“The party that is right for our children’s future” – Shuman endorses Pres. Ali, PPP/C for 2025 Elections
Former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and Indigenous leader Lennox Shuman has formally endorsed President Dr. Irfaan Ali and the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) ahead of the 2025 General and Regional Elections, declaring the governing party as the best hope for Guyana’s development and the safeguarding of its future generations.
In a national address, Shuman reflected on his personal sacrifices, including renouncing his Canadian citizenship in 2020, to return home and serve his people.
“I saw this as an investment in Guyana’s future,” he said, adding that the move was motivated by his belief in the potential of the country and the need for bold, transformative leadership.
A former Toshao of Pakuri Village and Vice-Chairman of the National Toshaos Council, Shuman drew from his years of grassroots leadership to make a compelling case for continued PPP/C governance.
He recalled disturbing experiences under the previous APNU+AFC administration, including outright refusals to process Amerindian land titles.
“I was present when the then Commissioner of Lands bluntly stated, ‘I am not giving out any more Amerindian land titles,’ and no one in the APNU+AFC administration or Indigenous NGOs challenged him,” he recalled.
Shuman pointed to a clear contrast under the current PPP/C administration, citing what he described as unprecedented advancements for Indigenous peoples and Guyanese at large.
According to him, the PPP/C has restored Amerindian land titling, reinstated community support officers (CSOs) in Indigenous villages, and implemented a wide range of initiatives that are improving lives across the country.
He highlighted the government’s investment in housing, noting that over 50,000 house lots have been distributed since the PPP/C took office. He also praised the administration for exceeding its promise of creating 50,000 jobs, revealing that Guyana is now facing a labour shortage of more than 200,000 – a sign, he said, of rapid economic expansion and employment growth.
Furthermore, Shuman commended the government’s reinstatement of cash grants for every student, which had been discontinued under the APNU+AFC, and the reintroduction of over 2,000 civil society organizations (CSOs) that had been previously dismissed. He described these moves as critical to education and community empowerment in Indigenous areas.
The Liberty and Justice Party leader also emphasised the government’s infrastructural investments, noting that massive projects underway are promoting national integration and transforming Guyana into the fastest-growing economy for four consecutive years.
He pointed to significant investments in agriculture, and the electrification of Indigenous communities, which includes the distribution of over 30,000 solar-powered systems.
Particularly notable, he said, is the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), which has resulted in billions of dollars in direct payments to Indigenous communities for their role in protecting Guyana’s forests.
Shuman described it as a “world-first” initiative that puts Indigenous stewardship at the heart of global climate solutions.
Additionally, Shuman underscored the PPP/C’s 20,000 government scholarships for qualified Guyanese, as well as free education from nursery to PhD, which he described as a full realisation of the constitutional right to education.
In the realm of foreign policy and sovereignty, Shuman praised the Ali administration’s firm stance against Venezuela’s claims to Guyana’s Essequibo region, citing the government’s successful referral of the border dispute to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
He also noted the PPP/C’s strengthening of national institutions, including the police, military, and public service, and what he described as unprecedented infrastructure development, which he said was “critical to economic integration and national prosperity.”
Shuman commended the PPP/C for its evolution from a formerly Marxist ideology to a party that now fosters private sector growth, innovation, and opportunity, while still delivering comprehensive social protection programmes for all Guyanese.
“This is the epitome of a uniting government — one people, one nation, one destiny,” Shuman declared. “It is for these reasons and more that I, along with the Liberty and Justice Party, unreservedly and wholeheartedly endorse President Dr. Irfaan Ali and the People’s Progressive Party Civic for the upcoming elections.”
He concluded with a rallying call for voters to re-elect the PPP/C on September 1, 2025, urging Guyanese to “vote for the party that is right for Guyana and right for our children’s future.”
