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PNP makes new citizenship claims against Shahine Robinson
Thursday, September 16, 2010
SHAHINE Robinson, the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) member of Parliament for North East St Ann, will now have to respond to freshly unearthed documents alleging that she owes allegiance to the United States.
Lawyers for the People's National Party's Manley Bowen, who is seeking Robinson's ouster from the House of Representatives on the ground that she allegedly holds dual nationality with the United States, has filed documents in the Supreme Court, which they say would prove their case against the embattled MP.
The lawyers, in court documents, claim to have information that Robinson holds a US alien registration card, a certificate of naturalisation, and that she had sworn allegiance to the US Government on January 21, 2006.
Robinson is being asked to produce the documents in time for trial on October 4. The trial will determine whether or not Robinson had sworn allegiance to the US at the time of her nomination to contest the September 3, 2007 general elections. In keeping with the Jamaican Constitution, Robinson would be disqualified from the House of Representatives if the allegations are proven. The court could either rule that a by- election be held to select a new representative for the constituency or install one. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for today.
Robinson had won the seat over the PNP's Oswest Senior-Smith. But shortly after, her legitimacy was challenged as allegation surfaced that she had US citizenship. On May 21, Bowen had the Supreme Court disqualify Robinson from the House of Representatives on a technicality. But Justice Roy Jones later reversed his ruling based on an application by Robinson.
When the trial starts on October 4, journalist Cliff Hughes will be a witness.
He was served a summons by Bowen's legal team, which is claiming that Robinson had admitted during a August 2007 interview, conducted by Hughes, that she was an American. The recordings of the interview have been subpoenaed.
The PNP has already forced three by-elections in JLP seats on the grounds of dual citizenship. Daryl Vaz (West Portland), Desmond Gregory Mair (North East St Catherine), and Michael Stern (North West Clarendon) all retained their seats in the by-elections.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
SHAHINE Robinson, the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) member of Parliament for North East St Ann, will now have to respond to freshly unearthed documents alleging that she owes allegiance to the United States.
Lawyers for the People's National Party's Manley Bowen, who is seeking Robinson's ouster from the House of Representatives on the ground that she allegedly holds dual nationality with the United States, has filed documents in the Supreme Court, which they say would prove their case against the embattled MP.
The lawyers, in court documents, claim to have information that Robinson holds a US alien registration card, a certificate of naturalisation, and that she had sworn allegiance to the US Government on January 21, 2006.
Robinson is being asked to produce the documents in time for trial on October 4. The trial will determine whether or not Robinson had sworn allegiance to the US at the time of her nomination to contest the September 3, 2007 general elections. In keeping with the Jamaican Constitution, Robinson would be disqualified from the House of Representatives if the allegations are proven. The court could either rule that a by- election be held to select a new representative for the constituency or install one. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for today.
Robinson had won the seat over the PNP's Oswest Senior-Smith. But shortly after, her legitimacy was challenged as allegation surfaced that she had US citizenship. On May 21, Bowen had the Supreme Court disqualify Robinson from the House of Representatives on a technicality. But Justice Roy Jones later reversed his ruling based on an application by Robinson.
When the trial starts on October 4, journalist Cliff Hughes will be a witness.
He was served a summons by Bowen's legal team, which is claiming that Robinson had admitted during a August 2007 interview, conducted by Hughes, that she was an American. The recordings of the interview have been subpoenaed.
The PNP has already forced three by-elections in JLP seats on the grounds of dual citizenship. Daryl Vaz (West Portland), Desmond Gregory Mair (North East St Catherine), and Michael Stern (North West Clarendon) all retained their seats in the by-elections.
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