Pressure Builds on Mark Golding to Clarify Citizenship Status

A prominent regional attorney is asserting that Opposition Leader Mark Golding has a moral obligation to declare whether he’s a British citizen.

Golding triggered debate on the issue earlier this week, when in a document prepared for the Constitutional Reform Committee, he suggested that dual citizens be eligible to sit in the House of Representatives.

That statement, which Golding says is his personal opinion, represents a contradiction of the position taken by the PNP in 2007.

Back then the party successfully used the court to force several JLP MPs, who were dual citizens, to renounce their US citizenship.

We have more in this report from Mahiri Stewart.

The PNP president told a media conference earlier this week that it’s his personal position that dual citizens be eligible to sit as MPs.

But this comment from Mr. Golding, at the same press conference, has caused users of social media to demand that he clarify his own status as a citizen.

Noted attorney, Dr. Emir Crowne says given his recent statements, Golding must declare whether he holds both Jamaican and British citizenship.

In a post on X, Dr. Crowne said such a declaration is important despite Golding being quoted in a 2022 newspaper article as saying he would not renew his UK passport as it would not be appropriate.

Under the constitution, Jamaicans and commonwealth citizens over the age of 21 are eligible to sit in the Jamaican parliament.

South West St. Catherine MP Everald Warmington, says given his stance, Mark Golding has a duty to tell Jamaica if he is a dual citizen.

Warmington was among five JLP MPs forced to revoke their US citizenship, consequent upon court action taken by the PNP over the issue.

Warmington says it’s his information that Mark Golding acquired a Jamaican passport while he was an adult and was already a member of parliament.

Calls placed to the PNP president Friday afternoon went unanswered.