Professor shocked by PM's comments on dual citizenship

Professor Christopher Charles of the University of the West Indies has expressed concern over recent remarks by Prime Minister Andrew Holness regarding the dual nationality of Opposition Leader Mark Golding. Dr Charles stressed that holding dual nationality, particularly within the Commonwealth, is not a breach of the Constitution. He pointed out that this issue had been debated since 2008 without resolution and wondered why the Constitution had not been amended to address it.

The professor advocates a constitutional solution amid “cass cass” dual citizenship; Holness is criticized for joining the brouhaha

Jamaica Gleaner/May 28, 2024/Kimone Francis/Senior Reporter

DESCRIBING furor over opposition leader Mark Golding’s British citizenship as ‘cass cas’, Professor Christopher Charles of the University of the West Indies says he is alarmed that Prime Minister Andrew Holness has joined the discussions even if there is no violation of the Constitution.

Charles, who spoke to The Gleaner on Sunday, said the issue of dual citizenship had been debated for many years, particularly since 2008, but had yet to be resolved by Jamaica’s leaders.

He questioned why the Constitution had not been amended to address this issue after more than a decade and why Jamaicans had not pressured lawmakers to do so.

“We have to decide as a country what we want, but I will not criticize any politician, whether from the PNP (People’s National Party) or the JLP (Jamaican Labor Party), who has Jamaican citizenship and that of a other Commonwealth country because they are constitutionally protected,” said the professor of political and social psychology.

“If we change that and amend it to say you only have to have Jamaican citizenship to be eligible for political office, then we expect everyone to comply and they must comply. Until then, I am not in favor of unnecessary discussions and pointless discussions, and I am alarmed that the Prime Minister can make statements about the Leader of the Opposition while he is acting within his constitutional rights to have British and Jamaican citizenship,” Charles said. .

A week ago, Holness called the idea that the country’s leader should hold citizenship of any other country “untenable and incurable.”

The ruling JLP maintained its criticism of Golding, who maintained that he was not violating the Constitution and pushed for dual nationality to be included in the legal corpus as part of the ongoing reform process .

But Charles is adamant that if there are concerns about dual nationality, “change it”.

He said that for there to be valid criticism, the rules of the Constitution must change.

“How is it that people say they are informed and call on people to resign or renounce their citizenship when these citizenship rights are protected by the Constitution? Does that make sense?” Charles asked.

Yet in a relentless salvo, South East Clarendon MP Pearnel Charles Jr insists Golding explains a series of “misleading” claims about his citizenship.

Charles Jr said Golding, who is the PNP president, should also explain why it took him so long to publicly confirm his British citizenship, arguing that his status does not reflect a full commitment to Jamaica.

“The fact that an aspiring Jamaican government leader is now involved in this fiasco that has led to questions about his commitment to Jamaica is a major problem,” Charles Jr. said.

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