Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter

The first lawsuit challenging the alleged dual citizenship of a Jamaica Labour Party candidate was filed yesterday in the Supreme Court.

People's National Party candidate for West Portland, attorney-at-law, Abe Dabdoub, filed the suit against his JLP counterpart, Daryl Vaz.

However, Director of Elections Danville Walker issued a statement yesterday supporting his statement issued on August 16 that "all 146 candidates have been properly nominated and will be onthe ballots printed for the election to be held on September 3, 2007".

Mr. Walker emphasised, "The public is being asked to be aware that persons are apparently seeking to mislead electors that votes cast for certain candidates will be wasted. This is false. Electors are encouraged to go out and vote on election day."

Misleading documents

He also pointed out that the Electoral Office of Jamaica noticed that, leading up to the election, there "continues to be misleading documents challenging the validity of the nomination of candidates".

The PNP has been contending that several JLP candidates have dual citizenship.

PNP chairman, Robert Pickersgill, wrote to Professor Errol Miller, chairman of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica, earlier this month, asking him to investigate reports that at least seven JLP candidates are citizens of other countries.

In the suit filed in the Supreme Court, Mr. Dabdoub is contending that Mr. Vaz is the holder of a passport issued by the U.S. Government.

Mr. Dabdoub states in the suit filed by attorney-at-law, Gayle Nelson, that, by virtue of Vaz's own act, he is under an acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state in contravention of section 40 of the Jamaican Constitution.

Mr. Dabdoub is asking the court to disqualify Mr. Vaz from being elected as Member of Parliament in the general election, which is to be held on Monday.

The hearing has been set for September 13.

Dabdoub has also named the attorney-general and returning officer, Carlton Harris, as defendants in the suit.

barbara.gayle@gleanerjm.com