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RJR News understands that Member of Parliament (MP) for South Central St. Catherine, Sharon Hay-Webster is considering resigning as a consequence of her dual citizenship status.
The MP who has been in Gordon House since 1997 has reportedly found herself in an untenable position in the wake of the recent court ruling on the status of another MP, Daryl Vaz of the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).
In March, Chief Justice Zaila McCalla ruled that Mr. Vaz was not qualified to sit in Parliament when he contested last September's general election as he held American citizenship which is in contravention of the Jamaican Constitution.
This ruling reportedly has similar implications for several other members of the JLP as well as Mrs. Hay-Webster of the opposition People's National Party (PNP).
Mr. Vaz gained his American citizenship from his United States (US) born mother.
Mrs. Hay Webster was born in the US in September 1961 to a Jamaican father and a Haitian born mother.
She was brought to Jamaica by her parents the following year and has been living here since.
Mrs. Hay-Webster has maintained that she does not hold a US passport and has always traveled on a Jamaican passport.
In light of the court ruling in the Vaz case, however, it is understood that she has been advised that she has no option but to give up her parliamentary career if she does not intend to renounce her US citizenship.
Mrs. Hay Webster has been insisting that she will not give up her status as an American citizen.
When RJR News contacted the MP she would only say that she had sought legal advice and would be guided by any decision arrived at in discussions between the two major political parties.
Replacement
Sources in the PNP have said that if Mrs. Hay-Webster should resign, Senator Basil Waite could be her possible replacement.
It is reported that in recent weeks, Senator Waite has been approached by Party members and asked to consider running for the seat.
Senator Waite served as President of the PNP Youth Organization between 1999 and 2002.
He then left for Harvard University where he pursued post graduate studies at the John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Mr. Waite did a stint at the World Bank and was also a consultant at McKinsey and Company which is a leading international management consulting firm.
He returned to Jamaica last year and was appointed an Opposition Senator following the September General Election.
The MP who has been in Gordon House since 1997 has reportedly found herself in an untenable position in the wake of the recent court ruling on the status of another MP, Daryl Vaz of the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).
In March, Chief Justice Zaila McCalla ruled that Mr. Vaz was not qualified to sit in Parliament when he contested last September's general election as he held American citizenship which is in contravention of the Jamaican Constitution.
This ruling reportedly has similar implications for several other members of the JLP as well as Mrs. Hay-Webster of the opposition People's National Party (PNP).
Mr. Vaz gained his American citizenship from his United States (US) born mother.
Mrs. Hay Webster was born in the US in September 1961 to a Jamaican father and a Haitian born mother.
She was brought to Jamaica by her parents the following year and has been living here since.
Mrs. Hay-Webster has maintained that she does not hold a US passport and has always traveled on a Jamaican passport.
In light of the court ruling in the Vaz case, however, it is understood that she has been advised that she has no option but to give up her parliamentary career if she does not intend to renounce her US citizenship.
Mrs. Hay Webster has been insisting that she will not give up her status as an American citizen.
When RJR News contacted the MP she would only say that she had sought legal advice and would be guided by any decision arrived at in discussions between the two major political parties.
Replacement
Sources in the PNP have said that if Mrs. Hay-Webster should resign, Senator Basil Waite could be her possible replacement.
It is reported that in recent weeks, Senator Waite has been approached by Party members and asked to consider running for the seat.
Senator Waite served as President of the PNP Youth Organization between 1999 and 2002.
He then left for Harvard University where he pursued post graduate studies at the John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Mr. Waite did a stint at the World Bank and was also a consultant at McKinsey and Company which is a leading international management consulting firm.
He returned to Jamaica last year and was appointed an Opposition Senator following the September General Election.
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