Below are statements attributed to Tony Astaphan on the dual citizenship
issue which in part led to the resignation of Sir Brian Alleyne.. from the
IPO Commission I agree with the author of the Astaphan quotes that Astaphan’s expressed
statements are grossly inconsistent and cannot all be true. In the Astaphan
mind dual citizenship is a “contaminating vice” in the case of St Kitts,
other jurisdictions and Sir Brian but Skerrit is exempt from effect of the
same vice..and so in the latter case according to Astaphan dual citizenship
disqualification in Dominica constitution is “antiquated and illogical”.
These mental gymnastics require a very high level of intellectual
dishonesty which now seems to infect the body politic in Dominica
C A Shillingford
____________________________________
On February 23rd, 2011, I addressed Anthony Astaphan in a Dominica-Opinion
blog post as follows:
“In 2009 you were uncompromisingly on the side of those who understood and
embraced the provision in our constitution which disqualifies those who
are under allegiance to a foreign power or state. You told the people of St
Kitts that members of Parliament must have only one allegiance and that is
to the country they want to represent. In 2011 you have made an about turn
so that you can defend Skerrit who stands in breach of that constitutional
provision and is therefore an illegal member of parliament and a squatter
in the office of Prime Minister. On Sunday night you found the gall to
actually express regret on the Barbados TV show the Peoples Business, that host
Peter Wickham had encountered “uncivilized” and “political responses” from
“surprising sources” in Dominica to his criticisms of the anti dual
citizenship provision in the Dominica constitution as “antiquated and illogical”.
Consider carefully, Astaphan’s new two-part explanation of his dual
citizenship flip-flop:
1. My statements in St Kitts were directed at a specific factual context
andin response to statements made by the Leader of the Peoples Action
Movement. These facts do not exist in Dominica.
2. In Barbados, I said that Peter Wickham was savaged and sandbagged by
the likes of you for saying nothing different to that said by Bruce Golding
and Sir Ronald Saunders and many others who believe that these provisions
were outdated.
In St Kitts, on August 5th, 2009 Liar Astaphan actually said to ZIZ
interviewer Lesroy WIlliams:
“We must not allow the political process, the parliamentary process and
the electability of our people to be polluted by dual citizenship. You must
have one oath of allegiance only and that’s to the parliament, the governor
general and the people of this country… and Dominica, Antigua… my views
on this issue is not tailored to St Kitts. My view on this position is a
universal view I share it in every single island that I go and it is not
tailored by politics. It is the constitutional reality of the government that we
want
In Barbados, on February 20th, 2011 Liar Astaphan was a guest on the TV
Program ‘The Peoples Business’ and actually said to host Peter Wickham:
“I think it is a matter of deep regret that the statements that you made
in relation to this question and the need for legislative and constitutional
reform, received a sort of uncivilized and political response in Dominica
and from some surprising sources as well. The position that you had taken
in that matter is no different to that taken by the government of Jamaica
and by Prime Minister Bruce Goodwin and Sir Ronald Saunders that these are
certainly archaic provisions”.
How many times does this lawyer have to be caught lying with impunity
before civilized society relegates him to his rightful place?
How many times must this inveterate liar fail in his sanctimonious
attempts to savage me for being able to present to the people more accurate
accounts of his own statements than he himself is able to remember?
The count continues!
“To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than
sacrifice…” Proverbs 21:3
Dual citizenship issue
Clayton,
Get a life and stop your childish rants. You and Linton are holding on to these statements like a paro to a crack pipe. The Leader of the PAM’s case never went to Court. The Prime Minister’s case is before the Court and the Court will decide on the facts before it. I am not going to say or do anything to prejudice the matter before the Court.
In relation to Sir Brian. On the 17th December 2010 Sir Brian at the Forum said that had he been a Member of Parliament he would have been disqualified. The very same disqualification applies to Members of the Integrity Commission.
Further, at that very public Forum Sir Brian Himself referred to the disqualification provisions as an “impediment”. In fact he referred specifically to you as an example of using persons with other citizenships! LMFAO! Sir Brian went on to say that if that is the view of our parliamentarians they should look at it and do what is necessary as that is one of the reasons why we send them to the Parliament. You were there so you must have heard him!
Also, there are moves afoot in the Commonwealth to revise or repeal these provisions. In fact Bruce Golding and Sir Ronald Saunders are on record stating that these provisions are “OUTDATED”.
So as far as I am concerned, the Court and the Court alone will decide.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device from Cable & Wireless
Dual citizenship issue
Hi Tony,
As a former president of the committee for Good and Accountable Government I
hope you remember that the Constitution can only be changed by a Referendum
and not by lawyers.
Your former Vice president of CFG and Accountable Government.
Ron Abraham.
Dual citizenship issue
Well Ron,
I am totally aware of that. I would add that the Constitution cannot be
changed or cut to fit a political landscape. But as you well know, for the
very first time in the history of our jurisprudence4 and that of the
Commonwealth, and with your encouragement and the invaluable and profound
assistance and guidance from the late Jenner and great Joffrey Harris, I
got our Court and the Privy Council to apply our constitutional provisions
to a commercial telephone licence and business!! Remember?
Also. a case depends on a proper construction and application of the
Constitution, context and the facts. While for manifestly partisan reasons,
there are many seeking to savage the right of the PM to fight the case on
the High Court, while other ridicule his right to do so. There were many who
thought and prayed you would fail. You were present at the Privy Council.
You saw what transpired. Many wish the same harm to befall the PM. For my
part, I will give him the very same loyal service I gave you and leave it to
the High Court to decide.
Dual citizenship issue
To; Tony Astaphan
I am impressed by the speed of your response.. I would hope that our
institutions that are charged to uphold the constitution and our laws would take
cue from you and move expeditiously on matters of greater importance than
what I expressed in my recent email..for example what you refer to as “the
matter before the Court”.
C A Shillingford
Ms.
There are several factors to be considered and for some odd reason seem to have escaped the press and the claimants.
1. In the personal letters printed on government letter head. A) what does “it is with deep regret…” Mean? That is regret to having to give up foreign allegiance? B)what does “thank you for your usual cooperation” mean?
2. The French law strictly prohibits the dual citizenship holder from holding a post in the civil service or military of any foreign power, except if given permission to do so by the French government. That being understood, explains how they could both have been functioning in their strategic posts (cadet/teacher/minister/prime minister/minister of national security/ caricom chairman/ chairnan of the Eastern Caribbean central bank)enabling the facilitation of French foreign policy.
4.A)Geothermal 180mega watt/hr plant *by what ever figure/kilowatt= mega$. B)Establishment of French owned quarries for the extraction of our non renewable resources~$100-200million/year. c)support the French exploitation of Da’s marine resources…fisheries division estimates more than $80 million caught in Dominica’s waters by french/yr. Who released those caught? Who allowed french coast guard full access to our waters in2006?
5. Road and asphalt contracts: how many millions were awarded to french contractor?
6. Who recommended that French have an observers status in Caricom? Were caricom members happy with the outcome of the eu trade negotiations?
….Were not the laws written to prevent exactly what is going on?
What does the treason act say about interference with the electoral process?
Kalinago
Perhaps the Good SC may wish to explain:
1. the historical significance of France’s battles to gain control of our resources
2. The historical significance in the destruction of Haiti by France.
3. The hezbulla(Lebanese)/Iranian/russian/venezuelan/French connection vs the Caricom/Israeli/British/dutch/us in relation to the recent missile tensions/territorial disputes/oil exploration in the Caribbean basin. Breaches of the UN sanctions against Iran Which “is being closely monitored” (to quote the US secretary of state march 2011)
4. His allegiance to Dominicans or Lebanese
5. The blatant net multimillion dollar negotiations in favor of France in road contracts, geothermal, quarry allocation, fisheries, territorial seas, France’s Caricom observer status.
6. Is the ‘learned’ SC shying away from my previous posting?
Thanks
kalinago
Could a SC explain how the following are related to the Treason act:
Interference with the electoral commission and process to influence the perceived electoral outcome
Boastfully using influence to purchase all media airtime to starve the populace of campaign information
Undeclared “non of your damn business” campaign funds.
Use of regional airline to disrupt regular scheduled flights in favor of chartered flights days before and on the day of elections thereby preventing genuine voters from returning to Dominica in time to vote?
Blatant conflict of interest of government legal team collaborating with defence lawyers to defend criminals who have been accused (judge having sent the dual citizenship case to trial and being tried) of crimes against the state?
Admissions recorded of intended electoral crimes notbeing prosecuted by the electoral commission, police, attorney general, DPP or Magistracy?
What are the cases of treason recorded in the archives? What are the current penalties for treason, akin to treason and what were the penalties granted to the perpetrators?
Was not the last hung by the neck until dead?
Was not a French collaborator convicted of treason against Dominica “to be brought to the newtown savana where he was hung by the neck not until dead, disembowelled before his own eyes then quartered and the 4 quarters displayed at the 4 corners of roseau”??
Was not the village of masacre named after and in permanent remembrance of the brutal state of France’s sponsored genocidal masacre of our Kalinago ancestors as a blatant breach of of a treaty?