St Vincent PM signals court challenge over dual-citizen candidates ahead of election

St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has indicated that the issue of candidates holding dual citizenship will be taken to court as the nation gears up for the November 27 general election.

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Speaking to supporters of the ruling Unity Labour Party (ULP) on Tuesday, Gonsalves, who is seeking a historic sixth consecutive term, said his party had attempted to prevent Opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Dr Godwin Friday and East Kingstown candidate Fitz Bramble from being nominated because of their Canadian citizenship.

Friday, seeking a sixth term as the parliamentary representative for the Northern Grenadines, and Bramble, pursuing a second five-year term, were both born in St Vincent and the Grenadines but acquired Canadian citizenship as adults.

On his weekly radio programme Wednesday, Gonsalves said the two legislators “have a huge problem,” defending the objections raised by registered electors to their nominations. Citing section 26 of the Constitution and section 35 of the Representation of the People’s Act, Gonsalves said that voluntary allegiance to a foreign power, in this case Canada, disqualifies a person from being elected.

Gonsalves referenced a 2020 Court of Appeal decision involving former St Kitts-Nevis Prime Minister Dr Denzil Douglas, which determined that merely holding a foreign passport can indicate voluntary allegiance. He noted that Friday himself had admitted in Parliament to carrying his Canadian passport, while Bramble reportedly acknowledged his Canadian citizenship during his interview with the Returning Officer on Nomination Day.

Unsigned documents challenging the nominations of Friday and Bramble began circulating on social media Monday. Friday later posted a video confirming that his nomination was successful, dismissing attempts to block him.

“Of course, my opponents … tried some dirty tricks. They wanted to knock me off the ballot… But it didn’t succeed,” Friday said, adding that the election on November 27 is the true test for voters.

The dispute sets the stage for a potential legal battle over dual citizenship and eligibility as the country heads into a tightly contested election season.