Gaskin will not contest as AFC candidate in 2020 elections

Alliance For Change (AFC) Executive Member and former Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin, will not contest as a candidate in the coming General and Regional elections.

He confirmed the same on Friday at the party’s press conference.

Gaskin was among four other ministers of government who stepped down when the court ruled that to have dual citizenship as a Member of Parliament (MP) is a breach of Article 155 of the Constitution.

Article 155 of the Constitution states: “(1) No person shall be qualified for election as a member of the National Assembly who – (a) is, by virtue of his or her own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state.”

While Gaskin’s case is arguable as he was born in the United Kingdom but is a citizen of Guyana by descent, he was replaced by Haimraj Rajkumar as minister of business.

Since his resignation, Gaskin was appointed as director of manufacturing and marketing within the Ministry of Business.

Under this new portfolio, he is expected to provide assistance to small producers by facilitating access to markets, particularly Eastern Caribbean markets.

According to him, there is much to be done in the areas manufacturing and marketing and, under his stewardship, he will raise the bar.

Quizzed in the past about his technical abilities to be in the position, Gaskin admitted that he does not have university qualifications but has over 40 years of experience in the manufacturing sector.

The minister is, nonetheless, currently pursuing a degree at the University of Guyana which should aid him further in this regard.

Just on Thursday, director-general of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, announced that he successfully relinquished his US citizenship and is now “fit and proper” to return to the National Assembly as an MP. Harmon was formerly the minister of state.

Last month, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge confirmed that his British citizenship was renounced.

Greenidge, who now serves as foreign secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said he now looks forward to being included on the list of candidates from which the governing APNU+AFC will make its selection of MPs at the 2020 elections.

Meanwhile, former Minister of Public Service, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, has resigned.

Over in the Opposition, People’s Progressive Party/ Civic’s (PPP/C) Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira, a Canadian citizen who served as a an MP since 1992 and Adrian Anamayah and Odinga Lumumba, were also forced to resign for being dual citizens in the National Assembly.

In the case of Teixeira, reports suggest that she has relinquished her Canadian citizenship. — CHRONICLE