Clenkian out, Andrews in As Toshao Of St Cuthbert’s Mission

TIMOTHY ANDREWS IS THE NEW TOSHAO OF ST CUTHBERT’S MISSION
following Sunday’s national polls.
Mr. Andrews with 173 votes beat incumbent Ms. Beverley Clenkian and five other candidates
for the three-year position in the manly-Amerindian community nestled in the Mahaica River in
Demerara/Mahaica (Region Four) the most-populated of the 10 political Regions that comprise
the 216,000 Km 2 South American independent Republic.
Clenkian had been widely tipped for re-election ahead of Sunday’s polls.
In Sunday’s elections, Timur Ferriera with 129 voted was Andrews closest rival. Neil Henry
attracted 128 votes with Alvero Simon, Paul Andrews and Julian Kattow secured 97, 19 and 8
votes respectively.
Clenkian only mustered 23 votes according to the official results.
“I have accepted that I lost,” Clenkian said being gracious in defeat.
But she singled out former Toshao, Parliamentarian, Lennox Shuman for harsh criticisms.
“What I saw Lennox Shuman doing before the elections and on the day is not right. He visited
the community on a number of occasions and told residents bluntly not to vote for me. He
campaigned aggressively and significantly for his candidate, Timothy Andrews who is a member
of his JLP party,” she complained.
“What was more disgusting, is that he was in the building when the counting was taking place
operating as though he was bigger than everybody else. I was very disappointed in the DREO
(Deputy Regional Executive Officer, Mr. Dereck Persaud) sitting by while Shuman moved in

and out uninterrupted as the count was taking place. This is not how you operate especially when
such an important election is taking place,” Clenkian charged.
She argued that Shuman’s involvement in the electoral process further widened rifts among
residents. Shuman falsely claimed she is a member of the opposition coalition A Party for
National Unity, Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) and they should switch votes for the ruling
Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) administration he has endeared himself to in the runup
and following the bitter 2020 National and Regional polls.
Clenkian is convinced Shuman’s lies hurt her campaign badly.
“I am very hurt as the Councillor and MP Shuman went around spreading all kinds of lies about
me. There were several residents who wanted to vote for me but they used fear tactics to
convince the residents that if they voted for me the Government would abandon the community
because I’m APNU. This isn’t true, as a community leader it is expected of me to show and
demonstrate respect for whoever is in charge and that is what I was doing when APNU/AFC was
in office and doing now that the PPPC is in office. Nobody can tell me who I voted for and for
him to paint me as APNU with the intention of destroying my campaign is very sick and
extremely wicked. I expected better from the MP who himself was a Toshao of this very
community. I am really hurt and am convinced that the desperate and evil politics that exists is
now part of our community,” Clenkian said.
Because of the toxic political and social atmosphere permeating St Cuthbert’s Mission, the
Clenkian family plans to relocate. She will remain in the teaching profession, but will never
return to community politics she vowed.
“I am a teacher and will always be a teacher but what I can say is that I will not ever run again
for a post on the Council or as Toshao. What the MP and some persons in this community have
done to me painting me in the most humiliating way has caused me to question if the
contributions that I made over the years were worth it.”
“There were so many lies, there were so many attempts to get rid of me and I had sought to do
was serve the residents of my community. The election for Toshao should never be about

(poisonous) politics but rather about community leadership, and to see the former Toshao and
now MP using this election to advance his political party is certainly a shame and disgrace. It’s
really disappointing (too) to see that not even the DREO had the guts to let him know that some
of his actions on poling day and at the counting of the ballots were unprofessional and even
illegal, but then again this is how things takes place when some people have power,” she
declared.
Clenkian said Andrews will be Shuman’s puppet.

“I don’t care what persons may say but the real Toshao is Lennox Shuman as Timothy
Andrews is just the face but the real power lies with the MP because that is what he
attempted to do when I was Toshao, but because I stood up to him and his many attempts,
he wanted me out and I will admit that he succeeded,” she admitted.