Jamaican gov't minister Matthew Samuda renounces British citizenship

Jamaican Senator and Government Minister Matthew Samuda has announced that he has begun the process of renouncing his British citizenship, which he acquired at birth.

In a statement released today, Samuda said: "I am advanced in the process of renouncing my British citizenship which I acquired at birth. I voluntarily took the decision to retain Jamaican citizenship only and renounce British citizenship after having carefully listened to recent public discourse concerning the issue of dual citizenship. I had begun the process of renunciation prior to today by completing relevant forms. In response to public enquiries, I wish to make my decision to renounce clear. I'd strongly advise the Opposition Leader to take a similar course of action."

Matthew Samuda also serves as the Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth & Job Creation.

Public discourse surrounding the dual citizenship of Jamaican Parliamentarians has dominated the news since People's National Party leader Mark Golding last week announced that he is still a British citizen. Golding however said that there is currently no legal requirement for him to renounce his status in the United Kingdom at this time.

“I am a Jamaican citizen by birth. I am also a UK citizen by descent. I have not renounced my British citizenship as it is not legally necessary for me to do so,” Golding said.

He pointed to Section 39 (a) of the Constitution, which states that anyone who, at the time of appointment or nomination for election, can serve in Parliament as long as they are a Commonwealth citizen aged 21 or older.

Clause (b) of that section further states that an individual is eligible if they have been ordinarily resident in Jamaica for the immediate preceding 12 months, qualifying them to be appointed as a senator or elected as a member of the House of Representatives.

Questions about Golding’s citizenship arose after he suggested that the constitutional reform process should reconsider the current rule barring certain dual citizens from sitting in the Jamaican Parliament.

No Jamaican PM must be a dual citizen, says Holness

Prime Minister Andrew Holness showed support for allowing diaspora members to sit in Parliament but insisted that the country’s leader must not hold dual citizenship.

“I believe that the Jamaican Diaspora is much bigger than our Commonwealth … that we should allow persons with Jamaican citizenship to be able to serve Jamaicans in our Parliament politically. So for me, it doesn’t matter what other citizenship you have once you swear allegiance being a Jamaican citizen to Jamaica. That would be my stated position.

“The other thing I would say is that to be the ultimate leader of a country, to be the ultimate executive leader of the country, you should have no other citizenship. There should be no question by your citizens that you lead that you know that you have somehow split loyalties,” Holness said.