Change Dual Citizens Law

Apr 06, 2019 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

A lot has been penned on dual citizens. Should they be allowed to serve in parliament? Calls have been made for an amendment to the constitution that bars dual citizens from being Members of Parliament. More Guyanese live abroad than at home. There are more Guyanese who are dual citizens than of Guyana alone. They possess enormous resources (capital, skills, experience in development policies, governance integrity. etc.). Minister Trotman is right that it is a disservice excluding them from participation in the country’s political affairs. They contribute to the development of those countries. Some of them also help Guyana. A person should not be excluded from political service to the nation on account of dual citizenship. Their survival abroad depends on acquiring foreign citizenship. It makes no sense to exclude competent decent individuals from political involvement in the homeland.
I, therefore, join Minister Rafael Trottman and others who are calling for an abolition of the law barring dual citizens from serving as MPs. If they can serve as CEOs and Chairs of government corporations and agencies, why can’t they serve in Parliament. The law is an idiot in this regard.
Whenever the new parliament meets, the constitution should be amended accordingly. Or better yet, how about a new constitution in which all elected parties participate in a national unity government and with a role for Guyanese in the Diaspora.

Yours truly,
Dr. Vishnu Bisram

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News