I and a few other persons have been critical of JFLAG's slowness in making such an important change (photo above) as it was obvious to all at the ringside and on the battlefield after the 1998 parliamentary submission that a full repeal was not on the cards yet they persisted in agitating for a full repeal, who knows we could have been farther along the achievement totem pole.
The Reuters article had said that the government says it plans to test the waters by conducting a non-binding "conscience vote" in parliament on ending the notorious Jamaican Offenses Against the Person Act, which makes anal sex a crime, regardless of gender or consent, and prohibits "acts of gross indecency" between men, in public or in private.
The Minister of Justice, Mark Golding, told Reuters that a vote in parliament would take place before the end of the legislative year in March, opening the door for the law to be reviewed, possibly later in 2014.
In addressing diplomats at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston this morning Minister Nicholson said "In as much as we respect the views and policies held by them the views and policies developed by them is based of course on their history and culture, we would ask they take some time also to understand our issues based on our culture and our history; we are asking for tolerance as we move forward on this subject, we are not blind to the fact that it is a live subject internationally but it is something we have to walk gingerly with here in Jamaica of course under the leadership of a government and others."
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| Gleaner's cartoonist Lasmay take on the issue of buggery in 2007 with AJ Nicholson's stance |
There is no intention whatsoever on the part of the Government or the Joint Select Committee of Parliament that any door should be opened by provisions in the proposed Charter of Rights and Freedoms, or otherwise, to decriminalise homosexuality or to pave the way for same-sex marriages to be accepted as lawful in Jamaica.
In seeking to make submissions to the Joint Select Committee at this eleventh hour, the church representatives and the group of lawyers who complain about certain provisions of the Charter, concerning the protection of the right to privacy, need to be reminded of the history and purport of those provisions as they were developed.
In seeking to make submissions to the Joint Select Committee at this eleventh hour, the church representatives and the group of lawyers who complain about certain provisions of the Charter, concerning the protection of the right to privacy, need to be reminded of the history and purport of those provisions as they were developed.
First, those provisions are to the same effect as those that are contained in the recommendations of the Constitutional Commission of the early 1990s, under the chairmanship of Dr. Lloyd Barnett, in their draft Bill on the Charter
.......such rights that were never agitated for yet used to strengthen the homo-negative resolve and he was instrumental in the stone walling in 1998/9 during the parliamentary submission (JFLAG) and the Charter f Rights debate in the Senate. I do not just simply take Jamaicans politicians word on anything as history has taught us on may fronts.
here is a flashback to a statement he made while he was Attorney General on Same Sex Unions: or HERE
JFLAG Position Statement on Upcoming Conscience
also see:
Promised Conscience Vote on Buggery in Jamaica was a fluke, Sexual Offences Bill to be updated 2014JFLAG Position Statement on Upcoming Conscience
Vote... (2013)
PNP’s Bobby Pickersgill differs on Conscience Vote route to decide on Buggery Law (MUST READ)
Remember this from June 2013?
Bear this in mind as well, after digging my archives I found the presentation by Mrs Simpson Miller in 2009 (as opposition) (poor audio though) where she sided wholeheartedly with the then Prime Minster Bruce Golding(his speech linked) on the banning of gay marriage, gay marriage rights by the way was never asked for by the LGBT advocacy structure at that time but it was dishonestly pushed on the agenda during the Charter of Rights debate then as a smoke screen to deny us recognition in the Charter.
The clause that had discrimination as an infraction then was also removed from the draft prior to this speech after successful lobbying by none other than the Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship with support from none other than reverend Al Miller.
She said on October 20th 2009 - "Mr Speaker when we accepted the final report from the joint select committee that were looking at the bill we were completely satisfied with their recommendation of a provision to restrict marriage and like relationships to one man and one woman within Jamaica and that the provision should be specifically spelt out so that there could be no ambiguity ………. yes one man one woman (laughter in the house) and if you are Jamaican and go overseas the same applies ……….."
Has Prime Minister Simpson Miller really changed her mind or is it just toying with the issue and the all important LGBT vote?
Remember this from June 2013?
This on again off again with the proposed turned promise conscience vote is tiresome to me now as it is clear that the government knows it is a hot tomato and make or break a government, if as stated that in March 2014 the non binding vote will go on or the amendment to the Sexual Offences Bill (without the vote) there is not enough time to properly educate the parliamentarians and by extension air the issues in public as the national psyche has not changed much I fear, the set backs are self made by errors made mid to late last year by JFLAG and some over exuberant allies who mishandled several key advocacy tools chief among them the Stop Murder Music Campaign (via the Queen Ifrica visa cancellation) which has led to a feeling that the lobby has become a stiffler of free speech.
Finally:Bear this in mind as well, after digging my archives I found the presentation by Mrs Simpson Miller in 2009 (as opposition) (poor audio though) where she sided wholeheartedly with the then Prime Minster Bruce Golding(his speech linked) on the banning of gay marriage, gay marriage rights by the way was never asked for by the LGBT advocacy structure at that time but it was dishonestly pushed on the agenda during the Charter of Rights debate then as a smoke screen to deny us recognition in the Charter.
The clause that had discrimination as an infraction then was also removed from the draft prior to this speech after successful lobbying by none other than the Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship with support from none other than reverend Al Miller.
She said on October 20th 2009 - "Mr Speaker when we accepted the final report from the joint select committee that were looking at the bill we were completely satisfied with their recommendation of a provision to restrict marriage and like relationships to one man and one woman within Jamaica and that the provision should be specifically spelt out so that there could be no ambiguity ………. yes one man one woman (laughter in the house) and if you are Jamaican and go overseas the same applies ……….."
Has Prime Minister Simpson Miller really changed her mind or is it just toying with the issue and the all important LGBT vote?
Meanwhile the challenge in the Supreme Court by Javed Jaghai remains and is scheduled for trial November 21, 2014
also see: J-FLAG finally shows open Support for the Constitutional Challenge to Buggery Law by Javed Jaghai
Peace and tolerance
also see: J-FLAG finally shows open Support for the Constitutional Challenge to Buggery Law by Javed Jaghai
Peace and tolerance
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