Prime Minister Godwin Friday and Minister of Foreign Affairs Dwight Fitzgerald Bramble took the witness stand on Tuesday, facing cross-examination over their dual Vincentian-Canadian citizenship as the high-stakes election petition hearings resumed.
The proceedings, which took place before High Court Justice Gertel Thom at the High Court in Kingstown, saw both men called upon to defend their eligibility to sit in Parliament under oath.
Friday faced meticulous cross-examination centred on a specialised report he prepared regarding his status, nationality, and legal allegiance to St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Both Friday and Bramble faced near-identical lines of questioning regarding what it truly means to swear an oath of allegiance to Canada and where their fundamental loyalties lie.
The petitioners’ legal team pressed the parliamentary representatives on their understanding of holding a Canadian passport, demanding details on exactly when the documents were obtained and their motives for not relinquishing their Canadian citizenship.
Lawyers further scrutinised the preparation of their legal affidavits, questioning the practical benefits of holding Canadian travel documents and heavily probing whether the choice to maintain foreign status was entirely voluntary while serving the Vincentian public.
The proceedings also referred to Friday’s comments to the media in prior years regarding his views on holding a Vincentian passport and serving in Parliament.
Additionally, Friday was questioned on his understanding of constitutional provisions regarding dual citizenship, as well as his comprehension of heads of state in other Commonwealth territories and their constitutional implications.
The sitting also featured the virtual testimony of Professor Hamid Ghany, a prominent Caribbean authority on constitutional affairs and parliamentary studies.
Appearing as an expert witness due to his expertise, Ghany was cross-examined on a specialised report analysing the Commonwealth and the political aspects of regional constitutions.
The respondents are represented by a defence team led by Trinidadian Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan. Working alongside Ramlogan are UK Barrister Kate Temple-Mabe, local defence attorney Kay Bacchus-Baptiste, as well as Zhinga Horne-Edwards, Zita Barnwell, and Samantha Robertson.
They are matching legal wits against the petitioners’ team, which is led by Trinidadian Senior Counsel Stuart Young, appearing alongside Al Elliott and Carlos James.
Speaking to reporters outside the courthouse, Young expressed strong confidence in the day’s progression.
When asked by reporters about the focus on why the respondents chose to retain foreign nationality, Young indicated that the media had identified a central pillar of the petitioners’ case.
“You know, you wait until the end of a case and submissions and the decision of the judge, but certainly, what you would have seen is a very focused cross-examination, and you’ve spotted one of the points, and in particular, that is going to be one of the matters that will be considered in this trial of these election petitions,” Young said.
He contended that there was ample opportunity for both the prime minister and Bramble to renounce their Canadian citizenship.
“And you would have also heard the question being asked repeatedly, ‘Well, why did you want to hold on to your Canadian citizenship … when you want to serve the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines?’ and that really, from a factual point of view, is something that is quite important,” Young added.
Young noted that he also raised questions during the proceedings regarding specific bills that have been laid in Parliament to amend the constitutional provisions.
“So I don’t want to say much at this stage, but if something isn’t necessary, then that becomes a question, so let’s see how the rest of the week goes when we close the evidence, we come back and make closing submissions,” Young said, adding that the petitioners continue to feel quite good about the trajectory of the case.
When asked by iWitness News what he would say to members of the public who believe it is more of a disservice for a prime minister to be constantly bogged down in court over holding a passport to another country, Young put the responsibility squarely on the nation’s leader.
“He chooses to be here. He chooses to hold a Canadian passport. That’s for the prime minister,” Young responded.
The legal battle was initiated following the Nov. 27 general election, when the New Democratic Party won 14 of the 15 parliamentary seats.
Following the results, the defeated Unity Labour Party candidates Carlos Williams and Luke Browne filed the petitions, arguing that Friday and Bramble were constitutionally disqualified from running under Section 26 of the SVG Constitution due to their SVG-Canada citizenship.
The evidentiary proceedings are set to continue on Wednesday (today). The court is scheduled to hear from other key expert witnesses brought forward by the legal teams, who will provide further specialised analysis relevant to the constitutional definitions in the case.