House Speaker, Lawrence Joseph has extended a deadline for opposition parliamentarians to declare their citizenship status or face possible suspension from the House of Representatives.

The new deadline date of January 18 was set by Joseph who is not happy with the responses given by members of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to an earlier ultimatum.

The speaker had given the opposition members until the end of December to respond to a questionnaire that he had sent to them. Informed sources told GRENADA TODAY that in their responses, the seven opposition parliamentarians indicated that they are all Commonwealth citizens as provided for in the constitution.

The issue arose from a government challenge to the dual citizenship status of opposition Members of Parliament for the Town of St. George, Peter David who publicly admitted to holding Canadian citizenship after a stint in the North American country.

David is insisting that the Grenada Constitution provides for him as a Canadian citizen to hold public office in his homeland. The government is seeking to have the M.P demit office and for the seat to be handed over to its Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister, Senator Brenda Hood whom David defeated in the 2003 general elections.

Following is the text of the latest letter sent by the speaker of Parliament to opposition members:

Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives

Houses of Parliament
P.O. Box 315
Church Street
St. George's
Grenada
West Indies

January 6, 2006

Honourable Member:

I acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 23rd December, 2005, which was seen by me on Friday 30th December last.

You stated that your letter was in response to the enquiries made in my correspondence to you dated 12th December, 2005.

I herein state that your response has not in any way addressed the questions asked in the questionnaire which was sent to you, and which you have acknowledged receiving.

You are reminded that my correspondence stated that "this questionnaire must be answered by you in accordance with the questions being asked" you have not done so.

Herein I enclosed a copy of the said questionnaire for your due response, in accordance with the Resolution of the House of Representatives which was passed on Friday 9th December, 2005.

After due processing, the questionnaire should reach the Office of the Speaker, House of Representatives on or before Wednesday 18th January, 2006.

Lawrence A Joseph
Speaker of the House of Representatives