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Govt. to limit Minister’s authority on citizenship, visa issuance
A review is underway by the new Government to limit the power of the Minister in charge of issuing
Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix
citizenship to especially foreigners.
According to newly sworn in Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix, his office has been perusing the relevant laws – Chapter 14:01 of the Citizens Act – which specifically governs how the country handles applications.
Under Section 7 of that Act, the Minister has discretionary powers to withhold or grant citizenship without even the courts being able to question him or her.
It says: “The Minister shall not be required to assign any reason for the exercise of any discretionary power conferred on him as to the registering as a citizen, the naturalizing, or certifying the citizenship, of any person and no exercise of any such power shall be subject to appeal or review in any court.”
Felix, a former Commissioner of Police, made it clear that the new administration is not interested in having so much power vested in a single person.
The new Government created the new Ministry, which under the previous Government of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) fell as a department in what was formerly known as the Ministry of Home Affairs.
However, the David Granger administration, which won the majority in May 11 General and Regional Elections, decided to separate that citizenship section and place it under a new one- Ministry of Citizenship.
There have been ongoing complaints of wrongdoing in the citizenship departments under the former ministry.
Persons, including Chinese and Brazilians, were reportedly paying hundreds of thousands of
Govt. is reviewing laws which give the Minister full discretionary powers.
dollars for a Guyana passport and work permits.
Brazilians, who are especially involved in the gold mining business, have been interested in the work permits.
Reportedly, the number of work permits and passports granted in recent years has seen a significant spike.
The new administration has already signaled its intentions to review the number of work permits and citizen applications processed within recent years with a view of ensuring that the possibilities of breaches be reduced.
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