Alliance for Change (AFC) leader Raphael Trotman has declined to comment on the way forward regarding the dual citizenship of several government parliamentarians and informed that the party and its coalition partner, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), are currently working on a joint position.
The issue of Members of Parliament (MPs) holding dual citizenship has come in for public scrutiny following the December 21st vote by former government parliamentarian Charrandass Persaud that resulted in the opposition PPP/C’s no-confidence motion against the ruling APNU+AFC being declared passed by a vote of 33 to 32 members.
Persaud is a Canadian citizen and left Guyana for Canada hours after the vote, the validity of which has been challenged by virtue of his dual citizenship.
On January 31st, Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire, in delivering a ruling in one of the cases filed to challenge the passage of the motion, found that Persaud was “not qualified” for election to the National Assembly by virtue of his own acts in acknowledging allegiance and adherence to a foreign power in the sovereign state of Canada, in contravention of Article 155 (1) (a).
Though ruling there was a constitutional breach, she said that Persaud’s vote was valid. That decision is being appealed.
AFC member and Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin also holds dual citizenship. The party, however, has argued that his case is unique as he was born in the United Kingdom and did not seek citizenship there.
Stabroek News asked Trotman on Wednesday for the party’s position on Gaskin continuing to be an MP. In response, he said “A position is being formulated by the two partners of the Coalition, which requires some time. We wish not to make any unilateral definitive statement at this time on Minister Gaskin or any other member.”
Apart from Gaskin, there is also Minister of State Joseph Harmon, who holds US citizenship, while Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge and Minister of Public Service Rupert Roopnaraine have UK citizenship.
Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had identified Chief Whip Gail Teixeira and backbencher Adrian Anamayah as being the PPP/C members who are dual citizens
According to Article 155 (1) (a) of the constitution, “No person shall be qualified for election as a member of the National Assem-bly who is, by virtue of his or her own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state.”
AFC Chairman Khemraj Ramjattan at a press conference last month said that Gaskin would not fall into the category as the constitution stipulates the violation. “The article states by virtue of his or her own act and that means by own personal will. Being born there or having a parent means you would have gotten it as a child and not of your own will and it was why Janet Jagan is excluded also. When you are a baby born or a child, you cannot say [no]. That is why Janet was [excluded], she was born [in the U.S], she could not say no. And when she came here, that did not mean she was excluded from being [President]. So it would not apply to Janet or [Gaskin]…,” he told a press conference.
In responding to questions on this issue at a press conference held on Wednesday at the Centre for Change in Kitty, the party’s General Secretary Marlon Williams said that the AFC is eager for an interpretation because Gaskin is a born British citizen and subsequently became a naturalised Guyanese.
“We need interpretation as to how that fits. Based on our interpretation, he hasn’t surrendered or subjected himself to a foreign power. He was born there [but] all of his life spent here [Guyana], while the others are a different imputation and that is why we need legal interpretation on if it also applies to him,” Williams said.
He said that the AFC has met on its own and has had vigorous conversations on the party’s position on dual citizenship. He reminded that in a statement several weeks ago the party had encouraged Parliament to adhere to all the laws of Guyana. He noted that it has supposedly been a norm for quite some time by both government and opposition to ignore the constitutional provision barring dual citizens from being MPs. “…We have spoken to our partners and indicated our position and our position is clear that all facets of the law we would like adhered to,” he added.
According to Williams, its coalition partners, in response, have indicated that they have an equal interest in seeing the law adhered to. Asked if they expressed a preparedness to rectify the situation, he said “this is the Alliance for Change, we will not be able to pronounce.”
In interviews with this newspaper, Harmon and Greenidge had said that they would await the outcome of the court case before taking any action.
Roopnaraine has expressed his willingness to relinquish his British citizenship if he needs to. During an interview with this newspaper on January 17, Roopnaraine told Stabroek News that he has had the UK citizenship for “ages” and said that he only travels on the British passport if he is travelling to England, a trip he has not taken in the longest while. In that regard, he said he is prepared to give it up “if it’s necessary.”
Jagdeo also told reporters recently that Teixeira has expressed her desire to surrender her foreign citizenship.
