Constitutional Review Commission welcomes referendum
Chairperson of the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) Lisa Penn-Lettsome has said her team welcomes the impending referendum on same-sex marriage that was recently announced in the BVI.
The referendum is being proposed because of an ongoing case involving a same-sex Virgin Islands couple who got married abroad then mounted a challenge in the High Court to have their union legally recognised in the territory.
Premier Natalio Wheatley said the referendum will be held because the people should be able to give their opinion on an important matter like same-sex marriages.
BVI News asked Lettsome whether the CRC will be paying particular attention to the constitutional definition of marriage in light of the ongoing matter before the court.
In response, Lettsome said the BVI Constitution does not define ‘marriage’ but does protect the right of every man and every woman to marry. She also cautioned that the definition is subject to interpretation based on several factors.
“Exactly how those words are to be interpreted is a complex matter involving the consideration of local law such as the Matrimonial Proceedings and Property Act, laws interpreting similar language in certain international conventions and, of course, the consideration of judges in the case presently before the BVI courts,” Penn-Lettsome explained.
She also pointed out that the CRC is receptive to the idea of utilising a referendum on same-sex marriage.
“We will have to give the courts a chance but the CRC does welcome the use of referenda in this and all other appropriate cases,” Penn Lettsome said.
Premier Wheatley said he will consult with Governor John Rankin before conforming a date for the referendum. Time will also be time alloted for the public to be educated on the matter.
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Take that mone allyo ther wasting on imported disgusting moraity and pay the local retirees and others their long over due INCREMENTS.
No one cares what any does with any one in their privacy of their bed room, with whom they do it with what hole and with what they stick in that hole with . Come on man grow and reprioritize our existence.
Give peole what the already work for, and while you growing a human heart, give them a decent living wage.
Meanwhile, stop trying tolegislate every aspect of human existence. let human love who they want to love. Tere is much hypocrisy in this world that needs cleaning that same sex is not one of them, and i am not gay and no way close to bein so.
Give the dam people the incrment the earned years ago and let the alone let love who they want to ove. Tis only life we life have to live. Let us live it in peace.
We,the tax payers,don’t have money to waste on such nonsense. Let the court decide.
The Party that wins the election will be a true indicator as to where the people want to go…
Just include it for the next elections
The concern that I have about this referenda is the part of the statement made by the Premier “ a date that will allow for the public to be educated”. Exactly what “knowledge” is supposed to be passed on, and “who” is to be spearheading education efforts? I would only hope that the BVI Government embarks on nothing further than what is a referenda? What percentage has to be obtained for the result to be valid. Anything to advance the merits for or against the question to be decided upon should and is NOT to be done by any communication efforts of the Government. If it does, it is not only hypocritical, but also prejudices the outcome. I caution the Premier to be a bit more diplomatic in his statements especially in light of the ongoing case for which the Government is an interested party.
Is this a priority? There are more pressing issues affecting all the people and these peole with their disgusting personal nasty relationships looking consensus. Get you house in order. God don’t like it why should society.