St Vincent and Grenadines Government Halts Controversial Citizenship Amendment Amid Public Protest

Opposition lawmakers filed election petitions arguing that Friday and MP Dwight Fitzgerald Bramble, both holding Canadian and Vincentian citizenship, violate a constitutional provision that bars anyone who acknowledges allegiance to a foreign power from serving in parliament. The petitions are set for hearing in July at the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. Demonstrators gathered outside parliament, chanting that constitutional changes should not be made without public consent.

The government postponed a controversial constitutional amendment that opponents claim would disqualify the prime minister from parliament. Prime Minister Godwin Friday said the bills would not proceed until after full public debate. The proposed bills would exempt Commonwealth citizenship from disqualifying MPs under the foreign allegiance clause.

By delaying the bills, the government acknowledges concerns that altering the constitution while a related case is before the court could be seen as influencing judicial outcomes. Legal experts warn that such timing risks undermining perceptions of judicial independence and the rule of law. The pause also gives citizens a chance to weigh whether the amendment clarifies the law or addresses a specific political dilemma.