Questions are now being asked if there is going to be a general election this year based on the cases involving dual citizenship.

"Is there really going to be another election?"an elderly woman asked last week.

"I hope not," the other woman responded. She says she is scared whenever there is an election because she just cannot deal with the increase in the crime rate.

"We would definitely leave the island in the event there is the announcement of an early election," her husband said.

"I cannot deal with an election right now and I do hope that the parties get together and resolve the issue without another election," he added.

"This dual citizenship business is causing a big problem in this country," a businessman remarked last week. "Instead of going forward we now have to be considering if there is going to be an election soon," he added.

The case involving dual citizenship is now before the Court of Appeal and everyone is awaiting the outcome.

Chief Justice Zaila McCalla ruled on April 11 that Member of Parliament Daryl Vaz was disqualified on the basis that he was the holder of a US passport and by virtue of travelling on it and renewing it, he had pledged allegiance to a foreign power which was in breach of the Constitution.

People's National Party candidate Abe Dabdoub who brought the election petition was not returned as the duly elected candidate as the chief justice ordered a by-election in the West Portland constituency. Dabdoub and Vaz are appealing the chief justice's ruling.

A Court of Appeal judge this week granted a stay of the chief justice's ruling which means that Vaz will remain in Parliament until the appeals have been heard and determined and there will not be a by-election until the appeals have been heard.

A Star reader this week referred to a section of the Constitution which he says he finds to be very interesting.

It is section 46 (1) of the Constitution which states "any person who sits or votes in either House knowing or having reasonable ground for knowing that he is not entitled to do so, shall be liable to a penalty of $20 for each day upon which he so sits or votes. Section 46(2) states "any such penalty shall be recoverable by civil action in the Supreme Court at the suit of the attorney-general."