Time to end dual-citizenship nonsense

Glenn Tucker, Contributor

The dual-citizenship matter has again resurfaced. Another by-election is to be held. This time it is in the North East St Ann constituency. But why, I wonder, are we still devoting so much time to this matter? We know that it was started by the Opposition when it saw the possibility of reversing some election results and possibly returning to government through these means.

Ignoring the fact that they had members in a similar position, the media helped them to come up with a variety of 'reasons' why dual citizenship was just unpalatable. One Anancyism proffered by some talk-show hosts on a regular basis went something like this: "These persons can go into our Parliament, make bad decisions and just jump on a plane and leave us with the problems ... ."

Well, anyone can jump on a plane these days. But let us examine that statement a little closer. So far, the holders of dual citizenship have been among the most productive and least disruptive members of our Parliament. On the other hand, the architects of the ennui, the economic anaemia, and the general institutionalised dysfunction and decadence in this country are all born and bred right here.

I do not know her personally, but Mrs Sharon Hay-Webster comes across as a dignified, hard-working member of parliament who I would have no problem representing me. Oops!! I just remember having a soft drink somewhere last year and I asked someone - a civil servant for 33 years - why he was so upset about Mrs Hay-Webster sitting in Parliament. He responded that as an American citizen, she could "leak information to the United States if we went to war with them". "It's bigamous!!" intoned another, a lawyer no less. Now that they have mentioned those things, I seem to remember a Webster in US politics in the 19th century. Well, I guess that rules out Mrs Hay-Webster. We just can't have her in a position where she could cause us to lose a war with the United States.

Uncertain future

The first time I went to the US Embassy for a visa, I just walked into the building on Duke Street. There was no one in sight, and after rapping on the desk four times, I turned to leave when a woman came running from a back room. After a cursory glance at my documents, she stamped an indefinite, multiple-entry visa in my passport, wished me safe travel, and disappeared into that back room.

A few years later, I renewed my passport and had to go back to the embassy. This time, I had to pay a man to go to the embassy gate - when it was on Oxford Road - from the previous evening to secure a 'space' to enable me to get through the following day. The exodus of Jamaicans, uncertain about their country's future, had begun. It has never stopped. The result is that one would be hard-pressed to find one Jamaican who does not have strong ties to another country, particularly the US, UK, or Canada.

Dual citizenship, or dual nationality, refers to an individual being a citizen of two countries. They have two passports and essentially live and travel freely within their native and naturalised countries without the usual immigration problems. For many persons, dual citizenship offers practical advantages. The world is becoming smaller and more integrated. A growing number of countries - particularly those with fast-growing immigrant groups - have allowed their nationals to become citizens of other countries without losing their original nationality. There are numerous instances of naturalised US and UK citizens operating in official capacities in their country of origin. Dual citizenship provides the holder with a number of liberties and benefits.

There are university graduates here who cannot find a job. There is a large army of unemployed persons, and any suggestion that this is going to change anytime soon is wishful thinking. Dual citizenship provides access to financial investment rights - property ownership, social security benefits, employment, education, medical, and retirement benefits. It would also help Jamaican business persons to move freely in and out of certain countries.

It is in Jamaica's interest to have dual citizens in its Parliament. The state of our economy has placed us in a position where we are constantly in need of international assistance. The need for individuals with expertise and experience of an 'international' nature is very apparent. Our level of national development does not reflect the 48 years of independence. It seems we have no problem moving from country to country trying to find sportsmen with the most tenuous links to Jamaica to represent us.

Is this consistent? Is it fair to penalise our brothers and sisters for wanting to maintain ties with their relatives? Or to go where they can have access to a system that does not jack up interest rates and has a stable currency? Where the police come when you call them, and where someone will not just move on to your property and build a house?

Seeking dual citizenship does not mean one is disloyal to one's homeland. It may just mean that one understands the direction in which the world is moving.

Progressive dialogue

One question I would like to ask is: When last has this country been engaged in discussion or dialogue, the subject of which can move us in a positive direction? Dr 'Ragashanti' has a daily 'Mix up an Blenda' show, and one would have thought that would be enough. The rest of the civilised world is making stratospheric leaps. That is because they are discussing IDEAS, and the natural outcome of that is innovation as new and better solutions flow from progressive dialogue.

We at the other end are completely consumed with digging deep to find dirt about each other. I invite the nation to turn on radios and television sets then ask how much of this is helping to move the nation forward. Do the media have a role here?

We live a stone's throw from the equator, yet we are struggling under the weight of an energy bill because we choose to use expensive foreign oil for energy. Can we start a discussion about that? And what about the rape of our environment, or the fact that our children just seem to be unable to learn? We would be better off discussing these matters.

We are hugging up this mindless notion that dual citizenship is a problem. Could it be out of ignorance tinged with a little bit of bad mind and red eye? So much so that we fail to see that globalisation has dramatically altered the dual-citizenship debate and we are being left behind once again, too consumed with our search for scandals to see that the civilised world is moving in the opposite direction.

Glenn Tucker is an educator and sociologist and can be reached at glenntucker8@hotmail.com