PLEDGING to serve with dignity and honour, and underscoring the importance of unity in diversity, founder of The New Movement (TNM) political party, Dr. Asha Kissoon, was officially sworn in as a Member of Parliament (MP) on Monday, replacing Deputy Speaker, and head of the Liberty Justice Party (LJP), Lennox Shuman.

Joining the legislature at just 33 years, Dr. Kissoon hopes that the journey as a politician will stand as an inspiration to other young people, and particularly women, who aspire to make a change in their country.

“It is quite an honour to serve the people of Guyana in this capacity. It’s something that I’ve been working really hard for and have dedicated myself to. I’m hoping to be an inspiration to youths out there, and that young women can see me stepping into Parliament to make a difference and bring about some improvement. It gives me great pride and pleasure,” she said.
Dr. Kissoon entered politics for the March 2, 2020 elections as the presidential candidate for TNM.

Her exchange with Shuman is in keeping with a rotation schedule set out by a joinder party comprising TNM, LJP and A New and United Guyana (ANUG), which had won one seat in the National Assembly after combining their lists of candidates when they contested in the 2020 elections. The party had agreed to rotate the seat over the five-year life of the twelfth parliament.
Following Shuman’s resignation on the April 1, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) had declared Dr. Kissoon to be an elected member of the National Assembly.

She noted that it has not been definitively determined for how long she will serve before the position is once again rotated to ANUG; however, she intends to spend substantial time proposing and supporting bills and motions that the three parties have agreed to.

As it pertains to Shuman’s vacant position of Deputy Speaker, a successor is expected to be voted on at the next sitting of the National Assembly. Kissoon had previously voiced that she is not untenable to accepting the position should she be nominated and elected.

After pledging to execute her duties without fear or favour, affection or ill will, Dr. Kissoon remarked her pleasure at having the opportunity to represent the people of Guyana, and committed to represent her office with much dignity and honour going forward.

She received warm welcoming remarks from both Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips and Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton.

Prime Minister Phillips said: “I take this opportunity to also welcome our newest Member of Parliament, Dr. Kissoon and we look forward to your contributions and to the work of this house.”
Norton said: “I want to take this opportunity on behalf of the opposition Members of Parliament to welcome Dr Kissoon to the National Assembly and we hope you have both an enjoyable and a productive involvement in this Assembly.”

Dr. Kissoon urged those on both the government and opposition sides to put the people of Guyana first, as Guyana strives to lead by example on the international stage
“I urge our leaders, myself included, as we go forward that we put the people of Guyana first. We must remember that even though we say that we are one Guyana and one people, we need to value and appreciate our unity in our diversity, and appreciate different ethnic groups in Guyana as we go forward. As I stand before you I not only aim to enforce change, but much improvement where it is needed,” Dr. Kissoon remarked.