PLP by-election hopeful Ryan Pinder defends his right to dual citizenship

tribune242:



HOPEFUL PLP candidate for the Elizabeth by-election, Ryan Pinder, has defended his right to dual citizenship amid controversy over the right of a Member of Parliament to hold two nationalities.

The Constitution states in Article 48 that no person shall be qualified to be elected as a Member of the House of Assembly who is a citizen of another country having become such a citizen voluntarily, or is, by virtue of his own act, under any acknowledgment of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state.

But as Mr Pinder is a Bahamian born in Nassau, of a Bahamian father and American mother, he acquired US citizenship at birth automatically, rather than voluntarily, and therefore qualifies to serve as a Bahamian MP according to law.

He and attorney Craig Butler are in the running for the PLP candidacy in the upcoming Elizabeth by-election. The party will announce the chosen candidate tonight.

Mr Pinder maintains he would be an excellent representative for the people of Elizabeth, if selected to run in the area once served by his father Marvin Pinder.

But critics have cast doubt over Mr Pinder's right to serve in the House of Assembly, and a debate has stirred on the Internet attracting around 200 comments on a social networking website.

Web blogger Cammy LeFlage said: "It is not 'fine' to be a dual citizen and be a leader in government because it just begs the question: Whose side are you on? Who do you really represent?

"The Bahamas and the US have a quite cozy relationship but the Bahamas must always look out for itself and its people.

"If he carries dual citizenship, how is this supposed to really work? Answer: It won't."

Voices Bahamian stated: "Whoever is in the House holding US citizenship is in the wrong."

However, others have defended Mr Pinder's position.

Carmichael Business League president Ethric Bowe said: "Google the Bahamian constitution and read it for yourself. Ryan has no impediment. We have racism or ignorance operating here. But look it up to settle this then let's move on to some issues."

The issue was also belittled by website user Misty Albury who asked: "Does holding dual passports make you any less capable of holding a position? My kids hold dual citizenship as well and if someday they want to hold office I would hope it wouldn't matter because of something so little."

Jamaican parliamentary hopeful Daryl Vaz was determined ineligible for election as MP in the country because he held dual citizenship. And Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette's brother Robert 'Bobby' Symonette gave up the American citizenship he had been bestowed by virtue of his mother's nationality when he ran for Parliament in 1949.

However, Mr Pinder clarified how Bahamian law differs from Jamaican legalities and has changed in the 60 years since Mr Symonette ran for office and the Bahamas became independent of British rule.

Attorney Paul Adderley said Mr Pinder's dual citizenship does not disqualify him from running for a position in the House as he said other MPs also hold allegiance to two nations.

He said: "There are some very important people who are like that, so there is nothing in that. It's where he is born; you can't change that. So it's not an issue."

Mr Pinder is a tax and commercial law attorney for Becker & Poliakoff and as a US citizen is required to pay taxes in the US. He also lived in the United States for eight years before returning to Nassau in 2008 to head the firm's Bahamian office.

He said his employment by a US law firm is not an issue as many Bahamians work for foreign companies, particularly in the finance industry.

And his American citizenship does not compromise his rich Bahamian heritage nor his ability to serve the people of Elizabeth.

Mr Pinder said: "I am clearly Bahamian, I was clearly born here of a Bahamian father and based on the Constitution there is no issue of me being able to be a member of the House of Assembly.

"My allegiance is to the Bahamas, I don't feel torn in any way. My legacy in the Bahamas goes back to 1648 and the Eleutheran adventurers. My roots in the Bahamas are deeper than I propose most people in the Bahamas. My allegiance is clearly and unequivocally in the Bahamas as a Bahamian."

"This isn't an issue. There's no violation of the Constitution and it's not an issue that is relevant to the people of Elizabeth.

"If I am the chosen candidate I propose to provide proper representation to the people.

"They have issues such as job stability, economic stability and economic security. We should be discussing the issues pertinent to the people of Elizabeth."

January 12, 2010

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