Vaz challenges PNP

[Time]

.. but it effectively says that you cannot be a Jamaican MP if you are an American!

[Mosiah]

so Vaz did not swear allegiance?

[Muadib]

Did he ?

[Muadib]

Does it ?

The law does not prohibit a dual-citizen from being nominated.

[Mosiah]

yeah, like i'm going to get into these circular discussions with you today.

[Muadib]

It is not circular.. you asked a question and I don't know the answer.. if you do please assist us.

Did Vaz swear allegiance to the United States ?

[Gamma]

he is deemed to have done so based on his actions.

what i wonder is if someone has a green card and is in the us army and goes to combat and fight for them...is he deemed to have pledged allegiance.......?

[Assasin]

I see nobody choice to answer your very intelligent question, I wonder why?

[Mosiah]

allegiance to what, the army or the country?

[Gamma]

yuh a shat a man as a member of the country's army....to "defend" the country.....to the country dammit!

[Muadib]

His actions were interpreted by the Judge as amounting to acknowledging allegiance.

Swearing allegiance is just that... swearing.

I wonder why she reference use of passport ?

It is quite borderline to qualify allegiance by analyzing which passport one chooses to travel on..especially when the other passport is Jamaican. One would have to be stupid to travel on a Jamaican passport if you have a US passport.. dat have nothing to do with allegiance.

Basically, if I lose my Jamaican passport and it I know it tek how many months to renew it and I can renew my US passport (originally obtained via mother) in a few days.. by renewing by US Passport I am deemed to have allegiance to the US and therefore ineligible to be a member of parliament..

Spirit of the Law ?

[Mosiah]

suh di judge nuh have nuh sense?

[Mosiah]

intelligent?! from bricktop?!?

[Bricktop]

The absence of knowledge and the absence of sound are here synonymous

[Gamma]

yuh raise the argument that, IMHO, is to be raised in these situations. i don't think it is a winning argument though.

expedience does not eliminate the prospect of having sworn allegiance and in a matter such as this, it would be a dangerous precedent to start making exceptions in much the same way that having made the ruling about vaz' ability to sit in parlaiment, the judge ordered a by-election.

if you are not an MP expedience is of no moment, consequence or relevance to anyone else, but if you are an mp, it is.

the judge need not look behind the USE of the passport. it's possession (renewal) and use in my opinion is enough evidence upon which a reasonable judgment can be formed and using the standard for a decsion being overturned at the court above, i'm not sure there is any chance of it being overturned on that ground (i note that vaz has not appealed or even sounded an intention to appeal).