BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, Jan. 31. 2018 – WITH the debate still raging on whether Dr. Denzil Douglas is a citizen of Dominica or not, and whether he is eligible to be in the National Assembly, his lawyer SC Anthony Astaphan has had his say on the matter.
Speaking recently on WINN FM radio, SC Astaphan explained that the holder of a diplomatic passport does not take an oath of allegiance, nor do they have to be a citizen of that country.
Since Prime Minister, Dr. Timothy Harris announced last year that Dr. Douglas was the holder of a Dominican diplomatic passport, he has been under severe criticism and questioning about where his allegiance lies.
The Attorney General’s Chambers recently moved to the court to file an injunction barring him from carrying out his duties in the National Assembly.
Astaphan said that Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerritt had in his statements in parliament and on a policy paper, explained the government's position on diplomatic passports; saying that “they reserve the right to engage and issue diplomatic passports and positions to non-Dominicans, including persons from CARICOM and elsewhere”.
That is done to assist the government in a number of different policy and economic matters, promotion of the Citizenship by Investment Programme, securing financing, executing projects and other related matters, the SC pointed out.
He further stated that because of the small nature of the population and resources governments will want to use non-nationals with the diplomatic passports, “and the American government has no objection to that” – as they have taken a similar position.
He noted though that that would be done once the proper due-diligence was carried out prior to the issuance of the passport.
“And that has been Dominica’s position for the longest while, it is also a written policy on one of its websites. So, Dominica has never granted diplomatic passports to citizens; never required non-nationals to swear to the oath of allegiance to get a diplomatic passport.”
The SC pointed out that to his knowledge the only country that requires the holder of a diplomatic passport to be a person born in that country or is a citizen is Antigua and Barbuda.
But political pundits and commentators continue to question Douglas’ eligibility to serve as the leader of the Opposition in the parliament.
