Dual Citizens in the Jamaican Parliament

posted in: Politics

I really cannot understand why the holder of a US passport has to give up their citizenship while the holder of a Canadian or UK passport does not. The US, Canada, and the UK are very close allies. The differentiation between these countries is minute.

The swearing of allegience has to do with upholding the host countries laws. We Jamaicans make too much of it. We are not at war with the US. The law in the US is compatible with the law in Jamaica since it is based on British common law. The US allows a Jamaican Dual National to run for political office except the presidency. There is no good reason why Jamaica should not allow a Jamaican born US citizen to hold a seat in Gordon House.

The US is a source of well qualified Jamaican citizens who want to serve the country. Fully 38% of all people born in Jamaican since 1960 live in a foreign country. The US is the closest and largest source of such Jamaican citizens.

We exclude the Jamaican born US citizen to our own detriment. The returning resident is a valued add to our economy. They bring pension funds. They bring first world experience, and they bring out of the box innovative ideas. These things can be used to advance Jamaica to the next developmental level.