The Opposition takes serious issue with the unfortunate approach being pursued by the Prime Minister concerning the matter of citizenship and the Jamaican Parliament.

On Monday, at the Conference Centre in Kingston, addressing some 400 Jamaicans who reside in the Diaspora, Mr. Golding sought to advise his audience that the dual citizenship issues now before the courts are based upon provisions which contain "constitutional absurdities".

The Opposition does not believe that approach to be the way in which a Prime Minister "upholds and defends the constitution of Jamaica", as he is sworn to do.

The Opposition is of the view that the real issues should have been properly explained to the members of the Jamaican family: that they may, with certain conditions, invest in Jamaica; practice their profession in Jamaica; and are at liberty to attend any church that they wish while they are in Jamaica.

They should have been further advised that there are a few areas, touching, for example, upon service in the Parliament and the upper reaches of the electoral system, to which certain conditions are attached. Such conditions are to be found in several other constitutions, certainly within the Commonwealth.

One of these constitutional conditions is that if a Jamaican has sworn allegiance to a foreign state and he wishes to serve in the parliament of his country and in a few other sensitive areas, he must be prepared to renounce his obligatory ties to that other state.

Opposition Spokesman on Justice, A.J. Nicholson said "We believe the members of the Jamaican Diaspora would have been deeply impressed if they had been told that the thinking of the Independence Constitutional Committee and those who have fathered the constitutions of several other countries may well have been that service to one's country in these areas can admit of no second guessing."

It should, of course, be obvious that a person serving in our Parliament, either as an elected member or as a senator, should be resident in Jamaica.

Mr. Nicholson said "The overseas members of the Jamaican family could also have been invited by the Prime Minister to consider with us here at home, whether certain apparent anomalies relating to the eligibility of Commonwealth citizens should not be addressed, rather than descending into inappropriate references to "constitutional absurdity".

Contact:

A.J. Nicholson
Phone: (876) 978-1337
Email:
PNP: