If this is true then.....

[Sickko]

we are in for interesting times, long after the impending elections

I dont want to get caught up in any numbers but some one called me to tell me they heard on the 10pm news that as many as SEVEN JLP candidates might be ineleigible to conest the next elections.

Among the names I heard are ...Vaz and Robertson, Shahine Robinson and her brother and who ever is running against Sharon Haye-Webster.



From RJR Website...

The looming political drama sparked by allegations that some political candidates enjoy dual citizenship and are therefore in breach of the law, has taken on new dimensions, as both sides gear up for what is likely to be a protracted court battle.
Our investigations reveal that the People's National Party (PNP) is in the final stages of preparations to lodge a formal complaint that several [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]Jamaica[/COLOR] Labour Party (JLP) candidates have dual citizenship.
But the JLP is finalising countervailing strategies to repel the PNP's moves.
The PNP says it suspects that up to nine JLP candidates enjoy dual citizenship.
Among the candidates the PNP is targeting are Shahine Robinson and her brother Peter Fakhourie, both running in St. Ann constituencies.
But PNP insiders were quick to claim that the party has cleaned up its own act.
The PNP says two of its candidates who had dual citizenship - Norman Horne and Ian [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]Hayles[/COLOR][/COLOR] - have surrendered their US citizenship.
Both men defected from the JLP to the PNP.
The PNP points to Sections 39, 40 and 42 of the Constitution, which forbid candidates from holding citizenship status in another country.
Section 39 states that subject to the provisions of section 40, election nominees must have resided in Jamaica for the 12 months prior to being nominated as a candidate.
The section also stipulates that quote "No person shall be qualified as an elected member of the House of Representatives who is by virtue of his own act under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state".
JLP General Secretary Karl Samuda will not divulge the [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]party's [COLOR=blue! important]plans[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR], but a highly placed insider revealed that the JLP has engaged the services of a [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]legal [COLOR=blue! important]expert[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] from overseas to guide it in any potential legal scuffle.
It is understood that the JLP anticipates a long legal battle which will culminate long after the election.
[/COLOR]


Any foreigners in the House? Some party candidates said to possess dual citizenship
published: Sunday | August 12, 2007


Robinson
AT LEAST one politician may have occupied [COLOR=black! important][COLOR=black! important]Jamaica's[/COLOR][/COLOR] Parlia-ment even though the person may not have been qualified to so do, and at least seven are lining up to do the same after the August 27 [COLOR=black! important][COLOR=black! important]general [COLOR=black! important]election[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR], The Sunday Gleaner has learned.
The issue of unqualified aspirants to sit in the country's legislature cuts across the political divide, but sources say the bulk of the candidates in question are representing the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). The candidates are said to have dual [COLOR=black! important][COLOR=black! important]citizenship[/COLOR][/COLOR], which, under Section 40 of the Constitution, may disqualify them from being members of the Senate and House of Representatives.
The Sunday Gleaner understands that many of the persons, who it is said do not qualify to be in the hallowed walls of Gordon House, have pledged allegiance to the United States of America.
Challenge must be made
Noted constitutional [COLOR=black! important][COLOR=black! important]lawyer[/COLOR][/COLOR] Dr. Lloyd Barnett says the law is straightforward regarding who does not qualify to be a Member of Parliament (MP) or senator. He says that unless a successful challenge is made about the qualification of a person to be an MP or senator, a member can sit comfortably in the House.
"The person retains the seat and is validly there unless there is a pronouncement by the court," Dr. Barnett says.
He adds: "In the electoral system that we have, there has to be a challenge as to the person's qualification and if there is no challenge, then the person remains a member."
Oswest Senior Smith, the People's National Party (PNP) candidate for St. Ann North East, who is also an attorney-at-law, reasons that because of the qualification issue, he is more than confident that he will be the MP after the election.
Rival does not qualify
He says that while he is confident of being elected at the polls, he has information to suggest that his rival, Shahine Robinson, does not qualify to sit in Parliament.
"If my information is true, that she is a naturalised citizen, as well as her brother [Peter Fakhourie, JLP candidate in St. Ann South East], then there is no way that their candidacy that starts at nomination day will be sustained. Even if she renounces it now, the die has already been cast," Smith argues.
Robinson, who first won the North East St. Ann seat in the 2001 by-election over Carol Jackson of the PNP and then retained her seat in Parliament after the 2002 election, declined to confirm or deny whether she is a naturalised American citizen.
"I have no comment about that," Robinson said.
Asked if she might comment on it in the future, she says there is no need to do so. "I am a Jamaican," she said.
"I was bornand raised in Jamaica. I have a Jamaican passport, a Jamaican driver's licence," the 54-year-old Robinson states emphatically.
Not aware
Meanwhile, Karl Samuda, the JLP's general secretary, says he is not aware of any JLP candidates who are naturalised United States citizens.
"We are not aware at the moment that there is any difficulty for any of our candidates," Samuda says. He adds that the pronouncements may have been planned and voiced by persons within the PNP "to create difficulties for people who have served this country for years". He admits that the issue came up at a campaign meeting at Belmont Road in St. Andrew last week, and was "discussed in a an exploratory way, but we are not perturbed by any such suggestions," Samuda says.

[Willi]

What a prekeh!!!!

[Comment]

merely holding dual citizenship does not make you ineligible for public office.

[Mosiah]

NONSENSE!!!! At the very least, you are being disingenuous.

The law is very clear - if you, by your own accord, acquire citizenship of another country, then you are ineligible for a member of parliament position. It is particularly vexing for me when the USA is involved because they do not recognize dual citizenship.

No need to be cute about "public office". That can and does mean anything. We are talking about the upcoming election where people are seeking members of parliament position.

If the candidate was born in the foreign country, and in this case wi talking bout di USA, then that would not disqualify said candidate, because he or she did not have a choice in where the birth took place.

But I find it the heights of slackness for any person who is a sitting MP to acquire citizenship of any other country. What message does that send to the citizens of Jamaica? These are the people, from whatever party, who sit and pass legislation and whatever else they do in parliament (sleep included) who might be making our lives hell by their actions, and for the MP to have the ability to flee to their adopted country when the heat start reach them - slackness!!! Still upset about the fact that they have foreign health insurance, so don't get me started?!?!

It is noted that when asked about it, Shahine's response was that she has a Jamaican passport and a Jamaican driver's licence. Who the hell asked her about that?

We should not wait for the elections to kick these people to the curb. Their nominations should be declared void. They need to step now! I say deport them all to their adopted countries!

And it would be interesting to know what was edited from Comment's previous post. I can bet he was simply making sure that he used the right words in his vain attempt to cloud the issue.

[Lazie]

NONSENSE!!!! At the very least, you are being disingenuous.

The law is very clear - if you, by your own accord, acquire citizenship of another country, then you are ineligible for a member of parliament position. It is particularly vexing for me when the USA is involved because they do not recognize dual citizenship.

No need to be cute about "public office". That can and does mean anything. We are talking about the upcoming election where people are seeking members of parliament position.

If the candidate was born in the foreign country, and in this case wi talking bout di USA, then that would not disqualify said candidate, because he or she did not have a choice in where the birth took place.

But I find it the heights of slackness for any person who is a sitting MP to acquire citizenship of any other country. What message does that send to the citizens of Jamaica? These are the people, from whatever party, who sit and pass legislation and whatever else they do in parliament (sleep included) who might be making our lives hell by their actions, and for the MP to have the ability to flee to their adopted country when the heat start reach them - slackness!!! Still upset about the fact that they have foreign health insurance, so don't get me started?!?!

It is noted that when asked about it, Shahine's response was that she has a Jamaican passport and a Jamaican driver's licence. Who the hell asked her about that?

We should not wait for the elections to kick these people to the curb. Their nominations should be declared void. They need to step now! I say deport them all to their adopted countries!

And it would be interesting to know what was edited from Comment's previous post. I can bet he was simply making sure that he used the right words in his vain attempt to cloud the issue.

Should Norman Horne be kicked to the curb too? Or yuh believe that they're renounced their US citizenship ... just like how the Trafigua money was returned.

Shaine has been MP for NE St. Ann for more than 5 years. Why all of a sudden there is a problem? I guess the pictures of nomination day in SE St. Ann is causing some concern.

[Mosiah]

Don't remember mentioning party in my harangue. What are you misunderstanding?

So, an alleged rapist has not been apprehended for 10 years, why worry about him now? Oh, the analogy is not correct? Yuh right! The rape act is long gone, but the candidates are still breaking the law by them still being in the race.

[Lazie]

Don't remember mentioning party in my harangue. What are you misunderstanding?

So, an alleged rapist has not been apprehended for 10 years, why worry about him now? Oh, the analogy is not correct? Yuh right! The rape act is long gone, but the candidates are still breaking the law by them still being in the race.

Didn't you mention Shaine? Or yuh figet that?

[Mosiah]

Act like yuh have sense. I was pointing out something in particular that she said. Does that then tie the entire post to the one woman?!?! Where in the rest of the post...why do I bother?!?

[Exile]

Precedence to this occurred in Trinidad's elections sm years ago when 2 elected candidates (UNC) admitted to having US passports. They both gave up their US citizenship before being sworned in....I think..one was made a Junior Minister....

[Lazie]

Act like yuh have sense. I was pointing out something in particular that she said. Does that then tie the entire post to the one woman?!?! Where in the rest of the post...why do I bother?!?

Funny, people that continuously fall fi the same 3 cyaad trick ago tell a thinking person bout sense? Fi a man whey say him bright yuh need fi duh better than that. Start thinking for a change.

[Mosiah]

Lazie, forget the insults. This is inexcusable. I cannot see how anyone would want to excuse this. Clearly, you are concerned about how this may affect the JLP's chances. Just say that and done.

How quickly you have forgotten that I too want a break from this PNP govt. But I also want the candidates to respect Jamaica. I cannot have faith in people who, while prancing on stage or in parliament, their US passports (and health insurance card) are stashed away in their pocketbooks and wallets.

[Runawaybay]

I have personally seen visiting JA politicians encourage Jamaican nationals in Atlanta to seek US citizenship because in their opinion they (Jamaicans living in US) will be in a position to better influence US policy toward JA. They would add, remember that JA recognizes dual citizenship. As part of the same presentation, the politicians would encourage members of their audience to play an active role in the development of the country both from inside and outside of Jamaica. You know the usual strength and importance of the diaspora, we are in this together, together we can achieve argument.

[Gamma]

this is not even an issue...jlp candidates should know! seaga had to give up his us citizenship too. slack!

now the only loophole is does this prevent them from being nominated and running...if they lose they keep it, if they win then in order to take the seat they have to give it up.

[Lazie]

Lazie, forget the insults. This is inexcusable. I cannot see how anyone would want to excuse this. Clearly, you are concerned about how this may affect the JLP's chances. Just say that and done.

How quickly you have forgotten that I too want a break from this PNP govt. But I also want the candidates to respect Jamaica. I cannot have faith in people who, while prancing on stage or in parliament, their US passports (and health insurance card) are stashed away in their pocketbooks and wallets.

Bossman, all I'm saying lets not take the PNP's word as gospel. Lets wait and see if anything guh suh nuh? Shaine have NE St. Ann locked, her brother had an enormous crowd behind him on nomination day, although they may be imported .. who knows. Yuh nuh find it strange that just know this is coming out?

[Mosiah]

Nothing wrong with that. I agree wholeheartedly. Just don't run for an MP position in Jamaica with your US passport in tow.