MPs Dual Citizenship challenged
The legal challenge to the eligibility of Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday, and Foreign Affairs Minister Fitzgerald Bramble, began yesterday, Thursday March 5, 2026, at the High Court in Kingstown. Carlos Williams and Luke Browne, unsuccessful candidates for the Unity Labour Party (ULP) in the Northern Grenadines and East Kingstown respectively, are challenging the nomination and subsequent election of the prime minister and foreign affairs minister Dwight Fitzgerald Bramble, alleging that their dual citizenship Vincentian and Canadian citizenship disqualifies them from holding office according to Section 26 of the Constitution of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Both candidates were successful in the respective constituencies on the November 2025 general elections.
“It is a wonderful day. Look at the sunshine,” was Dr. Friday’s response when asked for a comment as he exiting the courthouse Thursday morning following the case management hearing, as he raised his hands skywards, afterwards directing the media to the lead counsel for the government, Anand Ramlogan S.C., of Trinidad and Tobago
Ramlogan, in describing the case management hearing said, “…an interesting, if not amusing experience”.
He further stated: “The mandate given to the newly elected prime minister is overwhelming, and this is an attempt by the petitioners to effect change, otherwise than by the democratic process. The mandate is such that we are extremely confident that these election petitions will be dealt with swiftly and it will be given the due care and attention that they deserve. But as you can see from the Honourable Prime Minister and the Attorney General’s faces, they don’t look too worried or troubled by it”.
The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, 2026, ahead of the trial dated set for July 28-30, 2026, all before Justice Gertel Thom.
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