As the row continues over the candidacy of the PNP’s Dr Shane Alexis, the party says its candidate for South East St Mary will take steps immediately to get Jamaican citizenship.
Dr Shane Alexis is to contest the by election for the October 30 by election in south east St Mary seat against the JLP’s Dr Norman Dunn. The two were nominated Monday.
It was revealed Tuesday that Dr Alexis is not a Jamaican citizens and does not have a Jamaican passport.
He was born in Canada and has had residency in Jamaican since 1987. He has lived here for most of his life.
The Jamaican constitution allows for Commonwealth citizens to sit in parliament. By virtue of being born in Canada Dr Alexis is a Commonwealth citizens and by law would be duly nominated.
The JLP says it is immoral that the PNP has put forward Dr Alexis as its candidate knowing he does not have Jamaican citizenship. There have been several criticisms of the move with some arguing that Dr Alexis should have shown commitment to Jamaican by becoming a citizen.
Others, including the PNP have argued that the row is a distraction.
Several JLP MPs had court battles and had their seats declared vacant in the last JLP administration because they held dual citizenship.
