Guyana’s Indigenous Presidential Candidate Shows Up In Traditional Wear In Court

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Mar.11, 2020: Perhaps he is the solution to the decades old racial conflict between the predominant race groups in Guyana – the descendants of African slaves and the descendants of Indian indentured servants.

Member of the indigenous people of Guyana and the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) presidential candidate, Lenox Shuman, showed, he is indeed an original and the blood of the first people of Guyana surely flows through his veins.

Shuman boldly showed up to the 2020 election hearing at the country’s high court Tuesday in traditional Amerindian attire much to the shock of the country’s police force who at first prevented him from entering the hearing. Shuman was later allowed to enter the hearing.

But the initial standoff created headlines on social media, where many Guyanese globally have begun congregating virtually to share news and opinions on the state of the country’s elections that remain undecided.

In an atmosphere that has become vitriolic and charged along racial lines politically, Shuman’s appearance at the courthouse sent a subtle but clear statement – that the true Guyanese are its first people.

Shuman relinquished his citizenship to run for office in Guyana. He is trained pilot and a former Vice Chairman of the National Toshaos Council (NTC) and was a Village Chief as well. It is estimated in the 2012 Census that Amerindians in Guyana number around 78,500.

His party had proposed an integrated 5G surveillance system for law enforcement, a six-month gun amnesty on illegal firearms, a larger police force and more educational opportunities.