August 2, 2009
Dear Editor,
It is with a deep sense of commitment to all things Belizean, with due respect to Caribbean cultural identity and global transformations, that I write in response to a commentary entitled “Belizeans born in Belize must come first over foreigners,” published on August 1, 2009 on caribbeannetnews.com
I am a born Belizean citizen who is totally opposed to the Government’s proposed amendment to the Constitution to allow for persons with dual citizenship with Belize to be allowed to run for elected office at the levels of the House of Representatives, Senate, and Cabinet. The primary reason is that the integrity, rights, and responsibilities of such offices of representation of the people MUST rest on having allegiance to ONE nation.
Additional reasons include the teaching of patriotism and education by example and avoidance of positioning our representatives to compromise Belize and engage in conflict of interest. Interestingly enough, to this latter position which I had published elsewhere, I received a call from a Belizean living in the U.S. who countered, pointing to abuses alleged or proven of former conflicts of interest involving former Belizean government and government-appointed leaders.
Given that even now charges of corruption have reared an ugly head in a couple key Belizean institutions, such as health services/supplies contracts awarding, the point that one cannot legislate the heart is well-taken. However, the role of government surely must also be to provide the enabling conditions for development of pride in one’s country. Thus, rather than create more problems with an amendment that is disastrous to the identity of the nation-state and ripe for opening up to more conflicts of interest, I call on all to reject the proposed amendment.
Moreover, Mr. Wellington C. Ramos’s call in the Caribbean news commentary appears to regurgitate the much-touted and, in my view, misleading message the government is putting out in terms of not giving the full picture. The quote that follows from Mr. Ramos is reflective of my understanding of the Belize government’s position, which I also heard Prime Minister Barrow expound in a local TV news interview recently. Ramos says “The problem with Article 7 of the Belize Constitution is that it is lawful for a foreigner who becomes a naturalized Belizean citizen to become a member of the National Assembly and Prime Minister of Belize and unlawful for a natural born Belizean citizen to become a member of the National Assembly and Prime Minister of Belize, if he or she possesses dual citizenship with another country.”
This is not being fair to the born Belizean, says Mr. Ramos. Indeed, I could not agree more with this particular sentiment, with the caveat that no matter HOW you came to be a Belizean, you MUST not hold dual citizenship whether by your own act or by an act of God once you represent the country at these highest levels.
Indeed, I was a member of the government’s Political Reform Commission 1999/2000 and agitated heavily for amending this to be that a naturalized Belizean would have to ALSO give up his or her other citizenship, notwithstanding that he or she was born into that citizenship rather than of an act of pledging such allegiance.
Indeed, I even have agitated for increasing the number of years the naturalized Belizean should spend in country prior to running for office if, in fact, we cannot agree on insisting that such representatives are also born-Belizean. The point is, as one popular Belizean talk show host, Evan Mose Hyde of KREM Radio and TV, notes, “Noh bikaaz yu shot tyaa meenz yu mos tyaa yu pants fu mach it. Try fix di shirt!”[translation: If your shirt has a tear, would you tear your pants to match it? No. You would sew/fix the tear in the shirt].
Moreover, please note a very important point raised at the Belize City public hearings of the bipartisan Constitutional House Committee on this matter held on July 22, 2009 at the Bishop Sylvester Memorial Center. The context here, please note, is that the overwhelming majority of those in attendance REJECTED the proposed amendment. Some, resentment, perhaps, was voiced by Belizean-American sentiment that they are loyal Belizeans too. Yes! We agree! We welcome back our Belizean brethren and sisters to di shores of Belize! HOWEVER, there are multiple ways to serve Belize. Surely, my brothers and sisters, you can feel in your heart of hearts that asking you to give up the other citizenship if you feel called to serve in electoral office, then, surely that very calling must dictate you give upthe duality for the sake of the integrity of the nation-state of Belize?
Mr. Ramos further says it is unfair treatment of such Belizeans to ask them to give up their American/other citizenship and lose all their benefits accrued from having worked abroad. Indeed, others have also indeed noted that such Belizeans, especially Belizean-Americans, have sent back money to help the Belizean economy at both the bread and butter level and at institutional levels of contributions.
Therefore, then, maybe we can insert some further clause somewhere that ONCE elected, such persons give it up, so in case they lose the election, they can retain their hard-earned foreign benefits. It would then be up to the candidate’s sheer charisma and perceived goodness of heart to somehow convince people to vote for her or him because, Lord knows, I would never vote for someone who does not pledge 100% (one hundred percent) from the get-go for Belize, my homeland, where “mi naybl schring beri” [where my navel string is buried].
I too, urge all Belizeans living in Belize and abroad to let their voices ring out, but AGAINST the amendment. Indeed, several prominent Belizeans who hold dual citizenship, across the political party lines in Belize too, have publicly commented at the ongoing hearings that if they were to want to run for the highest electoral offices of the country, they feel they should be asked to openly, honestly and definitely give up their other citizenship.
Thus, in closing, I call on all to support the following statement: for the love of all that is sacred about pride in country and deep-valued love for all things Belizean, let the Government of Belize stop messing with the Constitution of Belize OR if amendments occur, they serve to correct any holes without creating craters.
Respectfully,
Silvaana Udz (Woods)
P.O. Box 1124
Belize City Belize
Email: [email protected]