In a panel discussion on the Facebook page of ‘Globespan 24/7’, Leader of the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) Lenox Shuman indicated that the LJP will be sitting in parliament for two and a half years under the joiner list agreement. That period would end in February 2023.
Shuman, who also serves as deputy speaker, explained that the seat is being shared based on the number of votes secured by the three parties on the joiner list. He explained that their formula gave two and a half years to the LJP, two years and five months to A New and United Guyana (ANUG), and eighty days to The New Movement (TNM).
The LJP is accused of using its seat in the national assembly to simply echo the ruling PPP regime’s propaganda. Since taking the seat Mr. Shuman, who is also an employee of the PPP administration, has not voted against one of the PPP’s many bills presented to the National Assembly. This pattern of behavior has earned Shuman’s LJP the reputation of being a “subset” of the PPP.
ANUG has recently called on the government to increase salaries and social service benefits to counter what they describe as a 40% increase in the cost of living since the PPP came to power. Now that they are likely to soon occupy a seat in parliament, time will tell if they break with Shuman’s pro PPP stance or back up their calls for economic justice with actions. It also remains to be seen if the incoming MPs of the joiner list will also be given comfortable, cushy jobs with big salaries by the PPP as currently obtains with Mr. Shuman.
More, In The Ring.
