Gov’t ‘convenient’ by not upholding court rulings on dual citizenship – Jagdeo

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has accused the Government of being “convenient” in upholding recent court rulings on the No Confidence motion.

Both the High Court and the Court of Appeal have upheld the constitutional requirement for membership to the National Assembly, namely that dual citizens are not eligible.

However, the Government’s Chief Whip Amna Ally has been quoted in the media as declaring that Government Parliamentarians who are dual citizens will return to Parliament when the next sitting is called.

On the Government side, Ministers Joseph Harmon and Carl Greenidge have admitted they are dual citizens, while on the opposition side, the PPP has said its dual citizens are Gail Teixeira, Odinga Lumumba and Adrian Anamaya.

Following last Friday’s ruling at the Court of Appeal, which by a 2-1 majority declared that the December 21 No Confidence was not passed, the Government said it was back to business as usual and the need for early elections was averted.

But Jagdeo said the Government was being selective in not also upholding the ruling on dual citizenship.

He said the Government’s dual-citizen Parliamentarians should have immediately resigned, and Greenidge should not have performed the functions of President last week.

He suggested Greenidge and Minister of State Joseph Harmon should have both resigned, reasoning that they both hold those posts by virtue of being Members of Parliament.

“You cannot be convenient in calling for respect (of the court rulings),” Jagdeo declared.

He said that in persisting with it’s no adherence to the rulings on dual citizenship, the government was displaying “absolutely” no decency.

Jagdeo declared that Parliamentarians of the PPP who are dual citizens will not attend any sittings of the National Assembly.