The Constitution Amendment Bill 2025 was passed in the Senate, with 16 votes for, 13 against, and one abstention.
The Opposition and Independent benches did not support the legislation, with the exception of Temporary Independent Senator Wesley Gibbings, who voted with the government bench.
The Bill, also known as the ‘Grandparent Law,’ seeks to amend the Constitution to allow persons to become citizens of Trinidad and Tobago if their grandparent was a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago at the time of their birth.
Attorney General John Jeremie, responding to concerns raised by the Opposition, argued it was mischievous to imply the amendment could lead to voter padding.
“It is so wrong to say that we are looking at the constitution, amending the constitution every day. That’s wrong. Wrong to say that the bill before us seeks to have, well, has anything to do with elections or benefits or anything of that nature. Wrong to say that there are no international benchmarks.”
The Attorney General assured that the President would not be asked to proclaim the Bill until appropriate regulations are made to Form 5, the General Declaration form required by Immigration for individuals entering the country.
He further explained that the election laws in Trinidad and Tobago would not allow for persons to participate in constituency elections just through acquiring citizenship.
“We have constituency voting and there’s no way that you could vote in Washington, and, where will you go to cast that ballot? At the High Commission? They lock you up. And how would you get the vote from Washington to Port of Spain? Or, if you’re in England, what are you going to do? You’re going to go to the Trinidad High Commission? They’ll lock you up. I used to be there. I mean, it’s preposterous.”