By Krystel Rolle ~ Guardian Staff Reporter ~ krystel@nasguard.com:
Progressive Liberal Party by-election candidate for Elizabeth Ryan Pinder yesterday announced that he surrendered his United States citizenship. The decision comes after weeks of criticism in the political arena. However, yesterday he denied that his decision had anything to do with politics.
Pinder, who is the son of former politician Marvin Pinder, had dual citizenship in The Bahamas and the United States - his mother is an American.
"It happened a while back," he told The Nassau Guardian, referring to his decision to renounce his U.S. citizenship.
"It's not a political decision for me. I'm a man that discusses the issues. The issues are important to the constituents of Elizabeth and it's a shame that this insignificant issue has caused a state of confusion."
"I love the country that I'm a part of. I love The Bahamas. I'm a Bahamian and that's where I stand," he stated.
Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham recently took an indirect swipe at Pinder.
"In Duane Sands you have a patriotic Bahamian," Ingraham said speaking about the Free National Movement's candidate in the by-election.
"He is a full-blooded Bahamian, loyal to The Bahamas, he is only a Bahamian - not dual, single," Ingraham said.
While some political observers believe that Pinder was pressured in making the decision, Pinder said that the choice to give up his U.S. citizen was his alone.
Asked whether the PLP asked him to renounce his citizenship, he said, "no, absolutely not."
Pinder, who has worked in the United States for several years as a tax attorney and returned to The Bahamas about three years ago, said he has no regrets about his decision.
"I work in Nassau, The Bahamas. This is my permanent place of work and permanent place of living. So I work in Nassau and this has no bearing on that."
In July 2008, Becker & Poliakoff, P.A., the U.S. company that employed Pinder, named him to head the firm's new office in New Providence.
According to its website, Becker and Poliakoff is a diversified commercial law firm whose core areas of practice include real estate, condominium and homeowners association law, construction, international business and trade, government law and lobbying, civil and commercial litigation, and corporate securities and tax law. The Elizabeth seat became available last month when former Progressive Liberal Party MP Malcolm Adderley resigned from the House of Assembly. He also resigned from the party.
His resignation came at the halfway mark of the Ingraham administration's third, non-consecutive term in office.
In addition to Sands and Pinder, other candidates in the election are Bahamas Democratic Movement leader Cassius Stuart, Workers Party leader Rodney Moncur and National Development Party chairman Dr. Andre Rollins.
February 12, 2010
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A political blog about Bahamian politics in The Bahamas, Bahamian Politicans - and the entire Bahamas political lot. Bahamian Blogger Dennis Dames keeps you updated on the political news and views throughout the islands of The Bahamas without fear or favor. Bahamian Politicians and the Bahamian Political Arena: Updates one Post at a time on Bahamas Politics and Bahamas Politicans; and their local, regional and international policies and perspectives.