Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter

Vaz

Jamaica Member of Parliament Daryl Vaz said yesterday that he would give up his United States citizenship in the event of a war between Jamaica and the United States (U.S.).

"I was born in Jamaica, I live in Jamaica and my loyalty is to Jamaica," Vaz said under cross-examination in the Supreme Court.

He said further that he was a U.S. citizen by virtue of his mother and stressed that "My loyalty is to the land of my birth, Jamaica."

He was responding to the questions posed by attorney-at-law Gayle Nelson, as to whether, in the event of a war between the two nations, he would be prepared to bear arms against Jamaica.

"You are not prepared to give up your U.S. citizenship here to become a Member of Parliament?" Mr. Nelson asked.

No relevance

Vaz's lawyer, Ransford Bra-ham, objected to the question on the grounds that it was of no relevance before the court, and was only being asked for the purpose of creating headlines in the newspaper.

Vaz is the respondent in the election petition which People's National Party candidate Abe Dabdoub has brought in the Supreme Court, contending that Vaz is an American citizen and was not entitled to be a Member of Parliament because that was a breach of the Constitution of Jamaica.

Yesterday, Vaz admitted he travelled extensively on his American passport. Asked if at anytime previous to the general election of September 2007 he had renounced his U.S. citizenship, he replied "Absolutely not."

He said he contested the local government election (some years ago) and was successful, but he did not renounce his U.S. citizenship and, since that time, he took the decision to apply for a new U.S. passport. Asked if that was the decision he preferred to take, rather than to renounce his U.S. citizenship, he replied "That is correct."

No oath taken

It was suggested to Vaz that the application for his current U.S. passport was verified by an oath or affirmation. However, he said he could not recall. He said he had never taken an oral oath of allegiance and could not recall if he signed an oath in applying for any U.S. passport.

He said he agreed that, as a U.S. citizen, in return for the protection from the U.S. government, he had some obligations to the U.S. He said he believed the obligations included not to commit an act of treason against the U.S. and not to conspire to overthrow the U.S. government.

barbara.gayle@gleanerjm.com