Future list of PPP candidates will be free of dual citizens – Jagdeo

Dual citizens in Parliament

– commits to party leading change against status quo

Despite the recent resurrection of dual citizens in the National Assembly as a trending topic, the problem has been around for a while. But at least one party is looking to change the status quo of dual citizens illegally sitting as Members of Parliament.
A commitment has been made that dual citizens on candidate electoral lists submitted by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) to stand for Parliament will be a thing of the past. This commitment was made by the PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo.
Jagdeo was at the time appearing on the Jumpstart radio programme on Monday morning, when he laid down his party’s position on dual citizenship. He noted the effect a ruling on the no-confidence case in his party’s favour at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) would have on the whole issue.
“If the no confidence (ruling) goes in our favour at the CCJ, there will be no need for a convening of the Parliament again unless there’s an agreement. Therefore, no dual citizen will attend the Parliament on our side.”
“When the new list is prepared for General Elections, no dual citizen will be on that list,” Jagdeo further explained. “If they want to be on that list, they have to give up their dual citizenship. That’s our position.”
In the interim, the Opposition Leader noted the difference between his party’s position and the Government’s approach. Jagdeo pointed out that despite the High Court and Court of Appeal ruling that dual citizens cannot be members of the National Assembly; it has done little to faze the Government.
“This Government has said that not only are they going to keep dual citizens in the Government, but they’re going to attend Parliament. We have made it clear. (Our dual citizens) will not attend. They will not be at any sitting of the National Assembly.”
“The (Government dual citizens) have said they will attend a sitting of the National Assembly. That would be illegal, immoral and unheard of, that you want the Opposition to comply with a ruling, but you won’t do it yourself.”
In February, Chief Justice Roxane George had ruled on the case filed by Compton Reid over the dual citizenship of former Alliance For Change Member of Parliament (MP) Charrandas Persaud. In the case it brought to the Chief Justice, Government had argued that Persaud’s dual citizenship status invalidated his vote in support of the No-confidence Motion that brought the Government down.
This argument also formed part of the opinions presented to Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland in the hopes that he would reverse the ruling; something the Speaker ultimately refused to do.
According to the Chief Justice, by swearing allegiance to another State, a dual citizen is not qualified to be elected to serve in the National Assembly. But Charrandas is not the only one. In the Opposition camp, Chief Whip Teixeira has already indicated her willingness to renounce her citizenship.
In the case of the Government, Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge and Minister of State Joseph Harmon (who has US citizenship) have done little to address if they would choose Parliament or dual citizenship when the time comes.
Article 155 (1) of the Constitution of Guyana states, “No person shall be qualified for election as a member of the National Assembly who (a) is, by virtue of his own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or State.”
Only recently, Chartered Accountant and Attorney Christopher Ram has said he believes the Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland, should not allow dual citizen parliamentarians back in the House.

The Government has set April 11 for the reconvening of the sitting of the National Assembly and Ram is contending that the action by the Government to return with dual citizens to Parliament is “disgraceful, unbelievable (and) contemptuous”.
“It shows (utter) contempt and disregard for the Constitution by people of the stature of Carl Greenidge (Foreign Affairs Minister); (so) it’s hard to say how much lower we as a country can get”.
In addition, Working People’s Alliance (WPA) Executive, Dr David Hinds noted that, in the interest of “political morality”, dual citizens in the National Assembly should make a choice between renouncing their dual citizenship and resigning from the house.
He labelled as ‘politics’ the fact that the coalition Government would pick and choose which parts of the recent Court of Appeal ruling it would adhere to (that the No-confidence Motion against it was not validly passed), and which to delay acting upon (that dual citizens cannot be Members of Parliament).
“Politicians think about power and what that means for them. Political morality doesn’t figure in too much… I think political morality say’s that they should either renounce their citizenship or resign,” he said.
According to David Hinds, the Constitution is clear about dual citizenship. However, he said, what some would call duplicity is actually politics.