CASTRIES (CMC):

Prime Minister Stephen-son King is challenging the opposition to take its allegations to court about parliamentarians having dual citizenship.

Opposition Leader Dr Kenny Anthony has called for changes to the electoral nomination process to identify politicians with dual citizenship.

The opposition has charged that Health Minister Dr Keith Mondesir possesses dual citizenship and was, therefore, ineligible to sit in Parliament. However, Prime Minister King seemed unperturbed by the controversy, stating, "If the opposition believes it has a case, it should put it to the test.

"I am not here to argue for or against the position of the opposition, so if they believe they have a case, then they should know how to put it to the test."

Declared vacant

Anthony said Mondesir's dual citizenship only came to the attention of the Opposition St Lucia Labour Party some months after the December 2006 elections and, therefore, it could make a case for the seat to be declared vacant.

The issue has arisen here following a ruling by the Jamaica Supreme Court ruling that Jamaica Labour Party's MP Daryl Vaz was improperly nominated because he had sworn allegiance to the United States as a citizen. The court has ordered a by-election but the candidate for the opposition People's National Party, Abe Dabdoub, is appealing the decision, saying that the seat should have been turned over to him automatically.

"I frankly would like to see changes to the nomination forms to demand politicians to declare their actual status, whether they are dual citizens or citizens of the country they are seeking to represent through the electoral process," Anthony said.