Dr Friday says attempts to remove him from ballot unsuccessful

By Admin. Updated 9:46 p.m., Monday, 10 November 2025, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

Leader of the opposition and candidate in the upcoming general election, Dr Godwin Friday, has stated that efforts to remove him from the ballot on nomination day were unsuccessful.

“Today was nomination day. With the support of my community, I went and got the job done. I want to thank all those persons who came out,” Dr Friday said.

“Of course, my opponents tried some dirty tricks. They wanted to knock me off the ballot. They wanted to try and get me out of the way before you had a chance to vote. But it didn’t succeed. Our legal team and I pushed back against it. And so here we are. The nomination process is complete,” said Dr Friday, who is the incumbent for the Northern Grenadines constituency.

Dr Friday was likely referring to a letter submitted by registered voters to the Returning Officer in the Northern Grenadines, requesting his disqualification as a candidate due to his Canadian citizenship.

One News SVG and other media outlets obtained copies of this letter, as well as a similar letter addressed to the Returning Officer in East Kingstown, which raises the same objection against the New Democratic Party’s candidate for East Kingstown, Mr Dwight Fitzgerald Bramble.

According to the letters obtained by One News SVG, the main argument is that both candidates may be ineligible to represent their constituencies because they hold foreign citizenship.

Regarding Opposition Leader Dr Godwin Friday, the voters’ letter asserts that his nomination may be invalid under Section 26(1) of the Constitution, which states:

“(1) No person shall be qualified to be elected or appointed as a Representative or Senator if he —
(a) Is by virtue of his own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience, or adherence to a foreign power or state;”

The letter notes that Dr Friday holds Canadian citizenship, which he acquired voluntarily, and possesses a Canadian passport. It also highlights that he once stated in Parliament that he keeps his “Canadian passport proudly in his front pocket and his Vincentian passport in his back pocket.” The voters argue that, by virtue of this foreign citizenship, he may owe allegiance to another country, potentially rendering him ineligible to represent St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The letter further observes that since Hurricane Beryl struck on 1 July 2024, Dr Friday has entered Canada using his Canadian passport. It also emphasises that, although Dr Friday was nominated and elected as a Representative for the Northern Grenadines in the general elections of 2001, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020, “repeated violations of the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act in this regard do not in any way make what is wrong, right.” The voters contend that his past electoral victories should not exempt him from the constitutional requirements for candidacy.

“We proceed to the elections on the 27th. If you want to beat me, come on the 27th,” Dr Friday said, adding, “That is the day that you can come and try to knock me out. And you’re not going to succeed. Because that is the day of reckoning.”

“And we shall overcome. And the people of this constituency and the country will have the change that we so desperately need.”

The issue of dual citizenship among candidates of both major political parties resurfaces in every election.

The Constitution grants Commonwealth citizens the right to vote and participate as candidates in general elections, but the contention has always centred on the provision prohibiting allegiance to foreign powers.

END