A landmark constitutional trial over parliamentary eligibility for dual citizens in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) reached a key milestone on September 28, with Prime Minister Godwin Friday poised to take the witness stand the following morning to present his testimony and respond to cross-examination from the petitioners’ legal team.
The day’s proceedings at the Kingstown High Court brought a critical virtual appearance from 40-year-veteran Canadian legal expert Joel Goberman, who joined the hearing from Italy to walk the court through the legal framework, procedural requirements, and core meaning of the Canadian citizenship oath. The consolidated high-stakes trial revolves around Section 26(1)(a) of SVG’s constitution, which addresses how dual nationality impacts a lawmaker’s eligibility to hold parliamentary office. The entire day of argument unfolded as a backdrop to a personal milestone for the prime minister, who turned 67 inside the Kingstown courtroom.
At the heart of the legal dispute is a core question: does holding dual citizenship count as an acknowledgement of allegiance to a foreign power, a status that would disqualify an individual from serving in SVG’s parliament? Goberman’s expert testimony, which came after extensive questioning over the detailed report he submitted to the court, covered everything from the administrative steps for naturalization to the legal standing of the oath of allegiance required for new Canadian citizens.
Speaking to local outlet iWitness News after the court adjourned for the afternoon, lead defense counsel Anand Ramlogan — a former Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago — outlined why Goberman’s testimony carries major weight for the defense. Under SVG’s election rules, candidates must hold Commonwealth citizenship to qualify for office, and Canada is a full member of the Commonwealth bloc. Ramlogan emphasized that Goberman’s evidence confirms the Canadian citizenship oath is a symbolic commitment to a system of government that aligns closely with SVG’s own constitutional framework and shared values across the Commonwealth Caribbean.
Ramlogan also pushed back on the timing of the challenge, noting that Prime Minister Friday has never hidden his dual citizenship status throughout his decades-long career as a sitting member of parliament. The eligibility objection was never raised in prior elections, he pointed out, even as Friday served multiple terms in office. It only emerged after Friday led his party to an overwhelming electoral victory that elevated him to the prime ministership. Ramlogan argued the challenge is a politically motivated push led by the opposition, framed as a legal objection, calling the timing surprising after years of public knowledge about Friday’s dual citizenship.
The defense lead also marked the occasion of Friday’s birthday, publicly extending well wishes and praising the prime minister for choosing to spend the day observing court proceedings rather than celebrating, a move Ramlogan called the ultimate demonstration of commitment to SVG’s constitution and the rule of law.
For his part, Prime Minister Friday told reporters that while the constitutional challenge has dragged on longer than many expected, his legal team has remained fully prepared. He noted proceedings wrapped up earlier than forecast on September 28, leaving him a small window of time to mark his birthday, and pushed back on claims from the petitioners’ side that the defense was growing anxious as cross-examination intensified.
“We are confident about our case, we have been from the very start, and this trial is proceeding exactly as we expected it would,” Friday said, adding that his team respects the court’s process and any final ruling the court may issue.
The legal challenge itself dates back to SVG’s November 2020 general election, where defeated candidates from the incumbent Unity Labour Party (ULP) filed election petitions challenging the victory of New Democratic Party (NDP) candidates in two constituencies: East Kingstown and the Northern Grenadines. The petitions ask the court to remove the elected NDP lawmakers from office entirely on the grounds of their dual citizenship status.
The legal teams on both sides bring together senior regional and local counsel: Stuart Young, SC, leads the legal team for petitioners Carlos Williams and Luke Browne, alongside local attorney Kay Bacchus-Baptiste. For the defense, Anand Ramlogan, SC, leads the team representing Prime Minister Friday and MP Fitzgerald Bramble, with support from local attorneys Shirlan “Zita” Barnwell, Zhinga Horne-Edwards, Samantha Robertson, and Gabrielle Myers.
When the trial resumes on the morning of September 29, Friday will take the stand to open the defense’s full case, and will face cross-examination from the petitioners’ legal team. Another expert witness is also scheduled to appear on the same day, and the landmark constitutional trial is set to continue.