P.M Godwin Friday and MP Fitz Bramble Disqualifies from holding political office or not. By: Chief Strong-Blood (Allan H. F. Palmer)

It seems like the people of our blessed country cannot, get an ease from political tension that have become a part of our everyday life. If it isn’t one thing, it is another.

Since 1979, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Vincentians have been caught up in an adversarial vortex: an environment of political party tension. I have long grown tired of this unhealthy atmosphere: of a perpetual election campaign mode. This overbearing and societal unhealthy atmosphere has persisted for some forty-seven years non-stop; such an environment has been and is very overwhelming.

The most recent issue that surfaced, and continue to drive a wedge into our society that has and is impacted our neighborly relationship; is the issue of Sec. 26 of the constitution of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, as it related to Prime Minister Godwin Friday’s, and Member of Parliament Fitz Bramble’s election to the house of Parliament, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the November 27 general election. 

The current leader of the Political Opposition, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, issued a legal challenge, to the constitutionality of Prime Minister Godwin Friday and Minister of Foreign Affairs Fitzgerald Bramble’s election to the house of Parliament. 

This challenge came after Prime Minister Godwin Friday had been an elected member of the house of Parliament for over 20 plus uninterrupted years; while Ralph Gonsalves was the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. This means that Prime Minister Godwin Friday was nominated, campaigned, participated in the electoral system as a candidate to be elected and won his seat and sat in and participated in the business of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines legislature for no less than four General Election cycles.

We must not forget that the petitioner in this case: Opposition Leader: Ralph Gonsalve, in his capacity as Prime Minister, supported, and encouraged members of his party, in the same practice as PM Friday, and MP Bramble is now accused of; to be nominated, campaign, participate in the electoral system and process as a candidate to be elected, in violation of Sec. 26 1(a) of the Constitution of St. Vincent and the Grenadines on several occasions. 

I call your attention to Elder Statesman: Mr. Louis Straker, who is a citizen of the United States of America; as well as, the opposition Leader Ralph E. Gonsalves’ son, from a previous marriage Camillo Gonsalves who holds three citizenships. Camillo Gonsalves is a citizen of St. Vincent and the Grenadines by virtue of parental rights, through his father, he is a citizen of Jamaica, through parental rights, he being the son of a dignified Jamaican woman: Dr. Prof. Sonia Gonsalves and he is also a citizen of the U.S.A, the land of his birth.

The question I will like to ask here is; why is this simple issue, keeping these learned men and women: lawyers, and legislators up at night.

I have studied the portion of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines constitution and have done the other relevant research, to determine the relevance of this claim, that is brought against PM Friday and MP Bramble by the Opposition leader. Here is the conclusion of my findings. 

The St. Vincent and the Grenadine constitution is extremely clear on the issue of foreigners’ participation as a candidate in political elections in our blessed land. I will say it here: the Constitution of St. Vincent does not need any help in clarifying this issue; section 25 and 26 is self-evident. Sec. 25 tells us the qualifications that are required, to sit and participate in the official business of the SVG house of parliament as a law maker, sec. 26 tells us who is disqualified. 

 

 

Disqualifications for Representatives and Senators. 

26. (1) No person shall be qualified to be elected or appointed as a Representative or Senator (hereinafter in this section referred to as a member) if he

a. is by virtue of his own act, under any acknowledgment of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state.

What section 26. Sub. sec. 1(a) is saying, if a Vincentian of any foreigner who resides in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, who want to sit in the parliament of St. Vincent and the Grenadines as a law maker, that person must not hold any allegiance or other serious commitment to any Foreign Power or state. 

It does not matter who the person is or how high that person is held in the esteem of others, if that person or those people, who so desire to participate in the official political business of our country, and they are burdened with any allegiance or serious commitment to any foreign power and or state, then they are not eligible, to sit and participate in the official business of the SVG parliament.  

The question we must answer here is; are PM Godwin Friday and MP Fitz Bramble by the virtue of their Canadian citizenship, disqualified from their current roles as law makers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. This cannot be determined just by examining the Constitution of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. In order to determine this, we must take a gander at the laws of Canada, the country to which they allegedly hold an allegiance. 

According to the Canadian immigrations law, each alien, who is desirous of becoming a Canadian citizen, and have so qualified, upon being granted such citizenship, those new Canadian must sign and repeat the oath of citizenship of Canada. 

 

Oath of Citizenship - Canada 

I swear (or affirm) That I will be faithful and bear true allegiance To His Majesty King Charles the Third King of Canada His Heirs and Successors And that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada Including the Constitution Which recognizes and affirms The Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples And fulfil my duties as a Canadian citizen.

What is interesting here is Canadian citizenship holders are not required to renounced any other citizenship they hold. However, they are required to pledge allegiance to the British Monarch: which is also The Monarch of Canada. Canada being a British Commonwealth Country, is still subjected to the British Monarch. 

What is interesting here is, St. Vincent and the Grenadines like Canada; is an independent county that is a part of the British Commonwealth, and like Canada is therefore subjected to the British Monarch or the Monarch of England. Hence the reason we have a Governor General, the British Monarch’s representative in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It is also for the same reason; the Privy Counsel the Highest Court in England is our final Court of appeal.

If there is an alien, who wishes to obtain citizenship of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and have been granted any such citizenship. If an oath is to be administered upon the new Vincentian; the new Vincentian must also pledge allegiance to the Monarch of England, in the form of whoever occupies the throne at the time of the granting of such citizenship.

Therefore, according to the laws of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the laws of Canada: PM Godwin Friday and MP Fitz Bramble are eligible to offer themselves as political candidates, be nominated, and because they were successful in their bid to become law makers, they are eligible, to participate in the St. Vincent and the Grenadines House of Parliament in an official capacity.

 

Eligibility & Disclaimer

First let me make a disclaimer here, I am not a lawyer, however, I have an acute understanding of the law, which has been sharpened by my experience here in the Good old USA. Experience: when the United States Federal Government instituted immigration removal proceedings against me in 2009, I researched my case, made all of the appropriate filings myself, and I represented myself pro se.  

I had the misfortune of being hauled before the NYC criminal court system as a defendant on several occasions. I also represented myself and won all of the cases. The same thing happened in California on a larger scale however, in California I was also hauled before the Federal criminal court as a defendant. I also defended myself to the same result. 

 I have been involved in several civil litigations, which saw me being opposed by three of California’s largest law firms. I have taken appeals to the second District Appeals court and had a favorable judgement, and I have also taken matters to the California Superior Appeal court. Los Angeles Circuit.

With all that said, please take note. Nothing I said here: is and can be considered legal advice. 

 

Sign: Chief Strong Blood (Allan H. F Palmer).