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Constitutional Reform: Do Not Wait

Former Prime Minister in an article entitled "The unfinished business of constitutional reform" The Jamaica Observer, Sunday, April 22,2018 listed among the "other matters which continue to languish although full agreement was reached" the requirement that only citizens of Jamaica are eligible to sit in Parliament.

Given the acknowledged voter apathy, the cost of a referendum ($1b), the technicalities of the wording and the prolonged procedures involved, it is hereby suggested that both major political parties give effect to  agreement reached on the eligibility issue. This can simply be done by the adoption of candidacy guidelines that reflect such and  followed by internal vetting of likely candidates for the elections and nominees to the Senate.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness indicated the current regime's position on the "dual citizenship debate" in the St. Mary by election, October 2017:

"But afterwards, we have to figure out now, because some important questions are raised. Should someone who is not a Jamaican, who doesn't hold a Jamaican passport, should that person sit in our Parliament and make laws for you? And that is an important question that needs to be answered. We have to ensure that Jamaican citizens are in our Parliament, and that people who are not sworn to other powers and other countries, that have obligations to other countries, are not in our Parliament making laws for us."

PM Holness needs to instruct the Attorney General to ensure that the JLP  Parliamentary representatives are in conformity and the General Secretariat to ensure that future JLP candidates and nominees do not run afoul of that edict.

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