The leader of Guyana’s main opposition A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change – Joe Harmon has called on two government ministers to renounce their citizenship with the United States.
Harmon, a former Government minister, noted that under Guyana’s constitution and in keeping with a ruling by the High Court and the Court of Appeal, persons who hold dual citizenship are prevented from running for a seat in the National Assembly.
In 2019, Harmon, who was the former Minister of State was one of the four Government Parliamentarians who had to resign from the National Assembly and as Ministers in Government, because of their dual citizenship status.
As proof that he renounced his US citizenship, on Thursday, Harmon publicly released his certificate of loss of US Citizenship, confirming that he is no longer a dual citizen.
The document which carries a US Government seal revealed that application for the relinquishment of his US Citizenship was approved on October 8, 2019.
Harmon said he wants to see Minister of Governance Gail Teixeira and new Member of Parliament for the Joinder list, Lenox Shuman do the same.
Just before the swearing-in of new Members of Parliament on Wednesday, the Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs reminded Members of Parliament of the Constitutional provision and the Court’s ruling.
He also requested proof from the Members that they have relinquished their foreign citizenship
Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Lenox Shuman has given an undertaking to the Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs that he will shortly submit documents to prove that he is no longer the holder of Canadian citizenship.
Shuman met with Isaacs on Wednesday.
The Clerk of the National Assembly says Shuman informed him that he will arrange for his family overseas to post his renunciation certificate to Guyana for submission to the Parliament Office.
Isaacs said that in the interim, Shuman has promised to obtain a letter from the Canadian High Commission showing that he is no longer a Canadian citizen.
Shuman, who is Leader of the Liberty and Justice Party, is an opposition parliamentarian.
However, he was nominated and elected by the 33 government parliamentarians to be Deputy Speaker.
CMC
