Govt Advances Plans to Establish National Human Rights Institute .........

More announcements or genuine work here by government given what played out at the review earlier this year?

see:

Gov't Makes International Commitment To Reduce Violence Against Women, Gays

UN Pressure Mounts For Jamaica To Repeal Anti-Gay Laws, Improve LGBT Environment

Now we are told that Officers within the public sector are to commence human rights training in June, as the Government advances plans to establish a National Human Rights Institute for Jamaica.

The training, which will begin with judicial officers, is targeting all public sector professionals, whose work involve aspects of human rights.

The Government has been working on establishing the Institute since May 2014 with technical support from the Commonwealth Secretariat and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It will complement the existing network of institutions that are mandated to protect the rights of nationals.

In a statement in the Senate (May 22), on Jamaica’s recent Universal Periodic Review on Human Rights, Minister of Justice, Senator the Hon. Mark Golding, explained that the intention is to “go through the system to train the different cohort of persons, who are part of the key agencies and institutions that touch and concern human rights”.

more here

“Part of the plan of action is to train people on human rights issues, the conventions, the existing infrastructure in Jamaica, and the role of the National Human Rights Institute,” he said.

He said the Government is looking at the Office of the Public Defender “as a possible and likely candidate for the expansion of its role to become the National Human Rights Institute. We have been working with them around that issue.”

Opposition Senator, Kavan Gayle, commended the Government on the work it continues to do in the area of safeguarding human rights.

“As a developing country, we appear as if we are really first world in protecting human rights and we must be commended on that,” he said.

Another Opposition Senator, Alexander Williams, contended that the establishment of the institute, is the “lynchpin of the policing of how the state deals with human rights”.

“The intention of the National Human Rights Institute will be to actively go out there and defend the human rights of people and may even suggest additional economic rights outside of what may now exist in the Constitution for the state to consider,” he pointed out.

For her part, Opposition Senator, Marlene Malahoo Forte, noted that the Government of Jamaica has done a lot in the realm of human rights.

“We have a tendency to criticise ourselves very harshly and while there is a place for that, a lot of work has been done by Jamaica, and Jamaica has led the way in many areas (of human rights),” she said.

Jamaica participated in the meeting of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, from May 13 to 15, 2015, which considered the country’s report to the 22nd session of the Second Cycle Universal Periodic Review.

The Universal Periodic Review of the Human Rights Council was established pursuant to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly Resolution of March 15, 2006.

All UN Member States participate in the Universal Periodic Review process, which is aimed at improving the human rights situation on the ground, and supporting co-operation in the promotion and protection of human rights; ensuring the fulfilment of each state’s human rights obligations and commitments.

It also encourages the sharing of best practices among states and other stakeholders; as well as full co-operation and engagement among the Human Rights Council, other human rights bodies, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The review takes the form of an interactive dialogue between the state concerned and the other UN member states.

The first cycle of the review spanned the four-year period, 2008 to 2011. The current (second) cycle began in June 2012, and during this period, countries are required to update the Council on measures taken to implement the recommendations that were accepted, as well as any other pertinent reforms and developments relating to human rights in their countries.A

How the EU can promote LGBT rights in the ACP group

also see: Despite opposition, EU Parliament votes for LGBTI rights/trans identity depathologization in gender equality strategy from sister blog GLBTQJA, I however came across this publication excerpted below sent to me via email.

The Cotonou Agreement, the core of political and trade relations between the European Union and the group of African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) states revealed a major issue related to the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) rights. In more than half of ACP states (49 out of 79) homosexuality is illegal and is punished with up to 14 years in jail. In five countries, it warrants the death penalty. 

view here

Promoting democracy and respect for human rights, the EU has immediately expressed concern regarding the dissimilar views and practices between the agreed parties. Although member states differ in particular legislation, all 28 recognise homosexuality and LGBT rights, which are protected under the EU treaties. Capital punishment is prohibited in the EU, per Article 2 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. Any partnership between EU and ACP states cannot be legitimised without consensus regarding essential human
 and therefore LGBT rights. 

To this end, the EU strives to affect change in the domestic policies of its Cotonou partners which would elevate the legal status and norms regarding their LGBT communities. One way in which the EU could promote its values beyond its borders is through positive conditionality within the framework of the Cotonou Agreement. Political dialogue benefits all parties involved and is the surest approach to foster acceptance of the LGBT community in the ACP group. The message promoted by EU representatives did not resonate with the heads of ACP states, especially in the case of Uganda and Nigeria, which recently adopted new anti-LGBT legislation, expanding the criminalisation of it, and obliging anyone who might be aware of a LGBT person to report it to the authorities.

“Human rights and minority rights are universal, and we cannot accept these laws. It is time for the EU to look at the restrictive measures available under the Cotonou Agreement. Trampling human rights should come with economic consequences.” 

Olle Schmidt MEP, Member of the ACP-EU delegation and Member of the LGBT Intergroup.

Should the EU use sanctions?

Sanctions are used in the belief that economic restrictions weaken target regime access to the vital resources necessary to sustain their political power and domestic order.
When the regime’s coercive power is undermined by public opinion and contested by elites who benefitted from the status quo ante,it is expected that human rights conditions will improve.

The overwhelming majority of sanctions research concludes that sanctions are a largely ineffective policy tool of compelling compliance. Outlined in “Basic Principles on the Use of Restrictive Measures (Sanctions)”, the EU identifies sanctions as a last-resort instrument to ‘name and shame’ its targets. The EU takes care to minimise public suffering by issuing ‘smart’ sanctions targeting individuals wielding political or economic power. However, these elites are able to evade the costly effects of sanctions by deflecting them downward, funnelling the burden disproportionately upon average citizens.

Sanctions would undermine the Cotonou Agreement

A fundamental principle of the Cotonou Agreement is recognition of equality of partnership among EU and ACP countries.

Dictating terms and punishing non compliance neither serves European interests nor aspirations. Public opinion in ACP countries is resolutely in opposition to LGBT rights. They will, in time,come to accept the LGBT community as equal citizens not by force, but of their own volition. The EU cannot expect ACP governments to adhere to foreign demands that are unpopular among their domestic constituencies. Economically punishing ACP countries for human rights violations will impede and reverse progress toward the Agreement’s objectives of eradicating poverty and integrating those countries into the global economy. Sanctions yield an array of unintended and damaging consequences, including an increase in poverty and unemployment as well as deterioration of public health.
Sanctions increase human rights violations.

Political leaders in targeted states perceive and publicly represent sanctions as an affront to sovereignty and national unity. Facing an external threat, they are able to divert public attention and rally it against the sender. Under these conditions, leaders are able to exploit sanctions to broaden their base of support and justify further crackdown against the domestic opposition minority.

A study of the human rights effects of economic sanctions from 1981 to 2000 finds that so-called ‘smart’ human rights sanctions increase the rate of disappearances, extra-judicial killings, political imprisonment, and torture; the scope of the sanctions is positively correlated with the harm caused. Additionally, sanctions produce even more harmful effects when issued multilaterally.

Sanctions would not improve LGBT status

For the use of sanctions to be justified, the EU needs to have a reasonable probability of success. There is little reason to believe that sanctions would stimulate recognition of LGBT rights. The EU must wrest with the fact that regimes discriminating against the LGBT community are reflecting the broad popular sentiment. A 2014 Pew survey finds that 98% of Ghanaians, 93% of Ugandans, 88% of Kenyans, and 85% of Nigerians consider homosexuality immoral.

An ACP government that caves to sanctions would galvanise a majority of the population against the regime. Sanctions undermine the political stability necessary to affect human rights conditions.

For the human rights status to improve for LGBT people in
ACP countries, the people’s hearts and minds must first be won. Economic punishments and threats thereof will not attract any audience to European values and norms.

Conclusions

Before levying sanctions, the EU should thoroughly assess the extent by which LGBT rights violations impede collaborating to attain the objectives of the Cotonou Agreement. Furthermore, the Article 8 of the Agreement clearly specifies a dialogue, which implies a positive level of negotiation that may not result in tangible policy change.

The main risk of applying sanctions is creating a hostile environment for cooperation, which could produce results on the opposite spectrum of those anticipated. It can be expected that, although sanctions would have immediate, short-term results, they would fail to produce significant social change in the long run, since they would be addressing (i) political institutions, not society as a whole, and (ii) the result of certain social prejudices and tensions, not their cause. It should also be seen what the outcome of applying sanctions in other fields was (e.g. arms trade, drugs,organised crime), in contrast to positive conditionality. 

As a solution, EU actions in the fight against sexual and gender discrimination would be more successful by appealing to dialogue. In this manner, the level of the approach would be enlarged, incorporating the engagement with not only the governments, but also with civil society actors and NGOs.

“Recent moves to criminalise homosexuality and to impose severe prison sentences on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people constitute an unacceptable violation of the basic rights of individuals. Additionally, appropriate measures should be taken against countries who continue to criminalise homosexuality or pass even more repressive laws. LGBTI rights are human rights!”

Martin Schulz, European Parliament President, Fourth EU-Africa Summit, 2014

Some Previous posts:
African, Caribbean & Pacific Countries refuse to include declaration of gay rights in Brussels. 2010

African, Caribbean & Pacific issue declaration to EU "To refrain from any attempts to impose its values which are not freely shared"  2010

European Parliament consents to EU-ACP partnership with reservations on missing sexual orientation discrimination clauses 2013

Historic EU-Africa Summit overshadowed by anti-LGBT laws 2014

EU Parliament human rights report addresses LGBTI criminalisation, trans rights and same-sex unions worldwide

Uganda and Nigeria: European Parliament calls for targeted sanctions over new laws

European Parliament: Include LGBT non-discrimination clause in future agreement with African, Caribbean & Pacific States

Public Defender pleased with diversity training for police

Speaking at the Jamaica Constabulary Force diversity training workshop aka COMET, Community Empowerment Transformation Project (COMET II) at the Jewels Resort in Runaway Bay today Public Defender Arlene Harrison Henry commented on some concerns she has on the interactions between police and marginalized groups. She said it is timely for the force to participate in such activity and to reinforce policies that already exist.

She stressed that continuous training is required to remind individuals in varying professions for the need to maintain professionalism especially with marginalised groups.

"I regard this program and this training to provide greater sensitization of the police to the diversity of the Jamaican population and it includes a broad group of persons; to include women whose rights particularly in relation to matters of domestic violence over time we see the police being more engaged in matters of that nature and not merely treating it as a family matter." she said. 

"This training can only inure to improve services offered by the Jamaican Constabulary Force to the citizens of Jamaica," Ms Henry added sadly our same gender women in some recent cases cannot say that and as per usual launched initiatives, campaigns and trainings happen but implementation, continuation and monitoring has always been a challenge.

In as far as clash of rights from an LGBT standpoint where one journalist from NNN asked Ms Henry if some groups rights will supersede others, Miss Henry answered "I don't think it (LBGT populations) enjoys the rights that it ought to enjoy .........." she continued that there is continuous logging and recording of reports from various groups but she stressed the police has a duty under law to treat all citizens with dignity. She said that the Charter of Rights speaks to all persons owning their own rights and to preserve it for their families and future generations.

Some rights are absolute such the right to freedom or protection from torture when in police custody there is an absolute prohibition on any acts of torture while in the hands of the state.

She does not see a clash given the level of awareness and to guard such rights as applicable. "I come from a place that says that there is no room for discrimination, one against the other; we know that there are minority groups in Jamaica who may have a particular point of view; they have an entitlement to operate within that sphere."

She continued "That does not deny us our national identity; in other words by and large we are a heterosexual population but we must have respect for those who are not ..... it's a matter of engagement using set standards and principles that the state that we occupy on this island is shared in a way that each one is comfortable with the other; with mutual respect and dignity to all groups."

Ms Henry also spoke on camera on the matter:

The USAID COMET II workshop is in aid of supporting community based policing, sensitizing the force on issues to do with women & girls, people living with disabilities and members of the LGBT community. The workshop will run for four days June 12 -13 and again on 19 -20 all at the Jewel Paradise Cove Resort & Spa St Ann.

 Arlene Harrison Henry reviving the instruments of office from the Governor General January 16 becoming the first female to head the office

Ms Henry raised the following at the training sessions:

Earlier in May USAID announced the activity:

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is providing $330 million (US$3 million) in grant assistance to support targeted community activities under phase two of its Community Empowerment and Transformation Project (COMET II).

The Small Grants Program will provide direct funding support to community groups, faith-based organisations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and civil society organisations, to assist in strengthening local governance structures, and improving safety and security, particularly in volatile and vulnerable areas.

Provisions are also being earmarked to support the implementation of climate change adaptation activities, with focus on reducing the risk of disasters occurring, due to extreme weather patterns.

Three initial grants have been earmarked for allocation under the program. The first is $2.7 million to administer programs for “at risk” young people. The other two total just over $17.9 million to undertake youth and sports, skills trade, and vocational training programs.

While focus will be placed on providing support to the 25 communities where COMET II is being implemented, the small grants program will also be open for wider stakeholder participation, input, and benefit.

COMET II is $1.4 billion (US$13 million) community intervention initiative which USAID is implementing in the 25 communities across five parishes over the next five years, in partnership with the Government of Jamaica.

It is a continuation of work carried out under the program’s initial phase, between 2006 and 2013, in the 25 communities. These are among 100 communities targeted by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) for social interventions, under its Community Renewal Programme (CRP).

COMET’s overall aim supports the Government’s objectives and key aspects of the country’s Vision 2030 Jamaica National Development Plan, which seeks to position the island to achieve developed country status within 16 years and, in the process, making it the place of choice to live, work, raise families, and do business.

The COMET II Small Grants Program was formally launched by USAID Mission Director in Jamaica, Denise Herbol, during a ceremony. The occasion was also used to stage a climate change sensitisation session for participants attending the event, most of whom were from COMET II beneficiary communities.

In her remarks, Ms. Herbol said these engagements were “all about working with our communities and helping people.”

She noted that the extent of the USAID’s activities in Jamaica, over a number of years, has seen the agency establish a track record for promoting community safety and security; widening access to quality basic education; and increasing the resilience of targeted sectors, to climate change.

The Mission Director assured that under the USAID’s latest initiatives, “our emphasis remains an integrated approach to creating opportunities for secure livelihoods through a more cohesive, just, and healthy environment.”

In his remarks, Programme Director for the Planning Institute of Jamaica’s Community Renewal Programme (CRP), Charles Clayton, highlighted the importance of the COMET programme, particularly in complementing and assisting to advance work carried out under the CRP.

“The Community Renewal Programme is built on…partnerships…people working together in a coordinated way to bring about transformation in the (targeted) communities,” he stated.

Mr. Clayton pointed out that the COMET II programme focuses on such as security and safety, economic transformation, and the environment and climate change, offering, “(the) bridge that we all need…to re-unite our communities…and… make the changes that we need to see in our communities, to make a better Jamaica”.

Director of Governance at the Social Development Commission (SDC), Sherine Francis, said the COMET II grant programme and climate change sensitisation “signifies another important event towards advancing community development and building resilient communities.”

ENDS

Reminder of the Police's Diversity Policy

The Jamaica Constabulary Force believes that all citizens of Jamaica and visitors to its shores have a right to be treated with dignity and respect irrespective of who they are or the particular grouping to which they belong; through the Jamaica Constabulary Force policy on diversity the organization has strived to ensure fair treatment of all in its service delivery.

It is the policy of the Jamaica Constabulary Force that all reports from any individual or group be handled in a manner which reflects the highest level of professionalism in respects to human rights and dignity, this should be done with a view to portraying a professional image of the police and enhancing positive relationships between the wider community and the police service.

ENDS

Ms Henry has batted before at the crease several times prior to assuming the Public Defender's office leadership, one such memorable moment was with the now charged for perverting the course of justice one Reverend Al Miller:

and 

RJR's Beyond the Headlines host Dionne Jackson Miller had Arlene Harrison Henry on Human Rights Day 2012 on the the removal of language in the form of sexual orientation on the Summary Executions UN Resolution - On November 21, 2012, Jamaica voted against resolution A/C.3/67/L.36 at the United Nations condemning extra-judicial, summary or arbitrary executions which urges States “to investigate promptly and thoroughly all killings, including… all killings committed for any discriminatory reason, including sexual orientation.

Hope that the trickle down effect from this and what appears to be future training sessions will be evidenced in real terms during the police precinct customer service engagement and subsequent follow-up where required.

Peace and tolerance

UPDATE June 22

RUNAWAY BAY, St Ann -- With two weekends of training seminars completed, members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) are expected to be more aware of the diverse groups in society and to better understand the safety and security issues facing them.

Fifty members of the JCF underwent two-day diversity training sessions at the Jewel Paradise Cove in St Ann over two weekends. Twenty-five members were trained in the first session with another 25 completed the training sessions yesterday.

The training sessions, which were held in partnership between the JCF and the USAID/COMET II project, saw the law enforcers being made aware of how to deal with vulnerable groups in carrying out their duties. The areas of focus were women and girls, people living with disabilities, marginalised youth and the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community.

Guest speaker at the opening ceremony on Friday, June 12, Public Defender Arlene Harrison Henry, commended the JCF for the creation and implementation of its diversity policy. She also praised the USAID for working with the JCF to host the training sessions.

"One size does not necessarily fit all," she pointed out, insisting that every Jamaican had her own expectations and deserves equal treatment, and so the policy was a positive step in that direction.

Harrison Henry said that the Jamaican legal framework has been slow to recognise the increasing diversity in the population. She called on participants in the training seminars to make use of the training which will enhance their professional and technical skills and which allow them to carry out their duties conscientiously.

"As public servants, sometimes we have to stop and reflect on who is the public that we serve," she said.

She reminded the police that to serve and to protect was not only a moral duty but also a legal one.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Dr Gary Welsh said the training is not only for the Community Safety and security Branch but for the entire JCF. However, focus is placed on members of the Community Safety Branch (CSSB) because they interface with the public on a daily basis.

He said that the police diversity policy was rolled out in 2012.

"This training now helps to empower our officers to understand the training and how to use it as a tool in delivering service to our various groups. The persons who have been selected have been picked from all divisions across the country so that when they go back they will be the trainers," Bishop Welsh said.

Members from Respect Jamaica also participated in the sessions.

"We partnered with the USAID because we felt that this initiative is here to serve and protect and is dealing with a diverse group of Jamaicans. If they understand how to deal with each group then that will strengthen their ability to serve and protect," said Anna-Kim Robinson, programme manager of Respect Jamaica.

Donaree Muirhead, training coordinator and community policing coordinator with the USAID Comet II, encouraged members of the JCF to approach the training with open minds. She urged them to put away preconceived conceptions and be willing to share their views on situations so that they will leave the training with clarity.

She said the objectives of the training sessions included raising the awareness of the police as it pertains to the nuances of the diverse groups in society, to better understand the safety and security issues and challenges facing the diverse groups to increase the capacity of the CSSB to develop interventions that are inclusive or are specific to the needs of diverse groups, to enable the police to maintain professionalism in the discharge of duties, to treat with dignity and respect, uphold and preserve the human rights of all irrespective of who the individual is or to which group a person belongs.

The training facilitators were experienced and recognised persons who are leading voices for the diverse groups.

They included Rochelle McFee of WE Change; Taitu Heron, UN Women Jamaica Programme; Gloria Goffe, Combined Disabilities Association, and Miguel Williams, programme development Specialist at the Ministry of Youth and Culture.
H

Man gets six months for acid attack

Sometimes the things we do we have to pay the price eventually and such seems to be the case with this latest internal community matter gone public. 

The Star news carried the following:

A self-proclaimed homosexual yesterday drew reference to lines from dancehall artiste Alkaline's 2013 hit 'My Life (Lowe Mi)' (video below) as he sought to justify why he threw acid on a man whom he alleges, provoked him on a regular basis.

He was sentenced to nine months imprisonment for the offence, however, not before boldly stating, "Dem fi lowe mi mek mi live mi life! Mi a homosexual, it's my life."

When the matter was called up in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court, the accused, Marlon Hamilton, pleaded guilty to the offence.

He is charged with assault occasioning grievous bodily harm. Hamilton explained to the court, "Your Honour, mi walk like a girl and mi nuh business. Him and him fren dem always a trouble me. Him a trouble- maker. Him see mi and box mi up tru mi a live my life. Mi tired a it. A my life! Mi nah trouble dem. Mi mek all report to the Hunts Bay police bout it. Mi jus tired a it, so mi throw di something on him."

(English Translation not included in the original article)
"Your Honour, I walk like a girl and I do not care. He and his friends always interfering (troubling) me; he is a troublemaker. He has seen me and slapped me in my face (box) all because I am living my life. I am tired of it, it is my life and I am not interfering with them.
I have made reports to the Hunts Bay police before; I am just tired of it so I threw the item (acid) on him."

The complainant received burns to his face and right side of his body. Senior Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey said, "You know how much time people trouble me? That doesn't give you a reason to be walking around with acid."

Hamilton told the court that he did not walk with the acid. 

He claims it was given to him."I never walk with it, Your Honour. A somebody give it to me. Mi tek it and throw on him and see it here, some of it catch me."

After his sentence was handed down, he said, "Thank you, thank you, yuh hear? Mi will do my time."

A fingerprint order was also made.

ENDS

I can understand the need to have what maybe considered protection in the eyes of some when on the streets especially MSM who exposed from various means and reasons but the appropriate time should be when one is attacked I would imagine, not in a fight allegedly with someone else.

The frustration by the accused in terms of harassment should not be overlooked as that can push anyone over the edge but clear judgement is required for a cool head so as to avoid running into things like this.

It was only some days ago I lamented to a friend that our younger MSM/Transgender populations are lacking guidance and role models to emulate and hence find themselves in all kinds of disastrous consequences due to poor judgement and life choices. A corroborated incident in St Catherine where a drag queen had a hard time with a male client of hers as she failed to deliver 'services' to his satisfaction and the disgruntled man sought to teach her a lesson via body blows and throwing her from a car as it drove by a gas station nearing the Spanish Town hospital.

As we turn the corner nationally though in terms of outward gender non conformity, high visibility of same and MSM/Transgender populations be they homeless or not there are bound to be more fallouts like this as things settle or normalize.

Peace and tolerance

H

Remembering Brian Williamson (September 4 1945 - June 9, 2004)

Brian Williamson (September 4 1945 - June 9, 2004) was one of our first out Jamaican Gay rights activist besides another co-founder Larry Chang's public advocacy, Brian was a businessman, philanthropist, club owner/promoter and co-founder of the Jamaican Forum for Lesbians and Gays, J-Flag. 

Also see: Larry Chang ........ a Reintroduction a post I had put together from 2008

Brian with cutie Tessa back in the day

Uncle Brian was known for personally housing and looking after gay people in Jamaica, his networking skills became legendary especially with displaced gay and bisexual men at his business property where he often used the drapery/awning factory section adjacent the club danceloor as an overnight shelter for short stays. A pleasant smile was what one would get upon entering his complex but a serious disciplinarian up until his death and he sought to it that homeless persons were assisted in what ever way he could, beneficiaries had to tow the line and abide by the guidelines for stay, which may explain my push in this regard as my early exposure to that side of on the ground advocacy and his own struggle to convince others to include that part of crisis interventions far more into the mix.

He was murdered with a machete, suffering multiple stab wounds to neck and face. Williamson's confessed murderer, Dwight Hayden,was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after fifteen years. The case raised several concerns regarding non homophobic killings, credibility in crisis communication, non-romantic same gender sexual liaisons gone bad, community based assistance with trust challenges and Jamaica's entrenched homophobia (the cheering by the public outside the murder scene as the body was taken away).

Other posts and articles on Brian:
Remembering Brian Williamson

Gleaner on Remembering Brian Williamson June 20, 2004
More related posts that named Brian: HERE
More from Gay Jamaica Watch: HERE
More from GLOBALGAYZ: HERE

Sadly missed

One of the founding members of JFLAG, Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals & Gays (worth repeating)

Brian outside his home/club in New Kingston where he was taken from us sadly.

former dancehall queen and wife of Beenieman popularly known as Carlene was the one who interviewed Brian on her talkshow back in the 90s

Owner of one of the most successful gay entertainment spots in Jamaica, The Entourage and a dedicated activist. One of the memorable moments in our GLBTQ history is an appearance on Jamaican television then known as (JBC) Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation coming out to the nation and by extension the world and putting a face to the gay community. He gave me my big break on the LGBT party scene at the time when I made my transition from the mainstream sound system sector, my nights were Fridays. Also we should remember Brian's business sidekick Michael Melbourne who also was murdered brutally in his New Kingston apartment,  long time friend, ally to the community, philanthropist, art dealer, club owner/manager and an activist in his own right, was taken from us in October 14 2001 to be precise brutally by assailants in his home. He was known as the bubbly manager of the then Entourage LGBT nightclub in Kingston as owned and operated by late activist Brian Williamson who was also murdered in 2004, a fate that seems to follow open hearted persons in the community and it begs the question were they duped into scenarios and towards persons with ulterior motives that lead to their own demise?

Michael was also known for his contributions financially and otherwise to non governmental organizations and was very active during the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Jamaica as the photo below shows he was making a donation to a popular NGO at the time.

the legendary Michael Melbourne also see more here:

LGBT HISTORY MONTH: ALLIES – POSTHUMOUS RECOGNITION ’11 PART 1

GAY & BISEXUAL INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE, HOMOPHOBIC INCIDENTS & CRISIS COMMUNICATION

DJ Howie's More Entourage, Heavens & Loft Favs Set 03.05.14 

DJ Howie's Entourage Memories Passed Set 23.04.14 

DJ Howie's Club Entourage Quick Review Pass Set 17.04.14 

Here are some setmixes I had done on some of the dancefloor anthems from the day.

The VHS tapes of the JBC interview should be available at JFLAG's archives in Kingston, we hope they have been stored properly and not left to go the route of the Gay Freedom Movement (GFM) archives that subsequently what was left of those were retrieved by it's founder Larry Chang and archived overseas were not in good condition due to poor handling and storage, sad as Jamaica should have been the repository for such important materials. We must preserve our past a people who do not know or respect their past cannot plan for the future.

A pity as he must be turning in his grave now to see how we still are at odds over what is to be done for the movement in totality of the LGBTQI communities instead we are left with a joke of an advocacy though very slowly changing; with criticisms of dissenting voices described as "bickering" as if the establishment are infallible when the engagement of everyone for or against should be the thrust forward in dealing with not just the repulsion of the buggery law while affixing HIV/AIDS issues which seems to be the main focus while the urgently required social interventions for certain sections of the community to uplift and rebuild their lives.

Sadly it seems more about self-aggrandizement coupled with what appears as an elitist agenda with a general intolerance for views outside the system. The ordinary LGBTQI body politic seems relegated to just followers with selected individuals given a platform. The loss of a former volunteer and contracted individual in 2011 via a gruesome murder with not so much as some formal recognition for however small his contribution was glaring to say the least.

Read more here from the Wordpress edition of GLBTQJA

All this was not the original plan when The Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals and Gays when first formed and launched albeit that from the get go if I am to go from memory the signs of the aforementioned opposition to certain types of intervention ideas were knocking at the door but were not as pronounced as today.

Let us however move towards working together for the greater good of those down trodden and or displaced with a sense of hopelessness, rest assured the criticisms will not and cannot be stopped as it is by picking the meat from same and having real forumatic activities that the solutions will come.

Love always

Peace and tolerance

H

There goes gay marriage paranoia again ....

Another pastor has sought to rile up his congregants in a church service where several heterosexual couples renewed their vows and as per usual the fear mongering as if granted gay marriage rights (as is inevitable after dealing with buggery first of course) is going to take away the rights presently enjoyed and protected by straight couples via the various marriage acts.

Heterosexuals are already as far as I am concerned are the ones who are killing the institution of marriage in its traditional forms, just take a look at the divorce rates in recent years and also the repeated complaints of persons in the church who are pressured into sometimes hastily put together marriages and despite counseling the requisite professional misses the downlow same sex attracted or bisexual partner in the prospective union and then disaster strikes afterwards.

In a previous post on June 3, 2015 (Sexual Orientation questions in premarital counselling) the very issue of deception in marriage was addressed but the parachuted gay marriage smoke screen to deny rights and tolerance is a kind of deception of its own and more egregious when it comes from religious voices. A question I have asked and to date no serious answer has come as contained in this previous post headlined: When did anyone ask for gay marriage rights in Jamaica when we can't get basic tolerance? from an official advocacy point of view where then the Methodists were the ones who screamed no to gay marriage. 

Today's Observer headline screamed: 

Pastor knocks same sex marriage as 70 couples renew wedding vows

’Marriage is what God calls marriage’

A local pastor did not mince words yesterday as he reaffirmed the church's position on same sex marriage stridently declaring that it was not ordained by God but was simply an arrangement.

"I don't call it marriage. I call it an arrangement. Marriage is what God calls marriage, not what somebody else calls marriage," Reverend Rennard White said as he delivered the message at Faith Cathedral Deliverance Centre on Waltham Park Road, in Kingston where some 70 couples collectively renewed their wedding vows.

He added: "It seemed to have missed God, but he didn't know that a man could actually be a wife or that a woman could be a husband, he didn't know that, that seemed to have escaped him but (United States) President (Barack) Obama knows that; However, it is against the Lord."

White said marriage as an institution is honourable, godly and was designed to work, but the issues come when people with misconstrued values enter.

"It is God's institution, not an institution created by some social scientist. Marriages are not the problem, it's people who are the problem. It is a godly institution that's designed to work. If dishonourable people are into an honourable institution what do you think will happen?" he said.

White, who is also the vice president of the Jamaica Evangelical Alliance, president of the Missionary Church Association and board chairman of the Jamaica Theological Seminary said that the purpose of renewing vows is to build good family structure and charged that for a marriage to be successful, couples have to give it their best shot as it isn't easy.

"Whatever you're marriage looks like today, under God, I hope you are working to make it work. Some people have concluded that this marriage thing is an endurance test and when you can't take it anymore you call it quits. The feminists have a position on it where they say it's not their death [in reference to till death do us part], it's the death of the relationship, and the popular word is you only have two types of people who are married -- those who are unhappy and stay with it, or those who are unhappy and leave it," he said.

White added that couples should understand that their marriage is what they make it and it is the foundation of a solid family structure and society.

"If we get marriages right, we're going to get a lot of things right in this country," White said.

Moreover, he acknowledged that in the 21st century, more than ever, challenges have arisen that have raised a lot of questions with regards to family life.

"Are we fighting a losing battle as a people of God? Are we trying to realise the unrealistic? This thing about a beautiful relationship, are we really just daydreaming? Should we just change the rules to suit the way the game is being played? Are we for real trying to adhere to a particular biblical approach for married life. Can we do that?" he questioned.

But regardless of the challenges, White said biblically, divorce was never intended and effort from both parties have to be made to preserve marriages and the quality of family life, as apart from religion, the family is the most developed institution worldwide.

He also called on men to be the spiritual leaders, lovers and labourers of their families and offered a few tips to improve the qualities of unions. He said some of the important things are friendship, commitment, fruitfulness, faithfulness, affirmation, sexual fulfillment and good deportment.

Bishop and founder of the church, Herro Blair, while addressing the congregation said the event was not one of pomp and pageantry but one where the church demonstrates to the world the importance of marriages.

He said as a body, the church had made adjustments so that family life is given the precedence it deserves.

"We have started putting emphasis on family structure and we closed our children's church in January so that families could sit together in service. Today we have come to give God thanks for our families and our marriages," he said.

The couples were also serenaded by Minister Verna Blair with the lyrics to Each for the Other, both for the Lord, which saw the wedded pairs dancing and enjoying the company of their partners.

At the end of the service those who participated in the ceremony of the renewal of their vows were presented with certificates to indicate that they had once again publicly declared love for their significant other, after which they were feted to a reception in the church's family hall.

ENDS

Yet divorce rates as hinted to above are high, for e.g the rates courtesy of Statistical Institute of Jamaica, STATIN screams trouble:

also see previous bouts of sheer madness if you ask me interspersed with some sensible reasoning:

More gay marriage paranoia & hijacking of the homosexual debate by fanatics

Jamaican Gay Unions? Hanna Says Ja Not Ready For Same-Sex Families Despite Int'l Redefinition

Gay Marriage Smoke Screen, False Dichotomies and Religious Fanatics 05.06.14

A response to Rev Carla Dunbar's stance on gay marriage

NY's Gay Marriage reactions & our scenario

MoBay Church Fraternity Says No To Buggery Review

Anglican Church in the Caribbean: No to Same Sex Marriage

J'cans can't handle a referendum (Jamaica Observer)

Same-Sex Unions And The Marriage Contract (Gleaner Editorial June 2014)

Church claims future victimization if buggery is decriminalized in Jamaica

Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society continues its “HIV is a gay disease” campaign with more deception added

Also see my previous entry on sister blog GLBTQJA Wordpress: REVEREND AL MILLER’S OWN MORAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST & ANTI GAY CAMPAIGN

UWI had no choice but to dismiss Prof Bain' says Professor Rosemarie Bell Antoine

Gleaner letter June 21 2014: Bain was Biased

Buggery the only thing that makes church butts sore?

JAMAICA COALITION FOR A HEALTHY SOCIETY, JCHS CONTINUED CONFUSION OF PAEDOPHILIA & CONSENTING HOMOSEXUALITY.

BUY NO RINGS, YOU WON’T WED; RELIGIOUS FEAR-MONGERING ON GAY MARRIAGE & THE BUGGERY LAW CONTINUES

PNP 2006, No plans to Legalise Same Sex Union (FLASHBACK)

No Same Sex Marriage says Prime Minister in Charter of Rights Bill Debate (Bruce Golding)

NOT READY FOR GAYS ……. GAY MARRIAGE SMOKE SCREEN REINTRODUCED ……………. POLITICAL DODGING 2011

BUGGERY LAW BACKLASH – BLAIR: THE CHURCH HAS BEEN SLEEPING – BLAIR WARNS REVIEW COULD LEAD TO SAME-SEX MARRIAGES 2011

Hardened Positions by Religious Fanatics & Their LGBT Detractors Will Only Leave More Blood on the Floor

REV AL MILLER ON THE ABNORMALITY OF HOMOSEXUALITY & THE INVENTED GAY MARRIAGE RIGHTS PLOY the man who is charged with perverting the course of Justice, also see: Al Miller has a case to answer (Jamaica Observer)

Gay marriage agitation if and when it begins in Jamaica as we cannot get passed buggery reviews and true tolerance as far as I am concerned is not just about the cultural aspects of relationship life but more so the legal protections and state benefits that flow towards couples recognized by the state thus enhance the decency of said couples who enter into monogamous relationships. I would have thought the folks such as Dr Wayne West would be sensible enough to see an avenue of monogamy in same gender unions as a means to reduce HIV risk as his usual line implying the HIV is a gay disease ploy quoting unqualified statistics and such.

Let us see when the real change will finally come and good sense prevails.

Finally politicians have also used this gay marriage smoke screen:

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 ……….."

also see: Opposition sides with Govt on No to same sex marriage when Mrs Simpson Miller was the leader of the parliamentary opposition in 2009.

Peace and tolerance

H 

more reads:
Jamaica Council of Churches still not clear on the buggery law but resolute in opposing gay marriage 2013

'I Want To Marry My Gay Partner' - St James-Based Lesbian Says Marrying Her Lover Would Be A Dream

Lesbian couple celebrate their marriage locally

Gay Parenting (a view on the ground) (repost from 09) ........ International Family Day

No Same Sex Marriage says Prime Minister in Charter of Rights Bill Debate 2009

Gleaner - Prime Minister Golding: No to same-sex unions

Gay Marriage - An Invented Issue by the christian right movement

Will same-sex marriages ever be accepted in Jamaica? 2009

UPDATE June 12, 2015

Gleaner's cartoonist Lasmay decided to take a swipe at the issue.

'I Want To Kiss My Bride' ... Lesbian Couple Want To Get Married In Jamaica Before They Die from the Gleaner apparently a reaction to some strange supposed study on gay marriage refusal, sadly as the ladies express they want to marry the cogent points seem missing and the emphasis seems to be placed on the ceremonial component and not the rights and coverage that flow already to heterosexual couples. The definition of marriage is still between a man and a woman and the supposed gay marriage smoke screen when responded to by some miss out the other couple types under the LGBT umbrella.

Such as:

Transhomo couples

Transhetero couples

Asexual couples (gay or not)

Same gender couples 

Polygynous couples.

There is nothing in law as far as I am aware that stop persons of any gender from celebrating their union via an activity ackeen to a traditional wedding what needs to be zoomed in on if one decides to unofficially speak to gay marriage are the rights and benefits that accrue for others.

also see the Jamaica Gleaner headline yesterday: Vast Majority Of Jamaicans Remain Adamantly Opposed Same Sex Marriage the local team consisted of 

Balford Lewis, Research Fellow, Centre for Leadership and Governance, UWI, Mona, Jamaica 

Anthony A. Harriott, Professor of Political Sociology, Director of the Institute of Criminal Justice and Security, and the Head of Department of Government at the Mona Campus, UWI, Jamaica. Pages 38, 39, 242, 245 are where some of the details are:

Described as The American Barometer 2014, the study included 26 countries in the Americas and more than 41,000 interviews, which allows for comparison of the results of each individual country with others of the region.

Some 41.6 per cent expressed preference for the political rights of regime critics, while 16 per cent endorsed the political rights of homosexuals.

The question of whether homosexuals should be allowed to seek public office has been a subject of public debate in Jamaica for some time. It is a question that was raised during an interview with a journalist on the BBC's 'HARDtalk' programme, in 2008, that prompted former Prime Minister Bruce Golding to declare: "Not in my Cabinet!"

The LAPOP study also suggested that churches contribute to the marginalisation of homosexuals in Jamaica, by openly criticising their lifestyles as immoral.

It says that religion is an important determinant of the attitudes of Jamaicans towards homosexuals and notes its influence in affecting the political sphere.

While it is not all Jamaicans who feel this way, the acceptance level in Jamaica is still low and overruled by the majority, who are against homosexuality and same-sex marriage.