The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Immigration Minister Brent Symonette believes genetic tests should be required for people affected by a landmark citizenship ruling even if their father is identified on their birth certificate.

In May, the Privy Council ruled that children born to Bahamian men are automatically citizens regardless of their mother’s nationality.

Since then, the Davis administration has said such people with their Bahamian father on their birth certificate can get their passports. Those without their father on their certificate must have genetic testing done in a process the administration has yet to settle. 

Mr Symonette said yesterday: “That doesn’t mean because I put my name on your birth certificate of your child that I’m the father. You might tell me I’m the father, but I might not be.”

“In other words, if the DNA testing has not been proven, did those people get passports on the basis that I said I’m the daddy?”

“So is the Passport Office doing due diligence or is it just certain people are getting passports while the government on the other hand for other people are dilly-dallying about what the DNA proof is?”

 He said he believes “some DNA or other substantive tests” proving who is a person’s father should be required in every case.

 He said when dealing with citizenship –– “one of the highest things in our country” –– extreme measures should be required to ensure someone is entitled to a passport.

 “I don’t mean to be rude or cruel or whatever the right word is, but some girl could tell me I’m the father and I’m so happy I put my name on the birth certificate,” he said. “I know it’s happened. It’s happened many times in this country. I mean I’m no more of the father than, you know, the man in the moon.”

 Mr Symonette said that two different standards are being created for people affected by the Privy Council’s ruling: “one, just because a man says he’s the father I get a passport and another one you require me to do a DNA test.”

 “The two are diametrically opposed. They should get it right before they issue any passports and in light of the various things that have been happening at the ministry or Department of Immigration, I question whether some of those passports might not be properly issued.”