Multiple-Citizenship for Solomon Islands

We, the undersigned, urge the Democratic Coalition for Change (DCC) Government to take action on current immigration legislation which denies multiple-citizenship to Solomon Islands citizens.
We applaud your intention to ‘Review the Immigration Act’, as stated in your policy statement. We implore that this review will include the drafting of a bill that permits Solomon Islanders to have multiple-citizenship. We urge that a Standing Select Committee be formed as a matter of priority to engage in widespread consultation and careful research into the appropriateness of multiple-citizenship for Solomon Islands and the optimal way in which it could be implemented in Solomon Islands. We pledge our support for this review.
We advocate that particular consideration should be given to permitting multiple-citizenship, with appropriate guidelines, for:
• children of a Solomon Islands citizen and a foreigner;
• Solomon Islands citizens who wish to retain their Solomon Islands citizenship if they take up citizenship of another country;
• foreign spouses of Solomon Islands citizens; and
• foreigners who have resided in Solomon Islands for many years, who have made it their home and who have proven themselves to be a benefit to the country, who wish to retain their existing citizenship when they take Solomon Islands citizenship.
Many of us who have signed this letter are directly adversely affected by current immigration laws preventing multiple-citizenship:
• Some of us who have married people from other countries have families torn back and forth between the countries that make up our history and heritage. With constant requirements for residency permits (both here in Solomon Islands and overseas), the overall feeling is that we, as a family unit, can never truly belong anywhere. It breaks our hearts that our children (and future children) are denied a citizenship status that truly reflects their multi-cultural heritage.
• Some of us who have lived overseas for long periods of time face the agonizing decision of whether to forfeit our own Solomon Islands' citizenship due to the impracticality of maintaining it from another country.
• Some of us have lived in Solomon Islands for many, many years. We love it as we do our own country of birth. It is home to us and we eagerly desire to become a citizen so that we can truly feel that we belong. And yet, renouncing our citizenship of birth in order to do so is a tough decision to make.
Others of us who have signed this letter are not directly affected by the legislation which denies multiple-citizenship and yet we wholeheartedly support our family members, friends and fellow countrymen and countrywomen who are directly affected.
All of us who have signed this letter support the legislation of multiple-citizenship, following the precedent of our other Pacific nations such as Samoa, Tonga, Australia, Vanuatu, New Zealand and, most recently, Papua New Guinea; all of whom have legislated for multiple-citizenship. We whole-heartedly believe that not only will the provision for multiple-citizen be of benefit to individuals and families in Solomon Islands, but to the nation as a whole as it continues to interact in a regional and global society.
We thank you for your attention to this letter and we, again, humbly urge you to begin the due process for the legislating of multiple-citizenship for Solomon Islanders. We welcome further consultation with your office should you wish to have an audience with us.