The Caribbean Passport Problem

[theworldismine13]

http://www.caribjournal.com/2013/09/13/op-ed-the-caribbean-passport-problem/

It’s a problem almost unique to the Caribbean. The best and brightest of the region head abroad to study — maybe to Canada, maybe to the United Kingdom, maybe the United States.

They end up living there — a decade, two decades, maybe more. And during that time, they acquire citizenship in their adopted countries.

The problem of course, is when they seek to bring their hard-earned knowledge and experience back to their home countries in the Caribbean and serve in Parliament.

For these politicians, these passports would also become something of a luxury. Often, wealthy businessmen and politicians in the region have sought to hold on to their passports as a kind of insurance policy in times of political turmoil.

But constitutionally speaking, two passports are often one too many. And it’s hard to argue against the proposition that nations have an interest in assuring the loyalty of their lawmakers.

The Caribbean passport problem reentered the news this summer when Tara Rivers, Education Minister in the Cayman Islands, had her eligibility challenged due to the fact that she held an American passport, on the grounds that the holder of a US passport should not be able to hold high executive office in the Cayman Islands. (Full disclosure: I testified as an expert witness in the case).

Rivers was ultimately cleared by a Caymanian court to be the Minister of Education,

Throughout the Caribbean, wealthy businessmen and politicians have also used a United States or other passport as a convenience or an insurance policy to give themselves options in times of political turmoil.

The United State Department of State is responsible for determining the citizenship status of a person located outside the United States. Section 349 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8Usc1481) as amended, states that US citizens are subject to loss of citizenship if they perform certain voluntary specific acts. These acts include obtaining naturalization in a foreign state upon one’s own application after the age of 18, taking an oath affirmation or other formal declaration of allegiance to a foreign state, or its political subdivisions after the age of 18; accepting employment with a foreign government after the age of 18.

In Jamaica, the question of dual nationality has been a difficult one, and has led to expensive litigation. The rule now is that joint US-Jamaican nationals — holders of two passports —may not run for office in the Jamaican Parliament. See Dabdoub v Vaz.

The rule in Dabdoub v Vaz has led to considerable controversy particularly among political hopefuls in the Jamaican diaspora, and the question of dual citizenship — and its relationship to the famous “brain drain” of Caribbean talent in the region, will continue.

Even in Haiti, dual citizenship has remained a common controversy — and the charge of being a secret dual citizen is one frequently leveled in the Haitian Parliament.

Dual citizenship rose to the forefront in 2010, when Wyclef Jean, a Grammy-award winning musician who grew up in Brooklyn wished to run for President of Haiti. But he encountered legal issues establishing that Haiti was his habitual residence as required by Article 135 of the Haitian Constitution. Michael Martelly the current President of Haiti had to prove he had surrendered his US green card before he was elected.

Was the Rivers case rightly decided? And what will it mean for the future of dual citizenship in the region?

 

[TheReal_Broke_88m3_13]

n1ggas hate dual citizenship holders these days

@88m3

 

[88m3]

n1ggas hate dual citizenship holders these days

@88m3

was reading this quickly on my cell

 

[babylon1]

you post the worst threads

 

[theworldismine13]

you post the worst threads

thank you for sharing your thoughts with me

 

[Blackking]

This thread is stupid.

But...

I am dealing with this right now... it's kinda fukked up but not to this extreme.


Actually the article is wrong, you can maintain both.... shyt if ur parent is from the c then it's easy as hell.

 

[theworldismine13]

This thread is stupid.

But...

I am dealing with this right now... it's kinda fukked up but not to this extreme.


Actually the article is wrong, you can maintain both.... shyt if ur parent is from the c then it's easy as hell.

i dont think you read the article, its talking about people that come from america to go back to their homeland to run for office, its the caribbean governments that have the beef not the american government, of course you can maintain both, the problem comes when you try to run for office like wyclef did

if you are just kicking it then it doesnt matter

i posted this story because i thought it was an interesting dilemna for caribbean countries, where you have educated people coming back from america or europe but they cant contribute because of their american or european citizenship but on the other hand what independent nation wants people with foreign passports running their country

its an interesting conundrum for these countries and one i thought my follow hip hop intellectuals of the african diaspora would have an interest in

 

[theworldismine13]

btw here is a related thread http://www.thecoli.com/threads/documentary-the-hector-ricketts-story-dollar-cab-politics.147121/

but that thread promotes capitalism and economic freedom, not socialism so yall will hate it too

 

[Blackking]

It's not easy getting US citizenship.

If you're here on a the OPD or student visa... you can go back after you get ur degree. Nothing is holding you back.

You can get the knowledge from the Western university because you don't believe knowledge is universal - you truly believe without the CAC seal of approval you will not get a well rounded education.......... if thats the case then you can attend school in the UK or US.

But then you can go back and get your political career poppin.......... unless of course you plan on building Western connections and your only intent is to go back to your homeland to satisfy non-indian, non african, non asian, and non Caribbean interest

 

[theworldismine13]

It's not easy getting US citizenship.

If you're here on a the OPD or student visa... you can go back after you get ur degree. Nothing is holding you back.

You can get the knowledge from the Western university because you don't believe knowledge is universal - you truly believe without the CAC seal of approval you will not get a well rounded education.......... if thats the case then you can attend school in the UK or US.

But then you can go back and get your political career poppin.......... unless of course you plan on building Western connections and your only intent is to go back to your homeland to satisfy non-indian, non african, non asian, and non Caribbean interest

im not sure what your point is but thanks for sharing, i think its (US citizens serving in caribbean or african governments) a conundrum and i dont have any strong opinions either way but like i said i posted the thread because i thought its an interesting issue and other people may find it interesting

 

[Blackking]

IT's not a conundrum. Everyone i talk to on a student visa,,, wants to process for ead green card then cit.

it's only when they are older that they realized they fukked up.... and that they desired to be part of the fabric that is fukking their nation over.... so they wanna reverse the shyt and go back.

Australia, Switzerland, france, Canada, hong kong, demark, germany.... all these random places have universities in line w US and UK universities. Someone speaking french or some random shyt... could also go to these places and do well. The mentality is the reason y these resources are sucked from those nations.... however those nations love the US so much... that even if u can't get that citz back - u can go as a permanent consultant.

 

[theworldismine13]

IT's not a conundrum. Everyone i talk to on a student visa,,, wants to process for ead green card then cit.

it's only when they are older that they realized they fukked up.... and that they desired to be part of the fabric that is fukking their nation over.... so they wanna reverse the shyt and go back.

Australia, Switzerland, france, Canada, hong kong, demark, germany.... all these random places have universities in line w US and UK universities. Someone speaking french or some random shyt... could also go to these places and do well. The mentality is the reason y these resources are sucked from those nations.... however those nations love the US so much... that even if u can't get that citz back - u can go as a permanent consultant.

it is a conundrum to me, the issue is should caribbean countries change these laws or not, because there are advantages and disadvantages to both sides and legit arguments on both sides

i still dont get what the other stuff you are saying is about, i can't follow what you are saying, it sounds like you are high or drunk and are just typing whatever comes accros your mind

 

[Blackking]

it is a conundrum, the issue is should caribbean countries change these laws or not, because there are advantages and disadvantages to both sides and legit arguments on both sides

i still dont get what the other stuff you are saying is about, i can't follow what you are saying, it sounds like you are high or drunk and are just typing whatever comes accros your mind

saying they don't have to leave.

 

[theworldismine13]

saying they don't have to leave.

you are saying they shoudlnt leave? and yeah, i said that is a totally legit argument

and saying that people that come back have skills and knowledge that can be useful in government is also legit,

but i see now, yeah if you believe people that leave and come bock are vultures and agents for white people then yeah i can see why you dont consider it a conundrum, but i would disagree with that characterization, so i still think its conundrum