But of course the EU will not openly say grant aid is linked to LGBT rights

So the latest tranche of funds from the European Union, EU has come much to the delight of the Jamaica Labour Party administration, JLP as we have to sadly and in a near mendicant way rely on their aid as we somehow 54 years into independence have not yet managed to manage our own affairs without aid or handouts. The Gleaner carried a front page story on Sunday December 12, 2016 stating “EU not linking aid to gay rights, death penalty.” The JLP like the People’s National Party before when they came to power in 2011 had to fend off suspicions of hidden agendas by those who aid us to somehow ‘impose’ their will in exchange for the assistance or grants for budgetary support. We have been down this road before with Andrew Holness at the helm so this is not new and for the local European Union representative to be trying to allay fears of hidden LGBT rights demands tells us we have a long way to go on many fronts in terms of trust on all sides.

see: Jamaica's Stance On Gay Rights Won't Affect EU Funding (Gleaner 2012)

As the captioned title says the EU is not going to directly tell any nation that there are indeed some considerations at least or prerequisites at best for same in order to qualify for said aid or grants, of course there are considerations of protocol, harmonious relations, confidentiality and just for good business negotiating terms or talks are kept out of the public domain but the very words of the representatives in the Gleaner article one Miss Malgorzata Wasilewska says it all;

“We will continue having dialogue on values that are important to us and they will include conversations on the death penalty and LGBT rights, on equality of rights to all citizens. I am convinced that the dialogue will be an honest and frank exchange between equals.”

But of course the courtesies must be observed and the deliberate use of “equals” is noted as indicated above for protocol and harmony diplomatic etiquette must be observed but let us get real, which country when dispensing of its tax payer money in grant aid or budgetary support to another country, better yet island developing states such as ours and not have expectations and attachments to such aid. What could explain the resistance by the African Caribbean and Pacific States group, ACP in years gone by in negotiating trade deals or the soon to be expired Cotonou Agreement? They have time and again claimed they will not be dictated to on gay rights or gay marriage so obviously some talk has gone on and is still going on behind the scenes. If only we can speak truth to power and just be open and honest on things but sadly the reality speaks otherwise.

Arthur Hall of the Gleaner penned:
While making it clear that Europe would prefer if Jamaica expands gay rights and abolish the death penalty, the European Union's (EU) new representative in Kingston insists that these would not be conditions for the island to continue to receive EU economic aid.

" ... There is no conditionality," Malgorzata Wasilewska, the head of the EU Delegation in Jamaica, said in an exclusive interview with The Sunday Gleaner.

"It never has been, and it never will be," said Wasilewska in response to questions if the EU would demand movements from Jamaica in line with the trends in Europe.

"But if in the course of our cooperation any of our values are not respected - for example, if we implement a project and during the project, there is a clear violation of human rights in the implementation - of course, we would raise that and have a conversation about it," added Wasilewska.

Over the past 40 years, the EU has provided Jamaica with official development assistance of approximately €1.2 billion, or J$170 billion. Some of this money has been direct budgetary support, which has helped the island meet crucial fiscal targets under its agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

$3-BILLION BOOST

Only last week, the EU provided a grant of €24 million (more than J$3 billion) to support Jamaica's Justice System Reform Programme.

Of this amount, €22 million was in the form of budget support, while €1 million will be offered to civil-society organisations, through calls for proposals to contribute to improving access to justice, with an emphasis on vulnerable groups. The remaining €1 million will go towards providing technical assistance, evaluation and audits, as well as communication and visibility services.

But the issue of gay rights and the death penalty, subtexts to EU-Jamaica relations, are not areas where the long-time friends see eye to eye, and there have been concerns that the 28-member bloc will use its financial might to force the island to fall in line with its position on these issues.

Most of the money the EU has given Jamaica has been grant resources for sectors such as education, human-rights awareness, security, agriculture, and rural development, but there have been concerns expressed recently as more and more Europeans start looking inwards.

Wasilewska last week admitted that the EU does not see eye to eye with Jamaica on issues such as the death penalty and LBGT rights, but said that would not impact the billions of dollars in aid provided to the island each year.

"We will continue having a dialogue on values that are important to us and they will include conversations on the death penalty and LBGT rights, on equality of rights to all citizens. I am convinced that the dialogue will be an honest and frank exchange between equals," Wasilewska told The Sunday Gleaner on the fringes of a meet-and-greet session in Kingston.

In June, all 28 EU member states reached a consensus on LGBT rights and agreed at the Council of the European Union to work against "any discrimination" against LGBT people, and to ramp up pan-European efforts on equality.

The council urges individual national governments "to consider working together with the European Commission with regard to its list of actions to advance LGBTI equality", and "to take action to combat discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity".

Jamaica has shied away from any such commitment, with the recently introduced Charter of Rights failing to recognise same-sex unions or provide any specific protection for members of the LBGT community.

The death penalty has been abolished in all EU states and is enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU and the European Convention on Human Rights of the Council of Europe.

Locally, parliamentarians voted in 2008 to retain the death penalty, even though no execution has taken place in decades.

ENDS

Peace & tolerance

H

also see:

EU considers LGBT considerations for future negotiations

That UK aid issue again with Cameron ......

European Parliament zooms in on LGBT rights in the world ..... 

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"

Ministry Embarks On Human-Rights Public-Awareness Campaign - Gleaner (the goodly minister had to sing for his supper some say)

US decries human rights practices in Caribbean

Jamaica criticised for ‘a lack of willing witnesses and inefficiencies in the judiciary’

WASHINGTON,DC, USA (CMC) – The United States of America, which has itself been criticised for police and other abuses, continues to decry human rights practices in Caribbean Community (Caricom) member-states, saying that many of them are still engaged in egregious practices that derail democracy.

In its 2015 edition of the “Country Reports on Human Rights Practices,” released here last Wednesday, the US Department of State pointed to what it described as “a global governance crisis” in which it said the respect for the rule of law in some Caricom states is inadequate and this is exacerbated by a deficient judicial system and chronic corruption in some branches of Government, among other things.

In Haiti, the State Department said the most serious impediments to human rights involved weak democratic governance worsened by the dissolution of Parliament in January, when the terms of all deputies and two-thirds of the Senate expired.

The department said there was also insufficient respect for the rule of law, worsened by “a deficient judicial system and chronic corruption in all branches of Government.”

Other human rights problems in Haiti included “isolated allegations of arbitrary and unlawful killings by Government officials; allegations of use of force against suspects and protesters; overcrowding and poor sanitation in prisons; prolonged pretrial detention; an inefficient, unreliable, and inconsistent judiciary; and governmental confiscation of private property without due process,” the report said.

Additionally, the State Department said there were reports of rape, violence and societal discrimination against women; child abuse; allegations of social marginalisation of vulnerable populations; and trafficking in persons.

Violence, including gender-based violence, and crime within the remaining internally displaced persons (IDP) camps remained a problem, the report said.

“Although the Government took steps to prosecute or punish government and law enforcement officials accused of committing abuses, credible reports persisted of officials engaging in corrupt practices, and civil society groups alleged that impunity was a problem,” the State Department said.

It said the most serious human rights problem in Suriname was the “unresolved trial” of President Desire Delano Bouterse and 22 co-defendants for the 1982 extra-judicial killings of 15 political opponents, “a trial that exemplifies deeper doubts about judicial independence in the country.”

Other human rights problems in Suriname included: Police brutality; poor conditions in detention centres; self-censorship by media organisations and journalists; widespread Government corruption; and violence and abuse against women and children.

The State Department also said other issues included trafficking in persons; continued lack of recognition of land rights for Maroons – the descendants of escaped slaves who fled to the hinterland, and Amerindians; discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) persons and other minorities; and child labour in the informal sector.

In Jamaica, the report said “an overburdened, under-resourced and dysfunctional judicial system, which obstructed access to justice for victims of crime and their families, and allegedly unlawful killings by Government security forces” were the most serious human rights issues.

According to the report, other human rights issues in Jamaica included inadequate prison and jail conditions; violence against and sexual abuse of children; and violence and discrimination against women, and against (LGBTI) persons.

The State Department said the Jamaican Government’s efforts resulted in charging a much larger number of police officers with abuses than the previous year.

But the report said a lack of willing witnesses and inefficiencies in the judiciary “continued to plague the justice system”, adding that trials continued to languish.

Stating that civilian authorities in Guyana, at times, did not maintain effective control over the security forces in 2015, the State Department said the most significant human rights problems were “arbitrary killings by the Government or its agents; allegations of Government corruption, including among police officials”, and laws that discriminate against women and LGBTI persons.

Other human rights problems in Guyana included lengthy pretrial detention.

“There was a lack of independent and transparent procedures for handling allegations of abuses by security force members,” the report said.

“Prosecutions, when pursued, were extremely lengthy, and convictions rare, leading to a widespread perception that security force members and Government officials enjoyed impunity,” it added.

In the Bahamas, the State Department said the most serious human rights problems were “mistreatment of irregular migrants, compounded by problems in processing them; an inefficient judicial system, resulting in trial delays and an increase in retaliatory crime against both witnesses and alleged perpetrators; and the perception of impunity on the part of law enforcement and immigration officials accused of using excessive force.”

Other human rights problems in the Bahamas, the report said, included substandard detention conditions; corruption; violence and discrimination against women; sexual abuse of children; and discrimination based on ethnic descent, sexual orientation, or HIV status.

The report said, however, that, in some cases, the Government took action against police officers and other officials accused of abuse of power.

For Belize, the State Department said the most important human rights abuses included the use of excessive force by security forces, especially the police; lengthy pretrial detention; and harassment and threats based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Other human rights problems included corruption by officials, domestic violence, discrimination against women, sexual abuse of children, trafficking in persons, and child labour.

“In some cases, the Government took steps to prosecute public officers who committed abuses, both administratively and through the courts, but there were few successful prosecutions,” the report said.

“While many lower-ranking officials faced disciplinary action and/or criminal charges for alleged abuses, higher-ranking officials were less likely to face punishment, resulting in a perception of impunity,” it added.

The State Department identified police mistreatment of suspects, detainees and prisoners; poor prison conditions and a slow judicial system; and violence and discrimination against women as the most serious human rights issues in Trinidad and Tobago.

It said other human rights problems in the twin-island republic involved high-profile cases of alleged bribery and corruption; inadequate services for vulnerable populations, such as children and persons with disabilities; and laws that discriminate against LGBTI persons.

“The Government took some steps to punish security force members and other officials charged with killings or other abuse, but there continued to be a perception of impunity based on the open-ended nature of many investigations and the generally slow pace of criminal judicial proceedings,” the report said.

It said other human rights problems included child abuse and discrimination against persons with disabilities.

In St Lucia, the report said the most serious human rights problems included long delays in investigating reports of unlawful police killings, abuse of suspects and prisoners by the police, and continued postponements of trials and sentencing.

Other human rights problems included violence against women, child abuse, and discrimination against persons based on their “real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity,” the report said.

“Although the Government took limited steps to prosecute officials and employees who committed abuses, the procedure for investigating police officers was lengthy, cumbersome, and often inconclusive,” it added.

In St Vincent and the Grenadines, the State Department said gender-based violence and police impunity were the most serious human rights problems.

The department said other human rights problems included official corruption; lack of Government transparency; discrimination; child abuse; and laws that discriminate against LGBTI persons.

Government procedures exist to investigate violations, but few reports of violations were made,” the department said.

In St Kitts and Nevis, the most serious human rights problems were poor prison conditions and discrimination and violence against women, the State Department said.

Other human rights problems, it said, included Government corruption, child abuse, and discrimination against the LGBTI community.

The report said the Timothy Harris Administration took steps to prosecute and convict officials who committed abuses, but added that “some cases remained unresolved”.

The most significant human rights abuses in Dominica, according to the State Department, included domestic and sexual violence against women and children.

Other human rights problems included laws that discriminated against LGBTI persons and discrimination against persons with disabilities, the department said.

It said the Dominica Government took steps to prosecute officials who committed abuses, and that there were no known cases of impunity.

On the other hand, the most significant human rights abuses in Grenada included poor prison conditions, violence against women, child abuse, and laws against LGBTI persons, according to the report.

“Unprofessional conduct” by police, violence against women and discrimination against LGBTI individuals were the most serious human rights problems in Barbados, the report said.

Paper on LGBT Situation in Jamaica Launched

also see: 

Govt Advances Plans to Establish National Human Rights Institute ... 2015

JFLAG had a press conference as reported on Nationwide radio on their midday news where they asked for some considerations about the previously announced human rights institute by the justice minister but I would have preferred this in June when the announcement was done and not so many months later and in the middle of an election campaign at that, this is just going to be drowned out by all the shenanigans of the internal politics that now obtains. Anyway see what you make of it as the introduction in part says below, to download the PDF go here.

National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) are State bodies with a constitutional and/or legislative mandate to protect and promote human rights. They are part of the State apparatus and are funded by the State1. Their function as enumerated by the Paris Principles is to protect and promote the human rights secured by international law within the domestic sphere of Member States of the United Nations. 

This paper seeks to question how the establishment of such an institution will impact the human rights situation within Jamaica, particularly for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. 

The paper will consider the Paris Principles which outline the operational framework, roles and responsibilities of NHRIs and make a determination as to whether there are any current spaces in which such an institution can be regarded as existing within the Jamaican context. It will then set out the situation of human rights abuses faced by the LGBT community and the legal framework within which these abuses are committed, often times with impunity. Finally, there will be an analysis of the possible formation of a Jamaican NHRI and how that will address the concerns of the LGBT community, with a view to making useful recommendations concerning the establishment of this body within our legal framework.

THE PARIS PRINCIPLES
A PUTATIVE NHRI FRAMEWORK

The Paris Principles were adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in its 44th session on the 4th of March 1994. They established the minimum operational standard for NHRIs within several guidelines. The implications of these guidelines will be considered in order to weigh the possibility and merit of having an NHRI within the Jamaican jurisdiction. The first and second principles read as follow:

1. A national institution shall be vested with competence to promote and protect human rights. 

2. A national institution shall be given as broad a mandate as possible, which shall be clearly set forth in a constitutional or legislative text, specifying its composition and its sphere of competence. The first establishes the broad mandate of an NHRI.

The promotion and protection of human rights go beyond the duty on States to respect the rights of the citizen; the latter is generally framed as a duty of non-interference. Protection involves positive action by the State to ensure observance of the right by both State and non-State actors and promotion involves making persons aware of their rights and how to access them. 

The second principle requires the State to actually go through the process of lawmaking or constitutional amendment. This is an important step as a legislative or constitutional basis gives the NHRI legitimacy and some measure of credibility and accountability. Such a body cannot act outside of the four corners of its lawmaking document. This would mean Parliament would have to go through the rigorous process of drafting legislation and having public consultation. Even more so, if the method to be taken is by way of a constitutional amendment. 

Section 49 of the Jamaican Constitution outlines the varied and lengthy procedures for constitutional amendment.

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

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

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

Funds Dry Up For Local Human-Rights Lobbies

Says the headline in today's Gleaner, some of us like smaller lesser known entities like GLBTQ Jamaica or Aphrodite's P.R.I.D.E Jamaica rely on individual donations from readers or funding from the FCO as was the case with the APJ Enterprise Training Project activities. There maybe some local donations by kind individuals via cheque or even cash as well especially for special requests for crisis interventions but those are drying up as hard times or belt tightening becomes more the norm.

I am wondering what is the purpose of this article though as there have been some push-back on human rights groups especially since the JFJ sex ed fiasco of so called foreign imposition of values via money and funding by some of the same persons ironically named in the piece below such as Betty Ann Blaine and even the acting public defender hinted to it HERE. Then there is the mischief making by first time MP Damion Crawford (same one who belittled Portia's Buggery Review/Conscience Vote suggestion) and his take on rights organizations and agendas.

Now to the story:

The reluctance of one local human-rights lobby to push the agenda of overseas backers has resulted in the curtailing of its operations, and the futures of similar organisations are in jeopardy as the ability to secure international funding to fight for citizens' rights has become increasingly difficult.

Yvonne McCalla-Sobers, who chairs advocacy group Families Against State Terrorism (FAST), told The Sunday Gleaner that the non-government organisation (NGO) has been unable to fulfil its mandate in recent times because of a lack of funding.

The group was started in 2001 following the alleged extrajudicial killing of two citizens by police in separate incidents.

"It was supposed to seek justice for family members who have been killed by the police or suffered in some way from the State," McCalla-Sobers said.

But McCalla-Sobers noted that apart from the fact that the families they represent had started to become weary of delayed justice for their relatives, "there is also the issue that where you get your funding sometimes can dictate what you do or don't do".

She noted that, at times, advocacy groups such as FAST were being asked to make compromises in order to secure funding.

She said that in the beginning, her group was primarily getting funding from Jamaicans within the diaspora but, following the recession, it was necessary to seek funding from international agencies primarily based in the United Kingdom (UK).

"The compromise would have been in, let us say, other persons far away deciding on the action that should be taken here," said McCalla-Sobers, who did not want to elaborate on the types of compromises her group was being required to make.

"The requests were nothing that would have been unethical, but it's just not in the direction that we saw the need here," she quickly pointed out.

Last week, Opposition Leader Andrew Holness called for the establishment of a commission of human rights to assist in safeguarding the rights of citizens.

His call came following the killing of construction worker Mario Deane, who died on Independence Day as a result of injuries sustained while at the Barnett Street Police Station in St James.

STRENGTHEN EXISTING INSTITUTIONS

However, legal luminary and former chairman of the Independent Jamaica Council for Human Rights (IJCHR), Dr Lloyd Barnett, believes the focus ought to be on strengthening existing human-rights institutions rather than creating a new one.

"I would like to see what it is that he is proposing because we sometimes react to problems by creating new posts rather than strengthening existing posts, and you get a multiplicity of positions, each underfunded and inadequate for the task," he said.

Much like FAST, he said the IJCHR is currently challenged to carry out projects because of a lack of funding. He said the council's last major project for which it received funding dates back to two years ago.

Most of the IJCHR's focus now, he said, is on education rather than advocacy, which can be very expensive.

"In order to conduct a human-rights advocacy or human-rights programme, money is needed, both for staff and material. You have to provide staff to interview people to receive their complaints … . That requires money. You have to pay rent, pay telephone bills, pay for all the normal things that you require to run an office and to provide a service. In addition to that, you would have to carry out investigations or to employ persons to advise on technical matters," he said.

Barnett said that although in the past the group got funding from a number of agencies, including USAID and the Commonwealth Secretariat, today, "a lot of the funding is based upon specific programmes".

Last year, parliamentarian Raymond Pryce suggested that it be made mandatory for interest groups to disclose their sources of funding and publish their financials.

He told The Sunday Gleaner that while these organisations help to keep democracy robust, "many times, they can receive funds in a subversive way that has hidden agendas, and many times those sources of funds come from agencies that are inimical to the way of life of the wider society".

Checks made by The Sunday Gleaner with at least 10 of the country's more prominent interest groups showed that while several were 100 per cent locally funded, there were many others that received the majority of or all their funding from overseas.

J-FLAG LOOKS TO US, UK

"We have to apply for grants much like any other NGOs and they are largely out of the United States and we have one donor in the UK," said Dane Lewis, executive director of the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG).

The group's donors are listed on its website and include organisations such as Freedom House, Frontline Defenders, the Mac AIDS Fund, and Open Society Foundation.

Funding for the organisation primarily comes from overseas, and much of it is used for public education, Lewis said.

Lobbies such as Citizens Action for Principles and Integrity (CAPI), the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) and National Integrity Action (NIA) are among those that receive both local and international funding.

Co-convenor for CAPI, Dennis Meadows, said while the group's four executive members are the ones primarily financing its advocacy work, persons locally and overseas have been making donations through the group's website.

He said his organisation was a virtual one and membership at last check stood at around 4,500 persons, with donations from the diaspora amounting to no more than US$1,000 per year.

"From a NGO standpoint, you have to build a foundation before you can seek to approach international agencies," he said when quizzed about his funding sources.

Diana McCaulay, JET's chief executive officer, said her organisation receives grant funding from overseas, but the work it does is also possible due to the help of local sponsors and membership fees.

The 24-year-old organisation currently has about 400-500 individuals on its mailing list and, of this number, about 200 persons pay fees annually.

MAINLY LOCAL FUNDING

"There have been years where we have had larger foreign amounts, and then that year, it would look like the foreign donation was greater, but if you look the whole of JET's life, I would say local funding is, by far, the majority," she said.

Professor Trevor Munroe, executive director of the NIA, said his group was primarily funded by USAID and the Department for International Development, but gets technical support from the Jamaica Civil Society Coalition and Flow.

Flow has, for example, given NIA free cable advertisement space valued at more than $2 million per month.

"They provide funds, but we are the persons who decide how those funds are utilised. They don't tell us," said Munroe in regard to NIA's international partners.

The groups that rely primarily on local funders include Hear the Children's Cry, the Lawyers Christian Fellowship and the recently convened Churches Action Uniting Society for Emancipation (CAUSE).

Co-founder of Hear the Children's Cry, Betty Ann Blaine, said the group was heavily reliant on charitable donations and grant funding from the private sector to carry out its work.

"We operate on a very small budget. Our budget is not more than $2 million per year," she asserted. "We have no overseas funding. All of our funding, right now, is from within Jamaica."

She lamented the fact that several NGOs have been forced to close their doors in recent times because of the inability to secure funding.

ENDS

Why did the author not get more information from JCHS, LCF or Jamaica CAUSE on their budgets or funding sources? I find it a bit strange as they have or seem to have millions at their disposal with all the full paged ads they have managed to put out in the same paper that can sometimes run into millions of dollars literally dependent on the day in question they are published. The paraphernalia as well in their Bain protests does not come cheap either and therefore must be coming from another source of funding, I say foreign ones that were not disclosed. I has well been established that homophobic or anti gay groups outside the US and as far as Africa such as Uganda have all benefited from funding from US based religious linked groups and personalities who cannot do their hate in the US so they export it.

Yet we are to believe that these groups are so lowly they only receive local funding!?

Did the author or editor of the Gleaner did not want to ruffle the feathers of their largest customer with their full paged ads so no pressure or questions were brought to bear as to the real state of affairs of their funding? given that one of the criticisms towards gay activism is so called imposed values and beliefs funded by foreigners yet we see the very same strategy in their camp and when such overseas funding for LGBT groups do not come easy as one has to prove and write proposals etc. if it were so easy as I wish it was groups like mine and others would have been fat with cash and able to do far more work than how snails pace we are.

Anyway I still want to encourage you my readers to continue your support as it is crucial for smaller frontline groups and individuals like me. Donations are accepted via Paypal securely where the donations buttons are located or

Tel: 1-876-813-4942 if any difficulties or email: lgbtevent@gmail.com

Thank You

Peace and tolerance 

H

Interim JFJ Board Has Full Authority says Barry Wade

In this April 7, 2014 photograph, Kay Osborne, executive director of JFJ, shares pleasantries with JFJ directors Alexis Goffe (right) and David Silvera. Three months later, the organisation imploded, as a criticism over a sex-ed programme triggered a spate of resignations. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

Barry Wade, Guest Columnist

In an editorial titled 'Tell us more, Dr Wade' on August 1, 2014, The Gleaner asked me, as the newly appointed chairperson of the interim board of directors of Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ), to explain "the process by which [I] and the rest of the board were chosen, including whether those members of the board who were in place up to Wednesday resigned en bloc, paving the way for new elections".

It also stated: "It would be useful, in the circumstance, to explain if, and how, the JFJ's constitution addresses this, especially in the context of his announcement of a planned vote for a new board in three months' time after 'a nomination process and election of the paying members' of the organisation."

The following sets out the process by which the current directors of the board came to their positions and the relevant clauses in JFJ's Articles of Association governing this process.

JFJ was incorporated under the Companies Act on 15 October 1999. The Companies Act and, more specifically, its Articles of Association are the relevant governance instruments. The relevant Articles of Association are Clauses 31, 45, 48 and 49.

Clause 31 provides that the minimum number of directors shall be seven, unless otherwise determined by a general meeting of the company.

Clause 45 provides that the directors may appoint any person to be a director, either to fill a casual vacancy or as an additional director. A director appointed under this provision holds office until the next annual general meeting and he or she shall be eligible for re-election.

The quorum for directors meetings is fixed by the directors but shall, if not fixed by the directors, be three. (Clause 48).

During the course of the weeks and days leading up to the extraordinary general meeting (EGM) held on July 29, which had been called by the board at the request of members, the number of directors fell below the minimum number of three. The resignations did not take place en bloc, but rather at different points in time, all prior to the date of the EGM. Clause 49 of the Articles was invoked.

Clause 49 provides:

"The continuing directors may act notwithstanding any vacancy in their body, but, if and so long as their number is reduced below the number fixed by or pursuant to the articles of the company the necessary quorum of directors, the continuing directors or director may act for the purpose of increasing the number of directors to that number, or of summoning a general meeting of the company but for no other purpose."

In circumstances where the members of the organisation were determined to repair the damage done by recent internal and external developments and adverse publicity, and following lengthy discussions of these developments, the two remaining board members asked the members assembled at the EGM to indicate whom of their number were prepared to serve on an interim board.

The purpose was to ensure a democratic input into the decisions that only the remaining two board members could exercise under Clause 49 of JFJ's Articles of Association. The members present at the EGM indicated their preferences. The EGM was suspended and the board deliberated and made the appointments recommended by the members present at the EGM. The eight additional directors appointed brought the number of directors up to 10, above the minimum seven required for the full functioning of the board.

The board is an interim one because the provisions of Clause 45 limit the tenure of all of the members appointed by the remaining two directors till the next annual general meeting of JFJ.

The board will consider the steps to be taken over the next three months to (a) review the recent developments, (b) steady the organisation, and (c) arrange for the holding of an annual general meeting in view of the provisions of Clause 45 of the Articles of Association.

The current board is properly constituted under JFJ's Articles of Association, with the full authority to conduct the business of the organisation until the next annual general meeting, which in the normal course of events would be held in March or April next year.

However, it was the view of the membership at the EGM and the decision of the current board that it would be prudent to hold an AGM at the earliest possible date to allow for the election of a new board of directors.

Barry A. Wade, PhD, is chairperson of JFJ. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and admin@jamaicansforjustice.org.

You may also want to check out the bizarre hit that the public defender took at the entity in a recent speech HERE and other articles on the JFJ war of words 

JFJ Critics have Lost Their Soul Carol Narcisse of JCSC

Clearing Narcisse's Fog On JFJ Support

Jamaicans for Justice Slowly Recovers & Appoints an Interim Board

Dr Barry Wade 

The very foundation of human-rights lobby group Jamaicans For Justice was jolted by the public condemnation of a controversial sex-education programme which was introduced into six private children's homes and the subsequent resignation of four board members, including long-time faces Dr Carolyn Gomes (Carolyn Gomes resigns as JFJ Board Member, JFJ Apologises For controversial Sex Education Course) and Susan Goffe (Influential Susan Gofffe Resigns from JFJ .............New ED "If I Was Aware Of Sex-Ed Programme 'I Would No....)and executive director Kay Osborne in recent months.

The fallout prompted members of the 15-year-old organisation to call for an extraordinary board meeting, and it is coming out of that meeting that Dr Barry Wade and other interim board members were co-opted.

The other members of the board are Christine Dalrymple, Horace Levy, Michael Lumsden, Allan Martin, Carla Gulotta, David Silvera (treasurer of previous board), Clifton McKenzie (also a member of former board), Roje Malcolm and Susan Mah Leung Evans (who had both resigned from prior board).

Wade has cited the first order of business as being that of repairing the organisation's tarnished reputation.

"An advocacy group has to have credibility; it needs the support of civil society," Wade, who is the former general manager of the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica and the chairman of Environmental Solutions Limited, told The Gleaner. "If civil society are unsure of what we are about, then they won't support us. The present controversy has thrown a spanner in the way people see us and so rebuilding our image clearly is what we have to pay attention to. But it is not an event, it is a process."

Upcoming election

The appointment of a full board is expected to be undertaken within the next three months, when there will be a nomination process and election among the paying members, who currently stand at approximately 50 despite the number of persons on roll standing at somewhere in the hundreds. In the interim, however, Wade and his team will seek to get the organisation's house in order.

"This is a transitional period, so other than arranging for the election of a full board, it will be to steady the organisation and make sure that we fulfil all our obligations to our funding agencies and that we have the staff in place to continue," Wade shared. "With the resignation of the ED (executive director) there is a big gap in the organisation, and members of the organisation have volunteered to come in and help get things going again."

Wade, who is seriously considering offering himself up for the post of permanent chairman, believes the organisation will have to work feverishly to make up for lost time, but is confident that they can get back on course.

"We have to play catch-up because we have lost some time with all that has been going on and the resignations, but I have no doubt that we will be able to settle down pretty quickly," Wade reasoned.

Speaking on Beyond The Headlines on RJR yesterday Dr Wade also cleared up the controversial sex education fiasco in a sense that caused the implosion in the first place the perception that they were a cloak for gay organizations, he denied that allegation and went on to explain in a sense the materials delivered were for the instructors firstly then to selected teens for the cohort, also he went on to elaborate that there were sections of the materials that spoke to the illegality of buggery and the law but they recognized that the cohort may have children who were abused so they needed the course. "The material stated what was illegal ....... including what people find offensive anal sex" he said.

Dr Wade also said he did not believe the course was not inappropriate given the above reasons ".....the program was designed to help them avoid, protect themselves and of by chance and how to deal with it thereafter, how to report it." "It is a reality for children in Jamaica that many of them are buggered by adults and they have no recourse in institutions to adequately deal with it and it's that reality Jamaicans for Justice delivered a program with the help of the institutions to help the youngsters.

As for the CDA he said the remit of JFJ was to deal with the boards of the institutions and its their responsibility via the memorandum of understanding with the homes' management. Here I will have to disagree with Dr Wade as the law is clear on the vetting of courses and outsiders entering homes under the aegis of the CDA, the question that must be asked as I have done before if the Sunbeam Home as said publicly submitted in their monthly report the course activity then why did the CDA miss that to arrive at a conclusion of ignorance of a six month long course and why didn't the monitoring officers via conversations with the wards as the have direct access to them and can bypass the homes' management to do so could not ferrett any information regarding the course?

Did the CDA lie to the public when they claimed ignorance of the 6 or 7 month long course by JFJ?

Meanwhile some of the antigay voices who created mass hysteria about this via Jamaica CAUSE and the Professor Bain issue were obviously cautious and most hypocritical in my view in answering a question as to reestablish trust in Jamaicans for Justice in their answers, they steered clear of the sex education course as the facts slowly come forth despite it was not cleared by the constituted authority that being the CDA - Child Development Agency as required by law.

Daniel Thomas, president of the Love March Movement: A lot of damage has been done, so the group might even have to consider a name change. However, I won't dispute that the organisation has done some good work over the years, and nothing is impossible. It is critical that transparency and collaboration are ingredients that the new board will be willing to employ in the interest of the Jamaican people.

Betty-Ann Blaine, an advocate for children: This is a gentleman (Dr Barry Wade) who I have some knowledge about and I think has a reputable image. From my experience, I know that he is very passionate about social issues, including the plight of the poor, among other social ills. Clearly, he has a big job on his hands in restoring the trust of the Jamaican people and restoring the image of the organisation, but I am confident that it can happen. also see: The Deliberate Misuse of the “Sexual Grooming” Term by Antigay Fanatics to Promote Their Hysteria and Betty Ann Blaine Deliberately Conflates Same Gender Attraction & Child Abuse at Christian Anti Gay Mass Rally

Clifford Blake, deputy commissioner of police: I don't know much about the board ,so I wouldn't want to comment much on that, but we (Jamaica Constable Force) have worked well with past boards and we have no problem working with this current board, once it is in the best interest of the Jamaican people.

Bishop Rowan Edwards, immediate past president of the Jamaica Association of Full Gospel Churches: I thank God for this new board. I would hope that the leader has prepared himself to be scrutinized, to be guided and to collaborate. Everyone deserves a second chance and despite the damage that has been done, there is room for restoration. I also call on the Jamaican people to cooperate.

The funders Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition, CVCC of the sex education course are quiet as a mouse as Mrs Carolyn Gomes is their new Executive Director from as early as December 2013 I would have thought that despite the aura of the JFJ being lured or smoothered by a gay lobby that they would have categorically denied such claims but the incestuous nature of these coalitions once again makes identity separation near impossible. Thanks however to an active membership of JFJ they have taught us that transparency, fiduciary responsibility and good governance the very principles which made the JFJ what it is has won in a sense, some LGBTQ groups and individuals in Jamaica could learn a thing or two from all this.

I hope the JFJ does not flinch though from working with LGBT groups and individuals from now on but will be careful in its scrutiny and adaptation of areas they may want to cover. I Hope they can get over this perception as painted and set by the Gleaner when the story broke: Back-Door Deal - Gay Lobby Funds JFJ Sex Education Course, Slipped Into Children's Homes says Gleaner

also see:
More Overreaction to the Jamaicans for Justice Sex Education Course & Media Senationalism

Former JFJ Head Carolyn Gomes Distances Self From Controversial Sex Ed Material

Old Guard vs New Guard War of Words at JFJ on Sex Education Course that bypassed CDA

UPDATE August 4

KINGSTON, Jamaica:
Interim chairman of Jamaicans for Justice, Dr Barry Wade is today insisting that the interim board of the human rights lobby group was constitutionally appointed.

JFJ has been plunged into crisis over its unauthorised implementation of a sex education course in six privately-run children’s homes.

The human rights group has also been facing a leadership meltdown following mass resignations and counterclaims over who is responsible for the introduction of anal and oral sex content as part of the course.

The interim board was appointed last week during an emergency meeting of JFJ’s membership.

However, following the announcement, questions have been raised in some sectors about the constitutionality of the board.

According to the Interim Chairman, the group’s constitution gives remaining board members the authority to co-opt to the JFJ.

He says this is what was done for the interim board.

ENDS

UPDATE Press Release from JFJ on Interim Board 

Tuesday, August 5, 2014, Kingston, Jamaica

The interim Board of JFJ has been publicly challenged to state whether it is legitimately constituted. The following sets out the process by which the current directors of the Board came to their positions

JFJ was incorporated under the Companies Act on 15 October 1999. The Companies Act and more specifically its Articles of Association are the relevant governance instruments. The relevant sections of the Articles of Association that guided the process are Clauses 31, 45, 48 and 49.

Clause 31 provides that the minimum number of directors shall be seven, unless otherwise determined by a general meeting of the company.

Clause 45 provides that the directors may appoint any person to be a director, either to fill a casual vacancy or as an additional director. A director appointed under this provision holds office until the next annual general meeting and he or she shall be eligible for re-election.

The quorum for directors meetings is fixed by the directors but shall, if not fixed by the directors be three. (Clause 48)

During the course of the weeks and days leading up to the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held on July 29, which had been called by the Board at the request of members, the number of directors fell below the minimum number of three. The resignations did not take place en bloc, but rather at different points in time, all prior to the date of the EGM. Clause 49 of the Articles was invoked.

Clause 49 provides: “The continuing directors may act notwithstanding any vacancy in their body, but, if and so long as their number is reduced below the number fixed by or pursuant to the articles of the company the necessary quorum of directors, the continuing directors or director may act for the purpose of increasing the number of directors to that number…

Following lengthy discussions of the developments in JFJ, the two remaining board members asked the members assembled at the EGM to indicate whom of their number were prepared to be co-opted to serve on an interim board. The purpose was to ensure a democratic input into the decisions that only the remaining 2 board members could exercise under Clause 49 of JFJ’s Articles of Association. The members present at the EGM indicated their preferences. The EGM was suspended and the existing Board members deliberated and made the appointments recommended by the members present at the EGM. The eight additional directors appointed brought the number of directors up to ten, above the minimum seven required for the full functioning of the Board.

The Board is an interim one because the provisions of Clause 45 limit the tenure of all of the members appointed by the remaining 2 directors till the next annual general meeting of JFJ.

The Board will focus on the following steps to be taken over the next three months to (a) review the recent developments, (b) steady the organisation, and (c) arrange for the holding of an annual general meeting in view of the provisions of Clause 45 of the Articles of Association.

The current Board is properly constituted under JFJ’s Articles of Association, with the full authority to conduct the business of the organization until the next annual general meeting, which in the normal course of events would be held in March or April next year. However, it was the view of the membership at the EGM and the decision of the current Board that it would be prudent to hold an AGM at the earliest possible date to allow for the election of a new Board of directors.

ENDS

The current board members are:

Dr. Barry Wade (Chairperson)
Christine Dalrymple (Secretary)
Susan Evans (Treasurer)
Horace Levy (also of JCSC)
Rodje Malcolm
Allan Martin
Michael Lumsden
Carla Gullotta (formerly of Amnesty Europe & CVCC)
Clifton McKenzie

Peace and tolerance

H