Brown Burke awaits renunciation documents

Daraine Luton, Senior Staff Reporter

DEPUTY PRESIDENT of the Senate, Angela Brown Burke, does not have a certificate of loss of citizenship to prove that she has renounced her United States citizenship.

On Wednesday, Brown Burke told The Gleaner that at a convenient time, she would display the documents to prove she has lost her US citizenship.

But in a statement yesterday, the People's National Party vice-president said she was not yet in possession of those documents.

"On December 19, 2011, I met with a US lawyer to discuss the process of renunciation. Later that week, I contacted the embassy to begin the process and the relevant documents were sent to me," Brown Burke wrote.

She continued: "I visited the US Embassy having filled out the forms and went through the counselling session that is required as part of the process. I returned on January 11, 2012 and took the oath of renunciation and returned my US passport along with the certificate of naturalisation which I had obtained on January 11, 1995.

I await the receipt of the certificate of loss of citizenship, which becomes effective as at January 11, 2012."

Under the Constitution of Jamaica, no person, who by his own act is under the acknowledgement of allegiance or obedience to a foreign power shall sit in the Parliament.

qualified as senator

Brown Burke took the oath of allegiance as senator on Tuesday and was also elected deputy president.

"I am qualified as expressed in Section 39 of the Constitution and I am not disqualified as reflected under Section 40 (2) of the Constitution," she told The Gleaner.

"I renounced well in advance of my appointment and the decision made to recommend me for appointment as senator. That is as far as I am prepared to say at this point," Brown Burke added.

The Gleaner yesterday, by email, sought clarification from the United States Embassy as to whether the acts carried out by Brown Burke is sufficient for renunciation.

"The American Citizen Services Unit of the US Embassy in Kingston has received your inquiry. We will provide you with a response within five business days," an automated response read.

daraine.luton@gleanerjm.com