligibility to seek political office in their land? And I say their land, because even though I was born in Guyana, and am of multi-generational, multi-ethnic Guyanese descent, it would be nothing short of arrogance to think that I can easily displace or dispel any argument for an Indigenous Peoples’ candidate seeking office.
Having traversed the Americas in close-knit (Guyanese) circles that still pay homage to Guyana, a significant number of diaspora Guyanese have a burning desire to contribute to Guyana’s development, and that commitment has come into focus even more since the move of one parliamentarian on December 21, 2018.
A candidate like Lenox Shuman represents a ray of hope that there are still young, courageous, well-intentioned, patriotic Guyanese willing to serve in public office for the right reasons. I find it interesting that he has a different background than most of the other politicians, in that he is an airline pilot and not a lawyer or businessman. Airline pilots are entrusted with the lives of their passengers and are not motivated by profit or power.
For the first time in Guyana’s history, an educated young Indigenous Leader wants to pilot Guyana toward a better future and help the nation deal a collective blow to race politics. He will likely find appeal among fair-minded Guyanese of all ethnicities and age groups who are frustrated with the corruption and incompetence of the old parties and would like to see real, positive change.
Not only can he attract the millennial voter demographic, he will have appeal with a significant number of the youth vote, considering how poorly both the PNC and the PPP treated their young, aspiring leaders. The fact that the LJP is not their father’s party will likely be a plus for these voters.
I commend Lenox Shuman’s bravery and leadership. He is going to need all the help he can get, and it will be interesting to see if he attracts any of the other frustrated political leaders on the scene who are committed to real, positive change and can put their egos aside for the sake of the Guyanese people.
I noticed a comment on his Facebook profile where one young lady remarked, “One of my greatest role models” as she posed with Mr. Shuman. Leaders inspire, motivate, and unify. It is an example that I hope many young Guyanese will emulate.
We watch as Mr. Shuman is hauled through mud, sometimes skirting the guillotine for his home and country. The transparency of his position seems to pose a threat to the hardened political operators, gauging from the assault on this man’s character. According to Paul Harris’ rendering in January 17, 2019 Stabroek News, these political dinosaurs believe that Guyana belongs to them. Let’s not forget for a moment that quite a few of them, PPP, AFC, and PNC have violated the constitution. Hypocrisy at its finest!
I do hope Mr. Shuman stays the course to show the nation what inclusive leadership is all about, and that leadership aspirations are not confined only Indo and Afro Guyanese. I do hope that there are no unnecessary road blocks that will be placed in his path to becoming a candidate and a choice for the Guyanese people.

Respectfully
Dr. Govind Hinds

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