Transport and Local Government Minister Frankie Campbell shows his Bahamian and Diplomatic passports in the House of Assembly.
By KHRISNA RUSSELL
Deputy Chief Reporter
krussell@tribunemedia.net
TWO weeks after Transport and Local Government Minister Frankie Campbell rejected speculation he has dual citizenship, Attorney Wayne Munroe, QC, has confirmed he is looking into challenging in court whether the Cabinet minister’s citizenship can be rightfully established.
Of concern is whether the Southern Shores MP’s eligibility to run for Parliament and be elected to office was legitimate, Mr Munroe said yesterday. In an interview with The Tribune the lawyer said he was asked by former Senator Rodney Moncur to represent a constituent who wished to raise in court matters challenging Mr Campbell’s Bahamian citizenship.
The constituent provided certain documents, seen by this newspaper, including an affidavit allegedly sworn by Mr Campbell’s mother and another woman along with another document. The timeline to present the matter to court has not been established as Mr Munroe said several things have to be handled before that point.
“In essence what it amounts to is either the court will say that those documents aren’t sufficient to prove citizenship in which case he is not entitled to citizenship and not entitled to be in Parliament or the court will say documents of that nature are sufficient to prove citizenship,” Mr Munroe said yesterday.
“Then I suspect that tens of thousands of children of immigrants will be producing their documents to get their citizenship in the same way.
“Because if you do it for one there is no reason not to accept the same documents in the same manner in the same nature from other persons.
“I’ll put it to you like this, having looked at the documents in my view ought not to be accepted to establish citizenship, but if a court rules that they are sufficient to establish citizenship then that would be a judgment binding on the government so that it would have to accept these documents.”
He continued: “So for instance the affidavit is sworn by the mother and the friend. It isn’t sworn to by the father yet he carries the father’s name so somebody would be able to swear an affidavit 16 years after a child’s birth and ascribe his father is someone who may not been alive at the time and government agencies would have to register the child with the last name of that man.
“You would be able to swear an affidavit for instance today to say that somebody was born in the Bahamas before independence without the need of producing any proof from the hospital that the person was born in the Bahamas and they would have to accept that because that’s the circumstance in his case. So either his documents are acceptable and he is qualified to remain in which case all persons who produce documents of that nature are qualified to be given passports or else it’s not sufficient in which he is not qualified to remain.”
Earlier this month, Mr Campbell shot down speculation in Parliament that he has dual citizenship, declaring he never pledged allegiance to any country, but the Bahamas and had never had a travel document in the name of any other country.
He also gave authorisation for any foreign embassy in the Bahamas to supply anyone requesting evidence that he ever held citizenship of another country.
Mr Campbell expressed pride in his heritage, one that includes being born in the Bahamas to a Haitian mother, but living here throughout his life, experiencing the country’s transition into independence.
Speculation grew on social media about his citizenship after he made comments about having two passports in a short clip of an interview he gave on the Darold Miller Live show earlier this year.
According to the Constitution, a person is not qualified to be elected to the House of Assembly if they are a citizen of another country, having become that citizen voluntarily or if, “by virtue of his own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state.”
Attempts to contact Mr Campbell up to press time were not successful.
Comments
BahamasForBahamians 6 years, 6 months ago
Hubert will do well to save this guy the embarrassment and have him resign before the courts does.
Talk about plan backfiring....They haul several PLP ministers before the very same court, which, from the information given in this article, may say that one of the FNM's, though ineligible was elected to the HOA... which in itself so can carry some criminal recourse, even though the good QC hasn't discussed that as yet.
Any pop corn on sale FNMs? Ill come to BooGaloo's property Mackey St to watch this one play out.
banker 6 years, 6 months ago
Don't I know you? Seems familiar.
proudloudandfnm 6 years, 6 months ago
The man is a Bahamian. Just another dumb ass PLP stunt...
BahamasForBahamians 6 years, 6 months ago
It will be for the courts to decide, not a proud and loud stupid FNM. Fook off!
licks2 6 years, 6 months ago
SO STOP TALKING AND GET YINNA PLP TAILS TO COURT AND FILE! YINNA KNOW THAT IT WILL BE JUST LIKE THAT "BIG JUICY PIECE" OF NEWS THAT BBB HAD ON DR. SANDS. . .ALL PLP DUMB CRAP. . .INTELLECTUAL PYGMY THINKING. . . TYPICAL OLD DUMB STYLE OF POLITICS. . .THE REASON WHY THE PLP IS DEAD. . .LOL!
stillwaters 6 years, 6 months ago
Jeez.......the minute this man disclosed that his mother was an illegal immigrant, I knew where this would all be heading!!!!!!
My2cents 6 years, 6 months ago
His heritage has been publicly known for quite sometime. He served in a diplomatic role to Haiti because of it. His "two passports" response to his heritage is what called his citizenship into question. Apparaently they asked the right (or wrong) person and this is how he got here.
proudloudandfnm 6 years, 6 months ago
This will never make it to court. Munroe is an ambulance chaser. He knows damn well he has nothing but hey someone wants to pay him to lose....
CatIslandBoy 6 years, 6 months ago
Some among us will stoop at new lows to denigrate others, the self-promoting QC being no exception once he is keeping his name in the headlines. I wonder what happened to his other recent project that also garnered him some headlines? Where were the Xenophobes when Mr. Campbell was faithfully serving our Bahamas as a police officer?
BahamasForBahamians 6 years, 6 months ago
Lol... Here it is the tribune is telling you that the writ is being filed on behalf of a constituent and this stupid 'proudanddumbfnm' wants me to believe his opinion that it wont.
Lol you should be taking you grudge up with the tribune, I didn't report that its going to court. Its only facts you idiot.
Given that you're a more prominent QC i assume you're in a position to insult Wayne Munroe. LOL fooktard.
themessenger 6 years, 6 months ago
General Crazy, YOU don't seem to have any trouble believing "Kiss my ass and walk fast" Munroe or food toting, go inside da room an fix ya leg Moncur's side of the story and who does do more storyin than ya'll loud and proud PLP's. Bradley mussy your Godfather.
banker 6 years, 6 months ago
????????????????????????
by banker
Well_mudda_take_sic 6 years, 6 months ago
This alleged matter can only be determined by a court having regard to the appropriate facts backed by relevant evidence and the rule of law. Special considerations and exceptions should not apply - either we are a nation under the rule of law or the Minnis-led FNM government is no different than the previous corrupt Christie-led PLP government!
EasternGate 6 years, 6 months ago
PLP vengeful bastards! Where is Pindling's birth certificate?
Well_mudda_take_sic 6 years, 6 months ago
You no doubt believe two wrongs make a right!
TigerB 6 years, 6 months ago
This is insane, Campbell and I served as police officers together, they do back ground checks, documents check, so why now? These people ain gat nuttin to do!! Wayne Munroe is a true PLP, a Bradley Roberts.
TalRussell 6 years, 6 months ago
Question for The Rt. Honourable Prime Minister. Do any of your red shirts MP's, or Senators, currently hold, or have they ever held a "Diplomatic Passport from a country other than one issued by the Bahamaland? If so, are you willing to make public all the pertinent details?
Well_mudda_take_sic 6 years, 6 months ago
In most countries if you or one of your parents/guardians commit perjury or omit vital information in applying for your citizenship, or if your citizenship application process is somehow fundamentally flawed in a serious way, even if caused by a bureaucratic cockup, you are found not to hold the citizenship you thought you had received no matter how many years you may have subsequently (and illegally) resided as an outstanding individual in the country under the wrongful apprehension you were a citizen. There are very few things if any more sacred to a nation than the grant of citizenship to a foreign applicant,
John 6 years, 6 months ago
Firstly, did Franky Campbell or his mother, or anyone else, for that matter, do anything untoward to cause him to obtain citizenship in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Secondly does the absence or lack of participation by a father for ones quest to obtain citizenship preclude an individual from obtaining citizenship or make him ineligible? Thirdly, if there is a question about the sufficiency of the documents presented by Franky Campbell to obtain citizenship, shouldn't that be an issue between the Minister of Immigration, who accepted the documents and granted the citizenship, and the courts? And in the event Franky Wilson is determined to not qualify to be a member of parliament in the Bahamas, which results in a by election what chances, greater than a snowball in hell on a hot, sunny day does the PLP stand of winning this seat?
sheeprunner12 6 years, 6 months ago
Brent can easily check in the maze on Hawkins Hill to authenticate or shoot down Wayne's crazy idea
Socrates 6 years, 6 months ago
how is it we only get to this question after nomination and an election? if there are prerequisites to hold office, how is it candidates aren't required to present acceptable proof of fitness to serve BEFORE nomination and election? another example, in case we need one, of how backward we still are...
Reality_Check 6 years, 6 months ago
If Frankie Campbell's purported Bahamian father, whomever he may be or was if now deceased, had no involvement whatsoever in the application process for Frankie's Bahamian citizen, then the application must be found to have been fatally flawed, in which case Frankie has never held Bahamian citizenship. Frankie's purported Bahamian father would have had to, among other things, produce required original documents to evidence his (the father's) Bahamian citizenship and also swear an affidavit and/or produce an official or certified copy of Frankie's birth certificate naming him as Frankie's father. If this did not happen, then there is no way Frankie can claim to hold Bahamian citizenship by virtue of his father purportedly being a Bahamian citizen. Ergo, Frankie was ineligible to be nominated as a candidate in the last general election and is not a sitting MP.
ohdrap4 6 years, 6 months ago
persons born in the bahamas before 1973 all became citizens, regardlaess of parentage.
Well_mudda_take_sic 6 years, 6 months ago
Was Frankie in fact born in the Bahamas prior to July 10, 1973 and eligible to receive citizenship on that date? Who is (was) his father and is (was) his father a Bahamian at the time of Frankie's birth?
sheeprunner12 6 years, 6 months ago
The Constitution speaks to how a person can obtain citizenship if born in The Bahamas before 1973 (as Frankie was) ........ But who was his biological father??????? .......... Is there DNA evidence????? ........ Haitian mothers just seem to make up surnames and give their children a "Bahamian name" to fit in ............ And God knows how they get these birth certificates and passports.
TalRussell 6 years, 6 months ago
Comrades! The issue is not if Frankie's big mouth brought the focus upon himself .... and if he's one of us, cause he IS.... but more about how do we as a country muster the strength and resources to get down to 'fixing' the thousands of other Frankie's and Susan's who were born with their navel strings firmly having been clipped right here by Bahamanlander doctors, nurses and midwives that were born to to chiefly Haitian nationals but also other parents of another half a dozen heritages? We must not only fix them up but clearly define who gets to be a citizen, and then enforce what we as a people decide to move forward with.
Cas0072 6 years, 6 months ago
First things first, is to appreciate the fact that all Frankies and Susans may not have been born in The Bahamas, and hence, have no claim to citizenship. We condemn fraud and corruption, but we want to dismiss compelling evidence of such because we like so and so? That is corruption all over again. Granting passports based on the mother's statement and that of a friend is not in accordance with the law, as neither parents claim to citizenship was substantiated. I am not saying that is what occurred in this situation as Campbell's mother may have presented supporting documents that are not being included with those being circulated on social media. But if so, I am sure the minister in charge stands ready to use the discretion of the minister clause to sign off on citizenship for his colleague as he has already done in the case of the box of work permits, the regularization of students of illegal parents, and soon, the many boxes of citizenship applications that will line his office floor come December 31st.
sheeprunner12 6 years, 6 months ago
It may be a good thing if Minnis has to ask Frankie to resign because his citizenship is suspect ....... Frankie seems lost as a Minister anyway ....... He just bungled the barge incident in Long Island ........ now we have a real oil mess, thanks to Fumbling Frankie ........ SMT
TalRussell 6 years, 6 months ago
Comrades! To the many of us who say to just lave Frankie to be, there is much shock when even the media friendly to the red shirts government - are joining in with those who say - it's time that Frankie be the first member of the crown to be tossed off the red cabinet's bus.
banker 6 years, 6 months ago
by banker
baldbeardedbahamian 6 years, 6 months ago
The ma of a MP called Campbell, Had her Papers all tied in a tangle. Immigration could not decide, On her Permit to reside, Leaving poor Frankie's passport to dangle.
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