Sunday, May 17, 2020

Gaining Roots Globally In Both Government Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 13 Words: 3831 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? ABSTRACT: Project finance is increasingly gaining roots globally in both government (public) sector and the private sector. Projects that are project financed are mostly large infrastructure like high-speed rail, electricity generation plants, wind turbine, telecommunication tower and multifaceted infrastructure undertakings. More often than not, majority of project- financed projects are influenced by government. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Gaining Roots Globally In Both Government Finance Essay" essay for you Create order This brings to the fore, financing of a project with a flexible cash flow which is usually the concern of the lender (debt provider) who accepts future revenues from a project as a guarantee on a loan. Project finance has an attribute of non-recourse, that notwithstanding, it allow lenders to always look for guarantees mostly from sponsors for effective cash flow that can make up for the debt and also bear risk that they can mitigate. Hence, the need for security as a mechanism of defence for the lender since there is the need for diverse provisions for the cash flow assigned to them, thereby guaranteeing payment of the debt. The paper hereby, looks at the different elements of securitisation; the lenders risks and how elements of security are employed in their mitigation WORD COUNT: In accordance with instructions provided for each course. Footnotes must be included in the word count. PRESENTED TO: MR STEPHEN DOW CONTRACT CONCERNING PLAGIARISM I, the undersigned, have read the Code of Practice regarding plagiarism contained in the Students Introductory Handbook. I realise that this Code governs the way in which the Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy regards and treats the issue of plagiarism. I have understood the Code and in particular I am aware of the consequences, which may follow if I breach that code. I also authorise the centre to scan the e-copy of my research paper through the Plagiarism Detection Software to detect plagiarism SIGNED: ____________________________ Date: Day Month Year TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Project finance is increasingly gaining roots globally in both government (public) sector and the private sector. Projects that are projects financed are mostly large infrastructure like high-speed rail, electricity generation plants, wind turbines, telecommunication towers and multifaceted infrastructure undertakings with majority of them influenced by government. This brings to the fore, financing of a project with a flexible cash flow which is usually the concern of the lender (debt provider) who accepts future revenue from a project as a guarantee on a loan. Project finance has an attribute of non-recourse, that notwithstanding, lenders usually look for guarantees mostly from sponsors (companies, partnerships or joint ventures or the host government represented by a government agency or state owned entity) for effective cash flow that can make up for the debt and also bear risk that they can mitigate. Lenders who provide the principal are very crucial and would not come on board unless there is mitigation and allocation of risks and security to ensure the debt recovery. Although the security sought for will not escalate the proficiency of the project and does not guarantee certainty of repayment, however, it ensures that if something goes wrong, lenders do not lose everything. Lenders mostly take some amount of credit risk on the project, thus to determine the practicality of the project. They consider that it is technically feasible and that its commercial forecasts so they can evaluate the available risks and design a sponsoring structure that will allocate those risks. By this, lenders give room for due diligence. Chapter one ponders on the concept of project finance and the concept of security involved in project finance. Chapter two highlights the elements of securitisation in project finance which is not too extensive an option available for debt recovery. Chapter three briefly assesses the various risks which a lender may be exposed to and attempts t o identify how security measures are opted to mitigate such risks. Chapter 4 concludes the paper by echoing some salient points about security in project finance. An analytical approach will be employed in the deliberation of these issues. The concept of Project Finance The concept of project finance cannot be discussed without an attempt to define project finance and its basic principles. From it unset, project finance is a method of financing where the lender accepts future revenues from a project as a guarantee on a loan. Contrary to this is the traditional method of financing whereby the borrower assigns to the lender a physical or monetary unit (collateral) in the case of default. Practically, most projects are financed by a combination of both traditional methods as well as by guarantee-backed loans. By implication, project finance is suggestive by its name in that, it refers to raising capital by any means to pay for any project. This however refers to a narrow but increasingly more prevailing method of financing capital- and risk-intensive projects across a broad array of industries. Many learned scholars have attempted defining project finance with some of these definitions worth citing. A financing of a particular economic unit in which a lender is satisfied to look initially to the cash flows and earnings of that economic unit as the source of funds from which a loan will be repaid and to the assets of the economic unit as collateral for the loan.[1] From the above definition, it can be deduced that, the definition is informative since project finance is project specific meaning that, it focuses on the financing of a specific project which can mean anything subject to what the parties define it to be. Moreover, a critical consideration to the word initially in the definition above reveals that, security as collateral is only subordinate to the debt repayment via the cash flow of the project. When project finance becomes non-recourse to the sponsor, it brings to bear a limited impact on the solvency of the sponsor which aims at arranging to borrow for a project which will profit the sponsor at large.[2] However, oil projects that involves major multinational companies which are financed majorly from the balance sheet of the sponsor normally allows the dispersal of the risk involved from the sponsor to other parties.[3] The deregulation of worldwide utilities and the privatisation of public sector capital investment have giving rise to the recent project financed projects in both developed countries and developing countries. For instance, in 2010 India became the utmost dynamic project-finance market with over $52 billion worth of deals, coming from 131 loans. Spain was second with 67 loans for a total of $174 billion and Australia in the third place with 32 loans worth $14.6 billion.[4]This is to underscore that public sector infrastructure that can take the form of natural resources projects like (gas, mining and oil), independent power projects (IPPs), mainly for power generation in the electricity sector like Sunon Asogli power plant of Ghana, public infrastructure (transport, roads, public buildings, etc.) for example Ghanas millennium challenge account (MCA) will be on the increase to benefit the people. Categorically, divergent financing mechanisms could be put in place for different project in project finance; conversely, basic features applicable to them all have been identified: There is in place a special-purpose vehicle SPV or Project Company whose only business is borrowing for a particular project to achieve the limited goals of construction and operation of the project. Project finance is normally used in financing new projects unlike existing projects, however, there could be financing loans for existing projects. Project finance is normally non-recourse to the sponsor and no guarantee is needed for the project debt. Lenders always look out for the cash flow that will be generated from the project for the recovery of the loan rather than the asset of the project. In terms of a default on repayment, the SPV becomes the main security available to the lender for the recovery of the loan due to the ownership right to resource, awarding of contracts and licences of the SPV.[5] From the above features, point (V) can be said to be the nub of this paper which is to state that in project finance, lenders only look out for the assets of the project for securitisation of the loan and to have full control over the asset which is being financed. The primary objective of security in project finance is to safeguard the debt which is usually the larger share of the financing structure but which doesnt yield higher returns if the project has an upside.[6] Security over the project is widely ranged and differs from project to project. A commentators view is that the lenders security is in four stages; Control over the cash flow of the project. The ability of the lender to step-in to project administration under direct agreements. Guaranteeing and assignment of SPVs assets and major agreements and contracts. Security over company shares. The Concept of Non-Recourse There are two basic types of recourse project financing: limited recourse project financing and nonrecourse project financing. Limited recourse gives the lenders some recourse to the sponsor in the form of the pre-completion guarantees or/and other assurances of some form of support for the project. Limited recourse project financing is typical for emerging market projects and projects posing significant risks. Nonrecourse project financing is an arrangement under which lenders do not have any direct recourse to the sponsors. Their security includes various assets of the project company (including the assets being financed) and relies on the operating cash flow generated by the project company. There is the possibility of a default on the payment of a term of a loan. Normally when it does happen, lenders fall back on the borrowers assets for the recovery of the advanced loan. Ideally, in project finance the loan is normally non-recourse to the sponsors; thus the loan is repaid only f rom the cash flow generated by the project with the sponsors providing no guarantees to the lenders. The concept of non-recourse project financing thus implies that the sponsors assets for the debt recovery is of no recourse to the project company, however, lenders might have recourse to the projects assets. Thus, lenders will look out for the credibility of sponsors in terms of security of the capital involved by recouping the debt as projected regardless of the completion of the project. This is opposed to traditional lender/borrower relationship like corporate financing whereby lenders normally secure the repayment of loan by demanding on some form of collateral or security which most often might not be necessarily the same as the value of the loan. This brings to the fore, the notion of project finance relying on the viability of a project rather than the credit value of the sponsor which in theory gives the project sponsor no direct legal obligations to reimburse the project debt and pay for interest. 2: ELEMENTS OF SECURITISATION IN PROJECT FINANCE The main aim of security is to safeguard the debt which most scholars believe its role in project finance is defensive and do not offer the lenders the right to actualise on the assets as they would in conventional secured finance. Lenders are mostly fascinated about the operators demonstrated aptitude in project finance since the repayment of the loan rely heavily on the achievement of the operator rather than the value of the project assets.[7] Lenders in most cases take aggressive security over assets they have financed just to ensure that they are able to sell off the asset in question on an execution of its security. This notwithstanding is not the ultimate goal for lenders in taking the security; instead, the aim of lenders to achieve their security goal is in two stances. Firstly, they look out for security with an eye on a complete security package that gears towards a defensive mechanism which aims at preventing other creditors taking security over the assets they have financed and also to avert other creditors who might try to rely on those assets. Secondly, the other stance for which lenders would want to take up security is for the sole aim of controlling the future of the project should a default occur so they can complete the project thereby operating it in order to generate the cash flow needed for the repayment of the loan. The lenders ability to achieve this aim is however dependant on the jurisdiction in whi ch the principal project assets are located. A table that illustrates the elements of a project finance security package is shown hereunder: Table1. Typical Elements of a Security Package[8] PROJECT ASSETS AND CASH FLOWS SPONSORS OTHER SOURCES Mortgage on project assets Pre completion guarantee Entitlement payments related to government concessions( for example the assignment of compensation due if concession is terminated early) Offtake agreements to ensure output demand (quantity and price) Project funds agreement; other financial support: subordinated loans in case of shortfall of project cash flows Letter of credit Supply agreements Construction and operation supports: arrange turnkey construction contract, supply key managers, arrange management contract Political risk insurance Assignment of receivables Financial Covenants Pledge of shares Escrow accounts to receive project revenues: onshore and offshore, local and foreign currency Assignment of insurance Payments 2.1 The Escrow Account The escrow account is said to be an account held in the name of the SPV or borrower by a bank with an escrow account agreement between the lender and borrower which gives rise to an immutable instructions from the borrower with a binding effect that all operational revenue or proceeds from the sale of assets of the project will be paid into this account.[9]Lenders tend to use the escrow account as a measure of control over the project revenues and also use the funds accrued for the settlement of the project expenses and also for the repayment of the loan. If a project cash flow is insufficient to settle the payment of the debt, lenders can also call for the setting up of an escrow account so that a trustee can withdraw from the escrow fund to service the debt.[10]A trustee can hold the trust on behalf of all creditors to avoid creating a separate trust for separate creditors and also introduce new creditors by means of a pre-agreed deed of accession.[11]However the escrow account when used to mitigate foreign currency risks helps to fulfil contractual responsibilities.[12] There are some key features of an escrow account that serve as security in project finance. Some of these features have been identified; It allows for the use of hard currency project revenue to pay for hard currency project debt. It is normally held offshore in a jurisdiction (country) where there is low foreign currency exchange convertibility and transfer risk. The escrow account forms part of the lenders security package as the cashflow is the principal concern of lenders. Normally the government of the host country requires approval for the creation and operation of the escrow mechanism.[13] 2.2 Assignment of Project Agreements and Other profits There is yet another measure that works to reinforce the security package which involves the assignment of rights under the key contracts of the project that serves as concretisation of (off-take contract, concession, construction contracts, etc.) security for the lender which is more prevalent under the operational stage of the project.[14]This process which could be called Direct Agreements have the aim of allowing the lender to take the place of the SPV should there be a default in the loan repayment by subjecting the borrowers privileges under the underwritten contract. Project receivables and agreements assignment has also been discoursed to enable creditors regulate project funds should the project encounter any challenge.[15] 3: HOW SECURITY MITIGATES LENDERS RISK 3.1 Lenders Risks Assessment and how they are mitigated by Securitisation Every discreet lender will resort to the method of project risk analysis when presented with a project finance proposal. This will enable the lender to come in terms with the scope, rationale and the objectives of the project at hand to be sure that they are flawless and feasible. In the same vain, the assessments of potential risks are measured on the same scale. Lenders have various reasons why they would want to advance funds for various projects. Some of these reasons include; profiting through attractive lending margins and other fees, the assumption of measured risk, to control credit agreements and the project as a whole in time of difficulties. This next section will discuss the assessment of a lenders risks and the elements of security which can be employed to mitigate them. Political Risks[16] These are inevitable and very much intrinsic in business which affects all stages of various projects right from the very beginning to the very end. This brings to the fore an evaluation difficulty with the utmost of it being expropriation by the government.[17]The tendency of existing political order collapsing, new taxations, exchange transfer restrictions, and nationalisation more often than not, put projects of both borrowers and lenders alike in jeopardy.[18]Not all, political risks such as war, civil unrest, default or failure of government agencies, changes in law and delays by governmental bodies to grant necessary approvals or licences for the project or components thereof can be a major concern to lenders. As if this is not enough, the ability of the host government to expropriate properties in return for relative compensation for the sole aim of public interest is a source of concern to the lender. This risk can hereby be mitigated by insurance against political risks and assurances against expropriation with a guarantee that proper compensation will be payable in that event. This risk can further be mitigated by a requirement of the host government to stand in as full guarantor of all the debt.[19]Lastly, it can be mitigated by participation of partners like the World Bank and multinational organizations (like MIGA, which has a special political insurance service) providing insurance in a traditional sense, in addition to issuing performance bonds that guarantee completion. Completion Risk The lender is faced with this risk when there is the difficulty of completing the project at hand. This goes a long way to affect the full operation capacity of the project as scheduled both on time frame and as budgeted.[20]This can be mitigated by the lenders looking to the sponsor for completion guarantees in order to ensure that they can make up for the cost involved. Environmental Risk Controversies that arise from environmental law as results of environmental pollution emanating from activities of project are inescapable to lenders. In mitigating this risk, there will be the need for the borrower to carry out social and environmental impact assessment plan. A laid down plan to monitor and manage this risks will equally be required. The need for lenders to abide by this management plan is crucial for the loan as non-compliance will be deemed as a default on the term of the loan. Force Majeure risk: Project finance has a high potential for vulnerabilities in that, force nature risks such as earthquakes, floods, strikes, civil disturbances and change of law can interrupt a projects operations and confound its cashflow. A particular force majeure can bring about a default depending on the sternness of the particular accident. It will therefore be prudent if an analysis of force majeure events that could hamper the projects progress be discussed. This can be mitigated by assigning the necessary insurances coverage for any eventuality as well as bring to bear the timely payment of insurances by the insurance companies. Market/Price Risk This type of risk involves fluctuation of price which has an adverse impact on the project revenue as well as the debt settlement. There is the need for the lender to put in place a price projection for long term contract for the sale of the projects product. The projects viability depends on this. To mitigate this risk, there should be in place long-term sales contracts for the product and a market guarantee agreement for the product should also be in place.[21]Mitigations like price hedging and derivatives could also be useful. These are but just a few of a lenders risk and how they are mitigated. 4: Conclusion The objective of the paper was to deliberate on the concept of project finance, its securitisation elements and how the various risks of lenders are mitigated. The paper employed analytical approach which gives it a safe landing on the grounds that; Securitisation is the back bone of project finance since lenders will not advance funds to project without repayment assurances. Security for the debt repayment can be in divergent means in as long as it is deemed fit for a particular project for the security of the debt at hand. Mitigation and securitisation are the only means by which a lender will assume risks. In conclusion, the more prevailing security measures in a particular project mitigate more risks and this is the bedrock on which lenders would lend to a project. BIBIOGRAPHY Primary Sources Judicial Decisions Re Bond Worth [1980] 1 Ch.228 at 248. Books Nevitt, P.K., and Fabozzi, F.J., Project Financing (7th Ed.)(London, UK: Euro money, 2000). Yescombe, E.R., Principles of Project Finance (London, UK: Academic Press, 2002) 5. Vinter, G., Project Finance: A Legal Guide (2nd Ed.) (London, UK: Sweet Maxwell, 1998). Ahmed, P.A., and Fang, X., Project Finance in Developing Countries: IFC Lessons of Experience No.7 (World Bank Publications, 1999). Clifford Chance (Law firm), Project Finance (London, England: IFR Publishing, 1994). Hoffman, S. L. The Law and Business of International Project Finance (The Hague, Netherlands: Kluwer Law International, 1998). Articles Esty, B.C., and Megginson, W.L., Creditor Rights, Enforcement, and Debt Ownership Structure: Evidence From the Global Syndicated Loan Market, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Vol. 38, No. 1, (2003) Internet Sources Cadwalader, Wickersham Taft (law firm) Moving towards Hybrid Project Financing at https://www.cadwalader.com/assets/client_friend/110104HybridProjFin.pdf (last visited on 26/12/12). Islamic Development Bank, Risk Management guidelines for project finance, Group Risk Management Department,Muharram,1431/January 2010 (last visited on 20/12/12) https://www.ecosn.org/Portals/0/Workshops/PRM/11-Annex-XI-IDB_Project_Risk_Management Guidelines. Others Dow, S., Presentation for lecture 2 of International Project Finance Module at the CEPMLP, University of Dundee, (2012) Achonwa, J.,what are the elements of security in project finance and how does it limit the lenders exposure to project risks? (Unpublished LLM Dissertation Submitted to the CEPMLP, University of Dundee, 2009). Adesokan, A., Addressing Legal Issues Regarding Lender Protection and the Treatment of Security at the Completion Stage (Unpublished LLM Dissertation Submitted to the CEPMLP, University of Dundee, 2008). Omenuko, L., How can the Risks Associated with the Exploration and Production of Oil and Gas be Mitigated for the Purpose of Securing Finance (Unpublished LLM Dissertation Submitted to the CEPMLP, University of Dundee, 2007). Smith, V., Escrow Accounts in Project Financing Material on VLE, International Project Finance Folder, CEPMLP, University of Dundee (2012).

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Richard Todd s The American Dream - 753 Words

While the motivation of the American Dream may be materialistic or moralistic, it is based on the sole property of opportunity. As shared by Martin C. Jischke in â€Å"The American Dream,† â€Å"the American dream is the ‘dream of a land†¦with opportunity for each according to the ability or achievement’† (75). Because the qualities of an individual are unique, the measurement of success varies. Improvement in any sense must be sparked by a window of hope at a richer life. The American Dream is easily attainable when paired with opportunity and a strong work ethic. Without the necessary investment of time and labor, the skill sets and knowledge of those working towards the American Dream are laid to waste. Personal accounts from immigrants preserving through the endless hardships are the living proof that the American Dream is achievable. Their accounts prove that the dream is only achieved because of the toil throughout the immigrants’ lives. R ichard Todd describes â€Å"a man who embodies American opportunity† (90). This man immigrated from Korea to start his own software company in America. Todd describes his meeting with the Korean immigrant who had recently made the business a publicly traded company. The enthusiasm of the immigrant accurately conveys the dedication he has toward his ultimate goals (Todd 90). The Korean man was able to be successful due to his extensive work in the field of technology. He lives the American Dream of beginning with nothing rising up in the ranks ofShow MoreRelatedA Search for Hope930 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"hope† in King Richard III as â€Å"True hope is swift, and flies with swallows wings: Kings it makes gods, and meaner creatures kings† (Shakespeare). Shakespeare likens â€Å"hope† to wings that elevate people during its existence, a power which strengthens people. During my research different sources, from academic writings to visual sources, discuss ed how the result of an aim is affected by â€Å"hope†. The results that I gained from my research have shown that people can’t achieve their dreams in the lack ofRead MoreThe Manchurian Candidate by Johnathan Demme Essay1106 Words   |  5 Pagesto Kuwait, the movie would not instill the same fear as it did in the original movie, â€Å"by outfitting the superbly insinuating basic story with a battery of up-to-the-minute concerns that readily feed on present fears and suspicions, Demme... inject[s] new life into a recently dormant genre - the paranoid thriller† (McCarthy). Raymond Shaw’s mother, Eleanor, was also given a more modern job in the remake; instead of merely being the wife of the senator who leads behind the scenes, in the remake sheRead MoreEssay on The Business Plot1262 Words   |  6 Pagessomeone were to ask you if you could imagine a world where the United States was a fascist dictatorship, you would most likely, laugh in his or her fa ce. After all, the United States is the poster child of a capitalistic society and even has that American dream. What people don’t realize is that in 1933 a group of elite businessmen and some powerful companies tried to plot the staging of a coup with the help of a Marine Corps Major General by the name of Smedley Butler. This may have been plotted becauseRead MoreIs The Cause Really Worth Fighting For?3566 Words   |  15 PagesEventually they will be looking for supporters or even recruits, old and young, which will leap up to the issue of child recruitments in extremist groups, and the philosophical issue of how nature versus nurture plays an important role during a child s developmental stage. Recruiting children into extremist groups, such as ISIS or the Age of God, serves as an injustice to society, particularly to the children who often times are very vulnerable and impressionable, making them incapable of recognizingRead MoreEssay about John F. Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln3151 Words   |  13 Pagesmade the 14th amendment. Johnson was impeached shortly after because he removed the Secretary of War and he cant do that. Kennedy was the nominee for the Democratic party, who was running for President. Running against him was Vice President, Richard M. Nixon, who was on the Republic party. NIxon hoped that Eisenhowers popularity would help him in the running. But Kennedy won the election by less than 119,000 votes. Two main reasons why Kennedy won, was the televised debate and the civil rightsRead MoreRalf Ellisons The Invisible Man Essay1927 Words   |  8 Pagesto help convey different underlying messages presented to IM. The motifs of power and self-interest, invisibility, and race help establish the stubble to overcome society’s oppression of minority groups. Ellison references the works of African American literature in the Invisible Man. By using allusions from the works of â€Å"Fredrick Douglas, W.E.B. DuBois, and political speeches of black revolutionaries like Booker T. Washington’s â€Å"Atlanta Exposition Address†(Anelli 3). The work of iconic jazz musiciansRead MoreCOMM292 Case Studies23202 Words   |  93 Pagesgraduation, Prasad wanted to pursue a career in consulting and hoped to get sponsored for a visa to live and work in the United States permanently. Jennifer Martin was the only woman on the learning team and came from a mixed-race family—African American and Caucasian. In 2002, Martin was awarded the crown for Miss Colorado and had been Miss Colorado Teen in 1999. Coupling brains with beauty, Martin This case was prepared by Yuctan Hodge (MBA ’07) and Stacey Jenkins (MBA ’07) under the supervisionRead MoreJames Earl Jones: a Voice in the Crowd2904 Words   |  12 Pages March 19, 1996 People all around the world know the voice of James Earl Jones. From Star Wars fans listening to the voice of Darth Vader to news junkies who hear a voice that dramatically intones AThis is CNN@ just before all the cable network= s station breaks to children who hear the stately voice of the majestic Mufasa, the king of the jungle in Walt Disney Pictures= animated The Lion King - people know this deep harmonious voice belongs to this consummate actor of stage and screen. JamesRead MoreStop Motion Animation2685 Words   |  11 Pagesshows very clearly. Clay animation: It is similar to stop motion animation however using clay. It works by capturing each frame and then playing the recorded shots to see a live action. Clay animation films were created in the 1908’s, however it’s in 1916 that it started to become popular overseas. Each clay character is produced by using a wire and clay, the wire is called an armature. The disadvantage of clay is that it’s very fragile therefor when producing and shootingRead MoreSports17369 Words   |  70 Pagesany sportscasters personally? Who are your favorites? Who are your least favorite(s)? Think about why, and share your thoughts. Exercise 1.2: Globalization of Sports (book review) From the bibliography that follows, choose a book and critique it, including the following information: 1. The book: Full name of the title, author(s) name, when and where published and by whom, number of pages and illustrations. 2. Author(s): Who she or he is—profession, background, experience, and other publications. 3

Restriction Imposed on Dual Citizens †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Restriction Imposed on Dual Citizens. Answer: Introduction: According to section 44(i) of the constitution of Australia it can be stated that any person who holds a dual citizenship is not entitled to be become a member of the Australian parliament (Legislation.gov.au. 2018). This section had been introduced in the constitution to ensure that that those who are in charge of governing the country must have undivided loyalty to the country and must be free from any influence or allegiance to foreign power. This section clearly states that any person who acknowledges adherence , obedience to any foreign power, or is entitled to the rights and privileges by virtue of being a citizen of a foreign country is barred from being chosen as an elected candidate to the house of representative. However this section of the constitution had been incorporated in the nineteenth century and was done so to avoid any conflict of interest that may be influenced by loyalty or allegiance to any foreign nation. However, at the time there had been no concept of Australian citizenship. Citizens of Australia had been divided into British citizens and aliens (www.abc.net.au 2018). However it can be mentioned that this section of the Australian Constitution has been perceived to be archaic by many as the provision of dual citizenship had not been coined at the time when the constitution was drafted. This issue had been discussed in the remarkable case Sykes v Cleary by the High court of Australia. The High court in relation to this case had stated that the assessment of whether an individual is a citizen of a foreign nation has to be determined by the laws of the nations, the concerned person is a citizen of. The second important point as discussed by the High court in relation to this cas e was that no Australian would be disqualified and barred from taking part in the election and would not be denied the right to be represented in the either o the houses of the parliament if such concerned person takes reasonable steps to give the citizenship of the foreign nation. In another landmark case Sue v Hill, the High court of Australia had expanded the effect of section 44(i) and adopted an interpretation of the words of foreign power to include the countries of commonwealth and the United Kingdom. However these cases have come up in recent times as there has been a significant increase in the number of people who hold a citizenship of foreign power than the time when the constitution of Australia had been framed. It can be stated that the exclusion clause which restricts the citizens who hold dual citizenships from taking part in the federal politics has been held to be problematic and controversial and has given rise to some issues as enumerated below: Whether persons who hold citizenship of more than one country should be barred from taking part in federal politics? Whether it is necessary for citizens to give up the citizenship of the other country to be elected in the House of Representatives? And if so what steps should be taken to denounce the membership of the other nation? The interpretation of the aforementioned section By the High court of Australia in the case Sykes v Cleary has shed light on three important issues: The first issue that the court highlighted in relation to interpretation of section 44(i) was the meaning and acknowledgement of the terms allegiance, obedience to foreign power. It has also been highlighted by the court that there is a need to provide a distinction between a subject and citizen. The second issue that the court encountered while interpreting the aforementioned section was the identification of the extent of a different nations citizenship among the Australian citizens The third issue that has been identified by the court is what steps to be taken by a person to denounce the citizenship of a foreign power should be considered to be reasonable. Thus after discussing the problems related to the interpretation of section 44(i) of the Australian constitution it can be said that the need to amend this provision has also been proposed by some of the members of the parliament. In my belief this can be termed as a constitutional crisis as it has affected both the minor and the major parties (Power and Power, 2018). This section can be said to be incoherent with the policy of multiculturalism. It can be stated that most of the residents of Australia have been born in abroad nations or have parents who were born in abroad nations and thus this principle can be said to be inapplicable. It has also been proposed by many this section of the constitution needs to be amended by following the referendum process as mentioned in section 128 of the constitution. Although on paper this provision aims to ensure that the persons who are elected to run the country have undivided loyalty to Australia and are free from any allegiance to any foreig n power, however it practicality it is implausible and inapplicable. The exclusion or restriction clause has adversely affected the smooth functioning of the parliament of Australia as most of the residents of the country have a multicultural lineage and a complex nature of Dual citizenship. This exclusion clause of the constitution can also be said to be inconsistent with the fundamental principle that a parliament of a country must be the representative of the people (www.economist.com 2018). Thus due to its inapplicability the aforementioned section of the constitution can be amended by the following the procedure of referendum as enshrined in petition 128 of the constitution (Legislation.gov.au. 2018).. The task of amending the constitution can be a complicated process; however since in this case the need to amend this provision is clearly apparent and inevitable it should not be such a complicated task. However, a sensible proposal to amend the constitution has to be devised by the members, which should have the criteria to make the task comparatively easy by ensuring that all the essential requirements of eligibility are met by the members who are in favor of amending the constitution. In order to amend the constitution the parliament must approve such proposal. After being approved such proposal must be sent to the governor general so that a writ can be issued and a referendum can occur. It can be mentioned that this provision of restricting or prohibiting a person, having dual citizenship from becoming a member of the parliament is also present in many countries other than Australia. India Indonesia and China some of the most populated countries of the world do not have the provision of dual citizenship at all. This means that a citizen of India, China or Vietnam cannot hold the membership of another country. Countries such as Egypt, Israel and Sri Lanka do not allow the persons who hold dual citizenship to become members of the parliament of the respective countries (www.economist.com 2018). The main principle behind this provision of restricting persons who have dual citizenships to take part in the politics of the country can be said to prevent loyalty and allegiance to foreign power. However, in the United States of America, any person who is not born on American soil cannot run for presidential election. During the election of Barrack Obama as the president of the United States, a lot of controversy had been raised. In Mexico not only immigrants have been barred from presidency, but also their children are barred from taking part in the election procedure. Mexicans who hold passports of other nations are barred from serving in the Police force, flying a ship or being appointed as a ships captain. In some other countries like Myanmar, a citizen who is married to a foreigner cannot be elected as a president. It is the reason why the daughter of Aung San, the independence hero, Aung San Suu Kyi had been barred from being elected as the president (www.economist.com 2018). She had to create the post of State counselor for the purpose of running the country. Thus in conclusion, it can be said that section 44(i) of the constitution of Australia prevents any person who holds the citizenship of another country to take part in the federal politics and be elected in the House of Representatives. This provision had been incorporated in the nineteenth century and was done so to avoid any conflict of interest that may be influenced by loyalty or allegiance to any foreign nation. However, this provision has also been discussed by the High Court in the case Sykes v Cleary and has been interpreted. The high court of Australia in relation to this provision has stated that it is important to assess the extent of another countrys citizenship on an Australian citizen. The high court has further stated that a person who is willing to take part in Federal politics and to be elected as a member of the parliament must take reasonable steps to renounce the citizenship of the other nation. However this provision has created a lot of controversy and has been perceived to be against the fundamental principle of multiculturalism of the nation. Australia is not the only country which prohibits individuals who have dual citizenships to take active part in politics. There are many other nations such as Egypt, Israel and Sri Lanka who follow Australias example. References ABC News. (2018).What is it about section 44 that keeps tripping up our politicians?. [online] Available at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-17/constitution-section-44-what-it-says-about-disqualification/9161180 [Accessed 6 Apr. 2018]. Aph.gov.au. (2018).Section 44 of the Constitution Parliament of Australia. [online] Available at: https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/Publications_Archive/archive/Section44 [Accessed 6 Apr. 2018]. Legislation.gov.au. (2018).Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act. [online] Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2013Q00005/ [Accessed 6 Apr. 2018]. Power, J. and Power, J. (2018).An outdated citizenship rule is bringing down Australias parliament. [online] Quartz. Available at: https://qz.com/1130468/australia-dual-citizenship-scandal-an-obscure-citizenship-requirement-is-bringing-down-australias-parliament/ [Accessed 6 Apr. 2018]. Sue v Hill - [1999] HCA 30 - 199 CLR 462; 73 ALJR 1016; 163 ALR .. The Economist. (2018).People with two nationalities should be feted, not mistrusted. [online] Available at: https://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21726692-countries-bar-them-certain-jobs-should-think-again-people-two-nationalities-should [Accessed 6 Apr. 2018].