PNA hopeful off the ballot
(CNS): Richard Christian, who was nominated as a People’s National Alliance candidate in Bodden Town, has been dropped from the district’s ballot paper, election officials have confirmed. According to a short statement from the Elections Office, Christian was advised by the district’s returning officer, Ned Solomon, that he is not qualified to be a member of the Legislative Assembly, pursuant to section 62 (1) of the Constitution, after nominations closed last week. This is the section that deals with nationality as Christian is understood to own and use a valid American passport. As this is considered an allegiance to another country, the official has concluded that Christian cannot run and the office said his name was removed from the ballot.
Although Christian appears to be the only nominated candidate whose name has not made it to the ballot sheet, there are still a number of others whose qualification is in question but who have not been challenged by the authorities after discussions with the office.
It is not yet clear whether the clearance from election officials will prevent challenges to more of the candidates, however, especially where questions have been raised about their qualification. Cline Glidden, who also previously held a US passport, has stated that his is no longer valid, removing any possible allegiance to another state. Meanwhile, questions over Tara Rivers’ residency in the seven years prior to Election Day have reportedly been satisfied because she was a student while she was living in the UK, even though she was also working as an associate for a Magic Circle legal firm.
There are understood to be a number of other candidates who refused to sign the Elections Office voluntary survey, although not all of them have issues of eligibility.
With Christian the only casualty so far from Nomination Day, there are now 57 candidates running for office across the six districts. The newly formed PNA, which included Christian with all five incumbent members of Cabinet, is already a man down before their campaign launch.
Category: Politics
If you are born in the United States, then you are automatically an American and you cannot travel to United States on a foreign passport so the only option if you want to run for office is to renounce citizienship.
Add to that, persons who are born outside the U.S. (in the Cayman Islands, for example) but who are U.S. citizens because one of their parents was a qualified American citizen at the time of the birth.
The intent of the law was never to disqualify the likes of Mr. Christian…
Oh, well. Run for office or keep the passport? Decisions, decisions.
The fine print will get them every time. Doesn't PNA look an awful lot like PAIN IN THE A$$
your good deeds are appreciated,
hanging out with bottom feeders is a huge mistake
and you will be the crab bushed to the bottom when they get what they want!!!!!!!!!!
your sense of judjement is very poor and misguided.
God did not follow the people he preached to he gave them guidance and hope
come ye out from amongst them!!!!!!
Too late bobo
The Constitution is hardly "fine print". The rule may be stupid, but while it is there it is there.
Except that it isn’t stupid. It is a ver sound rule found in he constitutions of many countries.
Hmm – the ad is still in the left margin. Maybe the catchphrase should change to "A Fresh Face, a False Start"…….. 🙂
If Cline obtained or at any time renewed or travelled on his U.S. passport and has not renounced his U. S. citizenship he is disqualified and has been committing an election offence since 2000.
To (Thank God 00:31)
This is the type of things that Cayman has come to, all you like to do is talk bad about the UDP… yes, I see that you are a full supporter of the PPM candidates, well… let me tell you something, just as you support them. I support UDP 101%. I for sure do not go around talking bad about those not running under the UDP party. I listen to what they have to offer and what can be done going forward for our community, for our Tourism, for our Financial Industry, for our Children's Education! It is people like you that disgust me! So what if Chris Saunders has the Yardie's votes? Just so you know. He is a VERY smart man and very well educated which has hopes for cutting our bills down. Theresa on the other hand is a good woman and speaks from her heart! When did you say that she did not know who she was running with? Pure nonsense. Get your facts right and stop trashing the UDP. They are still the better way FORWARD! This is a free country… I congratulate all those who are running and I am proud of all of you… we need to keep this country as a safe, wonderful, and a place where people want to come and visit and invest in. Even though the world Economy has crashed, we are still doing very good compared to many other countries. I am porud as a Caymanian to live here and I will continue to support the UDP. They are the only party which get things done! I will not speak negatively about any other party as that is not my way of fixing things.
God Bless!
10:42, please enlighten the entire population by explaining exactly what things the UDP have done for the better of this country? Once you have responded I will lay out in black and white what they have done, cost us, and have failed to do since they came into office.
It shouldn't take more than 10 seconds on your part.
So the "lying by ommission" continues. Cline, if you have a passport it is only a travel document, not citizenship – you well know this. You need to withdraw.
I bet if the UDP hadn't split in two, Clines situation would never have been brought to light.
It shows that UDP Lite are no different from UDP.
EXACTLY!!! I really hope the voters are paying attention. I find it all very disrespectful and insulting and I hope the message is sent loud and clear to all of these career politicians that we are not idiots!
Aren't all Caymanians entitled to a British Passport? Does that mean that any Caymanian running for election with a British Passport has an allegiance elsewhere? These passports would have been obtained after birth by choice. What's the difference??
Ummm. The UK is not a “foreign power” and British Citzenship is specifically exempted by the Constitution in any event. Try reading the Constitution.
You are an idiot. The issue relates to candidates that have allegiance to a foreign power. Members of the Commonwealth ALL have the same Head of State which is the Queen.
What the hell do they teach in schools down here? Some of the comments and questions are so dumb!
And some are so bigoted…..
Perhaps you should make your way down to the LA after the elections for the swearing in ceremony and listen carefully to whom they pledge allegiance.
Last time i checked Cayman is part of the UK and the US isn't, does that help?
The Cayman Islands is a territory of the United Kingdom.
The Cayman Islands Travel document is actually issued as a British Passport as Dependancy of the UK. Possession does not confer right of abode in the UK or EU, those require separate UK naturalisation and UK passport application. Ultimately though, they are both British travel documents, so there should be no conflict.
It is odd that the Elections Office should suddenly become so critical over this, since many "Birthright" Caymanians out of necessity where bornin hospitals in Jamaica, Miami, or Tampa long before Grand Cayman's GT Hospital was ever an option. There are many prominent Caymanians that have not bothered to pay for the issuance of a Caymanian Citizenship Certificate (another recent documentation phenomenon), though they most assuredly qualify.
Almost. Caymanians were automatically conferred British Citizenship by virtue of the Overseas Territories Act 2002.
That is exactly why there is provision re those who are ENTITLED to a foreign citizenship by virtue of their birth. No Caymanian who was born in Jamaica for purely medical reasons exercised tht entitlement and obtained a Jamaican passport.
PNA = PLEASE NOT AGAIN.
wow the pna are definitly keeping up the udp style of incompetence….
Having another passport is useful to have. A caymanian passport is a useless travel document.
With an american passport you cam get into the states without being anally probed, and a EU passport allows you to freely travel in Europe. What’s the problem?
The problem is that it is against the law to run for election in Cayman if you have any other citizenship. It really has nothing to do with passports.
Udp have 2 Candidates in BT. Theresa who couldnt tell the truth and admit she was UDP from last time, and now Chris Saunders Mr "I got all the yardie votes" thinks he can get in off of Macs defiance and disrespect for the Law. I wonder what these two will say when the charges are read? Theresa spent the first 3 months of this year going door to door telling people how she not sure she running because she dont suppport the corruption in UDP and all along she was planning to run with them. By the way, find out where she lives now. Certainly isnt in BT. She is the woman who wants to single-handedly shut down the Offshore industry by literally closing all the overseas offices who actually feed work back to the country. Chris ? Oh yea, "I got all the yardie votes" Happy Dance..think again Chris, you dont have the yardie votes. XXXX
C4C appear to have 1 and Chuckie will be the other, thats 2 jokers trying to pull votes fro the PPM. We rejected Chuckie last time and we will do it again. We also do not want Greg Anderson!
Webster ?? he just wants to ride UDP coat-tails. I heard Mac endorsing him tonight at the UDP meeting. I listened to his debut and all he did was complain and whine, not one serious soliution. It was more like a Sunday sermon at church.
PNA – Just lost richard, now Dwayne and Mark are running, thats 2 jokers in the deck. No thanks PNA Im not interested in these two waste of a good vote. What have they done since 2009 besides support Mac in his foolishness?
Arnold – Sigh….. might as well put Dwayne back in if Arnold is your choice, two peas in a pod, even Arnolds father says he is voting PPM.
Vinvent – cant even bother to comment. Matter of fact, I couldnt even bother to go back and correct the spelling mistake in his name just now.
PPM have the veteran Anthony Eden, Osbourne is back for a 2nd term, and they are joined by Alva and Wayne. I like that ticket. Mix of vets and newcomers, very educated to very experienced. Solid business people, grass-roots politicians. I especially like the fact that Alva Suckoo and Wayne Panton were fighting for OMOV. The two newcomers are very educated as well. Alva has an MBA and is an IT expert and Wayne is a Lawyer. I like what I see in the PPM in BT and will be giving them my support come May 22.
Very clearly PPM Propaganda ! What has Tony done in his time in the LA ? Snore through the meetings! Ossie should employ the cow cod to wake him up ! What has Wayne done for Caymanians when he was at Walkers ? Now he comes for the first time in his life into the heart of the district pretending to care about the people ! No thanks Wayne. Go back to Walkers. Al Suckoo……who is he ? Oh yes thats right he is a founding member of the UDP ! That says it all.
There are not many good choices in BT this time but I know Chuckie has my first vote……..and it looks like Ossie will get one but as for the other two………..I really don't know. I might not use them. Who else is there to vote for ?
"What has Tony done in his time in the LA ?"
Even doing NOTHING is still better than all that Mac has done to Cayman.
Anon 0918 you ask what has he done.
He has not deserted the district like the two UDP members.
He has not let greed getin between him and his country like well you know who
I agree with your comments. Last election Theresa was Independent-UDP, what a laugh. You can fool some of the people some of the time, but NOT all of the people of of the time. Mr. Webster is hiding behind the shadows of the UDP; he is the CHRISTIAN referred to in the long -winded speech last night and the other is our independent Berry. What a joke, wea are not all stupid.
The UDP always try to fool the voting public to get to the top. I am sorry, you made too many blunders in the past 3.5 years and worse with the CHEC deal that has just been exposed. Thanks for Ezzie and Arden exposing the secret document.
As for Theresa, I am appalled that she is running with the UDP!! Shame on you Theresa!! Can someone tell me who this Webster guy is? Never heard of him. Vincent Frederick you’re wasting your money running again. Arnold Berry? Huh! Whathas Anthony Eden been up to? Can’t hear a “peck” from him and when is Captain Bryan coming ashore again? Ah boy I’m getting my rosemary broom made and having a life size laughing face attached to it – and don’t mess around, that rosemary can sting boy!!!!
If you think that do-nothing Anthony Eden and Ozzy who couldn’t hold one single meeting for the PAC are good choices for the country to spend money on then you are a fool! As for Wayne, he is all about big business, just ask all the Caymanian lawyers under him whom he kept down or he “downsized” including Al Suckoo. No sir!
Al Suckoo is running with Wayne…sooo, yea… You just…go sit down.
He was running with the PNA so there is no chance of him winning a seat anyway! teaming up with Mark and John John is political suicide! But I agree what goes for one should go for all!
It's ironic that this man cannot run for office because he has allegiance to another country yet McKeeva Bush has proven that he has no allegiance to this country but he can run.
McKeeva can run…..but he can't hide anymore.
waddling slowly is NOT running…
This needs to be checked out. You can't let your passport expire and say that you are no longer a citizien of that country. My son's passport is expired. Is he no longer a Caymanian? No.
now it's time to drop the convicts, ex drug dealers, and anyone else that has a run in with the law, charged or bloody not. if you're out on bail, you should be off the ballot.
So you can't run for office if you have a US passport, but you're allowed to vote?
That's a massive double standard, but this Cayman after all, and double standards are part of our culture
Please don’t write nonsense. In most countries the qualification to vote is lower than the qualification to run for office. As it should be.
Go on educate us
If an MLA represents the voters, and supposedly not his own interest, why should he take into consideration the view of voters who owe an allegiance to another country…..
Are you really that stupid? You as a voter are not passing laws or making executive decisions on behalf of this country. If you have any conflict as a voter that is nullified by having a representative who does not have a conflict. Smh. The stupidity that gets written on here by some people is staggering.
so when half the voting population has passports other tna Caymanian ones, how is that 'nullified' smh too – trying using your head instead of repeating mantras
I think what's good for the geese is also good for the gander, if Kent and Richard then so should Cline and Tara, she only came back to Cayman 4=5 years ago, Kent has been back longer than that I'm sure. Let's be fair, if some can challenge the law and do the decent thing to step down it should apply to all. I call on the elections office to be fair.
Tara said she was a student at the time but her course was for the New York Bar and she was in London?
The fact of the matter is that Tara Rivers was studying in the UK therefore she is eligible to run so stop the slander! She is the type of MLA this country needs not these incumbents under investigation which I’m sure you support.
Tara was working at a Law firm and even applied to several other firms and her resume stated she was a qualified lawyer looking for full-time work. Studying ? I think the elections office is mistaken in this assesment.
this might come off as a stupid question, but I assure you , I'm asking it genuinely.
Does this also include having a British Passport?
My reasoning for the question is; does the constitution clearly states, being loyal to the cayman islands only or being loyal as a British citizen?
As a british citizen, once you have a uk passport and an address, you are allowed to vote there too. So wouldnt this then say you have allegiance, obedience
or adherence to two different powers due to two different constitutions? Can someone clarify please.
Not trying to start an argument btw, just wondering how it works.
Thanks
I'm not a lawyer but here are my thoughts anyway…
Cayman IS a British Overseas Territory. So a Caymanian with a British passport should have no limitations placed on them in my mind.
While Cayman and the UK are on friendly terms with the USA, Cayman is NOT an American Territory. In my mind the Cay-American would need to pick a county.
Not saying my brand of logic will be your cup of tea or Joe, but that is the way I see it.
really? two troll thumbs up? talk about, can't see past your nose.
There is no Cayman Islands to owe allegiance to. There is only the UK.
My understanding, and I stand to be corrected, is that all Caymanians are British citizens regardless of whether they have applied for and obtained a British (EU) passport and that possession of the passport itself doesn't make you "more" of a British citizen, it is merely a document used to certify one's status whilst travelling. The possession of a passport other than a British (EU) passport is an entirely different situation as the Cayman Islands is not an overseas territory of any country other than Britain. Therefore any consideration of "allegiance" to Britain is a non-issue as far as eligibility to run for office in Cayman goes.
All Caymanians are not British citizens. Laws and procedures change so often There was a time when as a Caymanian you just had to send your Cayman Islands passport with apllication to the British consulate and you got a British Passport. In more recent years that has certainly changed. As a Caymanian you must first apply for British citizenship before applying for a British passport.
The above is correct, and all the thumbs down in the world will not change that. there are also thousands of Caymanians who are not entitled to a Cayman or British passport, and thousands of Cayman passport holders who are not Caymanian.
However, this is beside the point: You cannot obtain a U.S. passport unless you are a citizen of the USA.
It doesn't matter if CG's passport is "valid" or not! The point is that he is still a US Citizen unless he denounces his citizenship, mulling and voiding his passport! This would be an absolute disgrace to our country and wrongdoing to Richard Christian if CG is allowed to remain as a candidate while he still has an allegiance to the US! XXXX
Exactly. My US passport is expired but I'm still a US citizien. I hope he's paying his taxes cause the tax man cometh in June and you have to pay all taxes before renouncing citizienship.
Plus 15% of your net worth, as an exit tax. To make up for inheritance tax you would not pay after you left.
Richard I have no doubt you mean good, but everything happens for reason, just sort out you alliances by 2017 and you will be good to go!
Will he loose the $1,000.00 ?
If he was born in the USA, he must be given his money back. But IMO he is not disqualified to run.
@ Peanuts – NO!
No he will not be getting that $1,000 bucks back. That is going into 2014 coffers.
OC, Ned and Kearney will keeping the lid on that & will be returning to 2013/14 Govt coffers come May 23/24. So when the China Harbour mafia files a law suit againest Cayman Islands Govt due to Richard's allegiance to William McKeeva Bush & his UDP party not so long ago, we can have a lil $1,000 bucks to help make up for the monies that Mr. CHEC will be suing us for.
Of course he'll loose it, he should have read the Cayman Islands Constitution. Obviously Mark and John John, our two illustrious cabinet ministers choose him as a running mate, have been in office four years and haven't read the Constitution yet either as they should have been aware that he was not eligible to run.
Cline Glidden stated that his US passport is no longer valid. What exactly does that mean?
If the passport has expired, that in itself does not affect citizenship. Does the Elections Office understand that allegiance to another state continues to remain in effect if a foreign passport simply expires? Holding an "invalid" passport does not change allegiance, which is determined by renouncing citizenship. Was this done?
Furthermore, how did Cline Glidden pass the qualification test during the previous election? Did he come forward at the time with information on his US passport?
This raises very serious questions and needs to be investigated as to whether he may have previously been in contravention of the Elections Law.
Sectiin 62.1.a states "No person shall be qualified to be elected as a member of the Legislative Assembly who— is, by virtue of his or her own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state;
So, if adeveloper like Dart can be considered to be a "foreign power" would that not rule out a few of them?
” by virtue by his or her own act”………..I’m sure no one has say in where they were born. That is the difference in being born in theUS and becoming a naturalized citizen. I’m sure the fact that CG was born in the US was not a secret all of these many years that he has been elected. – why is this being questioned now?l
No! He's Caymanian. But yes, he can run too. Flip side to that is, Kent will have to pay every Caymnain 100 million dollars. They we all put that in a lil offer letter and buy him out.
What a load of crap , Dart cannot run for election, currently you have to be born here and have status, just like if you want to run for president of the USA.
False. You do not have to be born here in order to run for election. Try reading the Constitution.
Wasn't Mac born in Jamaica?
No problem being born in Jamaica so long as he not by his own act acknowledging allegiance to Jamaica.
No, he was begotten, and there being no room at the Holiday Inn, rolled in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger (at least that's what his supporters seem to believe).
Thank you Mr. Ned Solomon and any others powers that be that played a part in this reality check.
I'm was disgusted by the events which unfolded during the last election, which only made Cayman look like a Banana Republic with out the Bananas!
We are finally following the rules of a fair election process.
If this was done last time we would not have needed observers this time around.
No, No! We gots bananas! I sees plenny bananas, and bottlahs, an plantin's at de agriculture show! So we full well qualified to be a Banana Republic!
So how come Mary Lawrence and Jim Bodden used to run for election although everyone knew they had the US bolthole to run to?
Because Jim Bodden was a crook through and through and no-one wanted the persecution that went with criticising him.
Actually it was Mary Lawrence that challenged Jim Bodden’s eligibility and he was in problems until he renounced US citizenship.
Section 61.2.b states “was born outside the Cayman Islands, has or had at least one parent or grandparent who
was born in the Cayman Islands and is a Caymanian (or if deceased would if alive have
been a Caymanian at the date of nomination for election), and who at the date of his or
her nomination for election possesses no other citizenship save for any right he or she
may have to some other citizenshipby virtue of his or her birth outside the Cayman
Islands;”
Sectioin 62.1.a states “No person shall be qualified to be elected as a member of the Legislative Assembly
who— is, by virtue of his or her own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience
or adherence to a foreign power or state;
If Mr. Christian or anyone else was born in another country, they are not disqualified, as they did not make a decision to be a citizen of that country. And the constitution does not mention passports, so therefore it cannot be used as a reason for disqualification. As if the elections office is now using discretion then I would think they would also use discretion in the case of Kent McTaggart. But from everything I have heard from the elections office (on Rooster, CNS and the paper) the constitution is VERY CLEAR and BLACK AND WHITE.
You seem to be deliberately ignoring 62.1 which you reference above.
If, having been born in the US and reaching the age of majority, an individual who is eligible for a US passport applies for and receives one, then that individual is in breach of 62.1. The individual has, by virtue of their own act, acknowledged their US citizenship by applying for and accepting a US passport. No need for the Constitution to mention passports specifically; it is quite clear if you read it objectively. No need for the passport to be current either in my view, so it will be interesting to see how Mr. Glidden deals with this issue.
They are US citizens, why should they not get the passport? My sons have had US passports since they were newborns, they are also Caymanians. They are no less Caymanian or more Caymanian than me or anyone else. They will continue to get their Passports renewed every 4 years yntil they are 18 then every 10 years, they are swearing nothing more or less in regards to their allegiance to any country to do so.
If you are correct, this constitution contradicts itself and therefore shows what a pile of garbage the PPM gave us in 2009.
No one is stopping them. Just be aware that they will be unable to run for office in Cayman.
There is contradiction in the Constitution and the issue has nothing to do with the PPM since the same wording appeared in the 1972 Constitution and appears in the constitutions if many other countries.
Absolutely correct. Go to he head of the class.
As for the comments of the clown below that language is not unique to Cayman but may be found in th e Constitutions of many Commonwealth countries and in any event was also in the 1972 Constitution.
Oh dear. Either gain a legal education or obtain some proper legal advice before attempting to interpret the constitution. Obtaining a passport is your “own act” whereby you acknowledge allegiance to a foreign power.
This just goes to show the competence of a team! Imagine, these obvious critical matters aren’t screened according to the law before nominations? Scary times ahead my folks. This is just the beginning of the sneaky way parties want to win at all cost. Even c4c.
Weshoud not expect anything else of any UDP or undercover UDP/shadow team.
They are so caught up on getting elected and maintaining power they are just throwing people into the race.
My God, look at East End, the "independent" who was given money in the past by the UDP Government. I watched him on CITN last night, talk about just not being ready!!
All he did was swing in the chair, while being interviewed, like a 9 year old. How in the hell can we seriously even think of putting people like this in. ALL OF THE PERSONAL STUFF, I won't mention, the people of East End should know about that!!!
WHAT?! You can't run if you have an American passport? How many hundreds if not thousands of people does that exclude? There must be some way to sort the Caymanian-Americans from Caymanians with American passports. Perhaps some sort of residency test………………
The way I understand is you can run if you have an American passport by being born, just not by obtaining US citizenship later. That is why Sharon Roulstone had to give hers up, because she was not born in the US, but was born here.
Actually that’s incorrect. If by your own act you are under allegiance to a foreign power eg by renewing your US passport as an adult , you are disqualified whether you originally obtained your US citizenship by birth or not.
If you have an American passport, you are considered an American Citizen. You can't have an American passport and not be a citizen.
If you obtain citizenship by some other virtue (such as Marriage) and going through the US immigration process you don't even become an American citizen until you live in the US for 7 consecutive years and then you have to APPLY to become a US Citizen.
A residency test… Hmm, similar to a pregnancy one?