Dear Editor,
As society continues to read revelations of Members of Parliament’s admittance of having dual citizenship and denial on the part of others, even though one was outed by his leader, this issue is bringing clearer to the fore the magnitude of the problem we face in this area. Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo has outed Gail Teixeira and Adrian Anamayah, the latter who did not want to admit to the media until he heard Jagdeo’s press conference.
Society awaits the media following up with Anamayah, Amna Ally and Odinga Lumumba who were previously approached, and others who are seeking to lie low. They have to be rooted out on both sides. By now you would imagine this being in the public domain that the Leaders of both sides should have issued a statement of those in violation and what measures will be put in place to secure compliance with Article 155(1)(a).
We are witnessing those who come clean when questioned, some denying even when outed, and others being downright deceptive or cagey. This issue is not about the Coalition Government or the Opposition; it is about both sides who are deserving of being held equally accountable. It is clear that both are in breach of the extant article.
As society’s watchdog the media continue to play a pivotal role in ensuring constitutional compliance in this instance and all in violation of the article must be exposed. There should be no cherry-picking of the Guyana Constitution, it has to be total compliance and we must not stop now until this is achieved. Those responsible for making the laws, shaping and guiding society must be held in compliance for same.
This issue is reinforcing the call for constitutional education because it allows members of society to know their rights and freedoms, better understand the system of governance in order that they can participate in a more meaningful way, insist on its application, and hold leaders to account consistent with the Constitution.
In a previous addressing of this issue it was misstated that Article 155(1)(a) dealing with dual citizens was enacted in 2000. Christopher Ram is thanked for bringing same to attention.
Yours faithfully,
Lincoln Lewis
