26 June 2010
his
morning the Privy Council approved a submission from Cabinet to make
dual citizenship for Tongan citizens lawful.
Under the
Chairmanship of the Prince Regent, Crown Prince Tupouto'a, the Privy
Council directed the Crown Law Office, "...to formulate the necessary
draft amendments to the Nationality Act (CAP 59) and to other relevant
legislations,\ submit these to Cabinet and then Privy Council for
detailed consideration and approval, with the expressed aim of enacting
them during the current session of Parliament."
Under the
existing Act, a Tongan citizen loses their Tongan nationality if he/she
voluntarily takes up citizenship in a foreign country. Similarly, a
Tongan woman who marries a foreigner and takes on her husband's
nationality also loses her Tongan citizenship.
The Prime
Minister, Hon Dr. Feleti V Sevele, said, "This issue has been a dominant
concern of our Tongans overseas over the years. In 2002 the Legislative
Assembly voted in favor of a Parliamentary motion to allow dual
citizenship. In June 2004, my predecessor, HRH Prince ‘Ulukalala Lavaka
Ata directed the relevant Government department to propose how dual
citizenship could be implemented as soon as possible. In December 2005
Cabinet agreed to establish a Committee to review the Nationality Act".
The
Prime Minister continued, "Now Privy Council has directed that the work
must be speeded up so that dual citizenship for Tongan citizens can
become a reality during this year, 2006. The Privy Council's decision
this morning should bring joy to the hearts of every Tongan - here and
overseas."
Apart from proposing amendments to make dual
citizenship possible, the Crown Law Office has also been directed to
propose amendments to correct anomalies within the current Act.
For
example, under the existing Act, a person born out of wedlock to a
Tongan mother in a foreign country could be a stateless child. At the
same time a person born out of wedlock to a Tongan mother in Tonga is
recognized as a Tongan national.
Similarly, children of Tongan
persons who take up citizenship in another country and who take on the
new nationality of their parents also lose their Tongan nationality. Yet
foreigners who take up Tonga nationality can retain their original
nationality, and thus enjoy dual citizenship, because there is no
requirement in the existing Act for them to relinquish their original
nationality.
The Prime Minister concluded saying, " As a
Government, we have a duty to give our people the right to retain their
"being Tongan" Dual citizenship will enable our relatives to enjoy the
benefits and opportunities of their new country whilst retaining their
Tongan nationality."
ENDS
Issued by:The
Information Unit,Prime Minister's Office, P.O. Box 62, Nuku'alofa, Tonga. Telephone:
(676) 24 644 Fax: (676) 23 888 Email:
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