Fighting a move to remove him as a candidate for the upcoming March 2nd general and regional elections on the basis of dual citizenship, Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) leader Lenox Shuman is maintaining that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) lacks both the legal authority and objectivity to decide on the issue, while contending that he officially renounced his Canadian citizenship since last December.
In a six-page correspondence sent to GECOM Chairperson Claudette Singh on Friday, attorney, K Juman-Yassin argued that on December 11th, 2019, Shuman, his client, officially renounced his Canadian citizenship, making him fully eligible under Articles 53 and 155 of Guyana’s Constitution to be elected as a member of the National Assembly.
“Mr Shuman had by his own act on the 11th day of December, 2019 submitted to the High Commissioner of Canada at High and Young Streets, Kingston, a renunciation of his Canadian citizenship…,” the letter states, adding that by virtue of this act he was renouncing any acknowledgment of allegiance, obedience or adherence to Canada and is therefore no longer disqualified by Article 155(1) (a).
