Political candidates must present proof of single citizenship

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – CANDIDATES aspiring nomination to the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly will have to present proof they do not hold dual citizenship.

When the National Assembly Elections (Amendment) Bill 2009 gets its first reading later today (July 3) in Parliament, candidates will also be required to take an oath expressly stating they hold no citizenship from any country besides St. Kitts and Nevis. 

The Bill is sure to generate much discussion among Parliamentarians and the general public, as the issue of dual citizenship is a controversial one in local politics. For years, main opposition party the People’s Action Movement (PAM) alleged that incumbent Ministers of Parliament held dual citizenship. In recent times, it was discovered that PAM Political Leader Lindsey Grant and his Deputy Shawn Richards were also US citizens.

After much debate in public and political fora, Grant and Richards announced on Wednesday (July 1) they had gone to the US Embassy in Barbados to renounce their citizenship. However, both leaders were unable to provide proof of renunciation.

According to a communiqué released by the Communications Unit of the Office of the Prime Minister, one of the proposed amendments would require a candidate to take an oath to the effect that he or she does not hold dual citizenship before nomination. If he or she held dual citizenship, they must produce proof of renunciation since the holding of previous elections.

Other proposed changes would mandate persons who nominate a candidate for election to take an oath or affirmation that to the best of their knowledge the candidate they nominated does not possess dual citizenship. Additionally, candidates for nomination who provide false information relating to their citizenship, or voters who nominate a candidate for election and give false information relating to that candidate’s citizenship will now be guilty of an offence under this Bill.