Guyana Consul to assist with renunciations

GREAT BAY — Guyanese who have not renounced their former nationality to obtain the Dutch passport will be able to do it through the office of the Honorary Consul to Guyana Cleveland Beresford whose office is situated on Back Street, Philipsburg. 

“This is not a new requirement by the Dutch Government,” said Beresford. This has been the requirement for a number of years and persons who have obtained the Dutch Nationality are advised by letter from the Dutch Government that they must relinquish their former nationality to become a Dutch citizen.

He explained that it was challenged by Dutch citizens living in America but “the Dutch representatives maintained that a person can only have one nationality” since they can only swear allegiance to one country. Since he became aware of the situation he had forwarded the information to the officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Citizenship in Georgetown Guyana.

“I am looking into all those persons who have renounced their Guyana Citizenship and have issues and received correspondence from the Dutch Government to come to my office so that he can put in place a system where the Ministry of Citizenship can verify that they have already renounced their nationality,” he said.

“If they have not renounced their Guyanese citizenship, I am putting things in place for them to renounce it now,” he said. He does not know how much time there is to have this done but he will do his best to assist.

Meanwhile, several persons from varying nationalities have received letters from the Dutch Government asking them to bring the Dutch passport since they have not renounced their former nationality. In one case a man who is deceased for several years now were also among those who were asked to return the passport.

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