BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, November 11, 2010 (Labour Secretariat) - With Nomination Day fast approaching on January 15, questions still remain in the public domain about the eligibility of Leader of The People’s Action Movement (PAM), Lindsay Grant, and Deputy Leader of PAM and Parliamentary Representative for Constituency #5, Hon. Shawn Richards, in the upcoming elections in relation to their renunciation of United States of America citizenship.
Section 28 of the Constitution in part states that “a person shall not be qualified to be elected or appointed as a Member of Parliament if he (she) is, by virtue of his (her) own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state”.
In July of 2009, Grant and Richards were accused by Prime Minister Denzil Douglas of using “delaying tactics” to prevent the imminent calling of general elections in St. Kitts and Nevis because they were not in possession of their Certificate of Loss of United States of America citizenship.
“This is a political trial brought by the PAM against my Government and the people, to delay the general elections because they are not ready, as neither Lindsay Grant nor the Hon. Shawn Richards can provide a Certificate of their United States citizenship as required by law. They are using the court to launch a political attack,” said Dr. Douglas in reference to a heated Constituency Boundaries Changes case in which the PAM filed several injunctions to make any use of a Constituency Boundaries Commission Report and the Draft Proclamation which became law when it was passed in Parliament on July 9 of last year and signed the same day by Governor-General, H.E. Sir Cuthbert Sebastian.
In August 2007, PAM’s leader, Lindsay Grant, stated his Party’s position with respect to dual-citizenship in an interview with WINN FM.
“The matter has been brought to the forefront and the party’s position is that we will ensure that persons who are candidates of the PAM and are in this position since it has now been brought to our attention by Section 28 I think it is, will definitely renounce any citizenship they have other than citizenship of St. Christopher and Nevis,” Grant said.
Grant also categorically stated that his party was “prepared to resign the position of the Hon. Shawn Richards, renounce his citizenship of the United States of America and pay back the Treasury every single cent he has earned since 2004.”
Grant and Richards declared last year that they had renounced their US citizenship and have shown what they claimed to be their certificate of loss of nationality of the United States of America. Both were pressured to produce the document as proof of their renunciation. However, questions remain as to the authenticity of the documents.
Last year Parliament in St. Kitts/Nevis introduced the National Assembly (Amendment) Elections Bill 2009, which calls for candidates seeking political office to provide proof of the renunciation of dual-citizenship and the taking of an oath that one doesn’t hold dual-citizenship before nomination.
A person nominating a candidate for election is also required to take an oath or affirmation that to the best of his or her knowledge the candidate he or she has nominated does not possess dual citizenship.
The Bill also provides for a fine or imprisonment or both if information given is found to be false.
