I don’t believe in same-sex marriage but…
Junior Minister of Culture & Tourism Luce Hodge Smith has stated that although she personally disagrees with same-sex marriages, she would respect a decision to legalise such unions if the majority makes this decision through a referendum.
Speaking on the Talking Points radio show on May 22, Hodge-Smith said she disagrees with same-sex marriages because of her upbringing. But she says a final decision on the matter should really be left to BVI residents.
“I think in this case we need to get the majority’s decision on this. I don’t think the UK government should impose this upon us like in the Cayman Islands where it was imposed upon them by the Governor,” Hodge-Smith explained. “I think as a democratic society we should have our say. And if the majority says we should have same-sex marriages, then we have no choice, but at least we went through the process.”
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley promised a referendum on the matter in light of an ongoing court matter. The court case in reference concerns the validity of the marriage between two women — Kinisha Forbes and Kirsten Lettsome – and whether any prohibition against same-sex marriage in the BVI is contrary to the constitution of the Virgin Islands.
The issue always creates controversy whenever it arises as many people are still opposed to same-sex unions in the BVI.
Recently, a position put forward by businesswoman Maris Hodge-Wright that same sex couples should be allowed to marry because they pay taxes caused quite a stir in the community as many expressed that they aren’t in agreement with such a move. Still, there is no clear indication of how the majority may vote if a referendum is called on the matter of same-sex marriages.
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have been the norm in the developed world for over 25 years as basic human rights, I guess the BVI would like to remain behind not only on infrastructure, roads and education but also on social norms..
Her leader is the one that’s trying to bring a referendum because they are scared that the Court would find that the legislation is unconstitutional. Her leader cannot out smart the Court System. The fact that he’s proposing a referendum means he doesn’t have confidence in the Judicial branch of Government.
She is a follower not a leader
drug dealers and thieves pay taxes too so shouldn’t they go jail?
You either stand for something or you dont. Even if the majority agrees in something not me, but the word of God did not even call a sin, it is an outright abomination, I will not have a second option. These homos brining their big money and so here we go, the love of money is the very root of every single thing that is evil. When all legislators and preachers stand before God Almighty, youall going get judge heavier. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord
I don’t believe a man should put his * to the * of another Male. But if the majority sees nothing wrong with it I would accept. Really now so your acceptance of an evil is predicated of what the majority believes and accept.
Luce read my words if it is evil it remains evil no matter who says otherwise. Be prepared to stand alone for what you believe. Are you a woman or a child. Is this who the people really voted for. When I have strong conviction on a moral issues wild horses can’t make me accept otherwise. SHAME ON YOU. stand up for what you believe.
Either you in or either you out
What is a developed world to you? Imagine a world full of modern stuff and doing what the others do just to be on the map and then head straight to hell over wickedness. what profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul. Let us stay in our undeveloped world and see heaven one day
It is NOT part of the human right spread.
No problem here. Just hop on the ferry, get married and settle down here. Visit the BVI anytime just don’t live there with your partner!
Let’s shake up the thought-process here let’s imagine this what was said:
Junior Minister of Culture & Tourism Luce Hodge Smith has stated that although she personally disagrees with inter-race marriages, she would respect a decision to legalise such unions if the majority makes this decision through a referendum.
Speaking on the Talking Points radio show on May 22, Hodge-Smith said she disagrees with inter-race marriages because of her upbringing. But she says a final decision on the matter should really be left to BVI residents.
When you put it in those terms it becomes clear that this is a human rights issue. Who am I to tell another adult who they can or can’t marry? Love is Love and if you read Jesus’s teachings (and not the pre-Christian teachings in the Old Testament) you will see he was very keen on the importance of love!
In denying the legal right to marriage to gay couples, we are suspending our own Constitution. We do not need a referendum on same sex marriage, we need a referendum on the Constitution, which guarantees ‘protection of the law’ to people regardless of (a bunch of things, including) sexual orientation. Since marriage is recognized as a legal, binding contract by both the territory and our parent country, what we really need is a referendum on the constitution.
Following is a cut and paste from the VI Constitution, available on the VIGovernment website. There is further clarification of the document available as well.
CHAPTER 2
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF THE INDIVIDUAL
Fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual
9. Whereas every person in the Virgin Islands is entitled to the fundamental rights and freedoms
of the individual;
Whereas those fundamental rights and freedoms are enjoyed without distinction of any kind, such
as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin,
association with a national minority, property, family relations, economic status, disability, age,
birth, sexual orientation, marital or other status, subject only to prescribed limitations;
Whereas it is recognised that those fundamental rights and freedoms apply, subject to respect for
the rights and freedoms of others and for the public interest, to each and all of the following,
namely—
(a) life, equality, liberty, security of the person and the protection of the law;
(b) freedom of conscience, expression, movement, assembly and association; and
(c) protection for private and family life, the privacy of the home and other property and
from deprivation of property save in the public interest and on payment of fair
compensation;
Now, therefore, it is declared that the subsequent provisions of this Chapter shall have effect for
the purpose of affording protection to the aforesaid rights and freedoms, and to related rights and
freedoms, subject to such limitations of that protection as are contained in those provisions, being
limitations designed to ensure that the enjoyment of the protected rights and freedoms by any
individual does not prejudice the rights and freedoms of others or the public interest.
There are only two(2) genders.
Where is the real leaders, i mite have to run next election because these recirculating folks is a big disappointment.
I would think when the constitution was written, there were not many male & male and female and female as now. The Bible says it plainly and will always be right. So let the world keep on doing what they wanna do. God and His word stand forever
from time I rent my place not knowing they were gay, and when they leave, had to throw away sheets, mattress and pillow, I realize that these guys does deal with each other exhaust system. It is dispecable. From then, I do not care to travel anywhere and relax in a hotel because you don’t know what the guest before you did in that hotel room. Ordinary people can be nasty too, but we talking about the auntie-ish them now.
Are you familiar with the Nicean Council? It occurred about 300 years after Jesus lived in AD325. Those in attendance decided what was or was not doctrine. You may think that the Bible will always be right, however the Nicean Council did not agree with you! Please research and understand the history of the Bible (as written by humans long after the death of Jesus) so that you can understand it cannot accurately be described as the word of God.
One of the issues with adherents to faith or god-myths is they tend not to delve into the origin story too closely, understandably believing what their local holy man or woman tells them wholesale(in exchange for paying a hefty tithe for improvable promises of an after-life). They do not critically examine the information presented instead taking it on face value as “gospel”.
We understandably talk a lot about Colonialism and the impact that still has today. Where there seems to be a cognitive dissonance is that the Christian faith, which was very much a tool of the Colonial oppressors is still held in such high regard. The enslaved Africans who were trafficked to Tortola were not Christians, and had their own ancient and developed animistic beliefs systems. I shake my head that folks are happy to continue the farrago of the Christian belief in one breath, whilst shouting down the continued colonisation of the Virgin Islands in the next.
Come on BVI, have some kahones!!! Be like Uganda, we do not want that here! Stand for something or fall for anything!
It’s disgusting. It’s sinful.
@ attention mrs wright
You Wrote:
May 23, 2023 at 9:05 AM
drug dealers and thieves pay taxes too so shouldn’t they go jail?
Have patience, The Ex Police, The Drug Dealing Doc and the so called pros will be living off the tax dollars of all of us when the sentences come down.
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS
Whereas the people of the territory of the Virgin Islands have over centuries evolved with a distinct cultural identity which is the essence of a Virgin Islander;
Acknowledging that the society of the Virgin Islands is based upon certain moral, spiritual and democratic values including a belief in God, the dignity of the human person, the freedom of the individual and respect for fundamental rights and freedoms and the rule of law;
GOD DOESNT SUPPORT SAME SEX MARRIAGES, are we jumping ahead of His Word and doing as we please? May God help the VI to stand strong and deny Satan a legal foothold in the territory.
There is an undercurrent prevailing with this LGBTQ…. agenda that is disintegrating the fabric of humanity. If you disagree with their agenda all of a sudden you can’t have your own opinion or the right to disagree. So if you don’t agree with their philosophy then what, black listing and sanctions?
Teachers are getting fired for misgendering students and not using the pronoun of their choice. We haven’t gotten to that stage yet but its not far. Check all the advertising on TV, movies, etc.
This is not the time to be weak. “THEY” will make you chose and if they don’t like your choice, they’ll punish you and that’s freedom huh?? Where is the democracy is disagreement? Transgender women are allowed to compete against natural, organic females and this shouldn’t happen. When they speak out against it, they are ostracized and labelled sore losers.
Countries that culturally don’t have LGBTQ issues are being forced to change their legislation by the US vice president or risk the loss of funding, trade, and embargoes.
This is the beginning of the end. Let’s see if we really are BVI strong.
Stand we must… Stand we shall
The educated and wise have become foolish. Can 2 men reproduce another human being? Can 2 females reproduce another human being? Will nature somehow find a way, will we somehow evolve to be able to create life. Our bodies are divinely designed and the natural organic state of reproduction is all we need to understand. You don’t have to even bring religion into the mix. Personal sexual preference is not a CIVIL right. It is CHOICE
Animals are male or female
Mankind is male or female
For procreation and sex it is male or female
If this abomination is legalized in the Virgin Islands, where is our ‘fear for God”. Messages have been sent through the hurricanes of 2017 and the pandemic….when will we as a people, repent and turn from our wicked ways…God wants to heal our land but we nust make up our minds to CHANGE.
‘If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven, forgive their sins and heal their land”.
Pay heed, my fellow Virgin Islanders and Residents or suffer the consequentes. It will be worse than any hurricane or pandemic.
A constitution is a document that sets the framework as to a country’s political and legal system. It is also a covenant; a binding agreement between citizens. I am simply pointing out that our VI constitution guarantees to all, legal rights- and specifically states regardless of ‘sexual orientation’.
A referendum on whether or not to honor legal rights already guaranteed by the constitution is pointless.
If we don’t want legal same sex marriage, we have to change our constitution.
@Jane,
I am not sure how your comment brought Jesus into the discussion. For he deal with Sodom and Gomorrah bitterly, therefore he will do the same or worse to those who go against his laws/ his words or his principles.
So, May I ask this question What is Love? Is it a feelings, God’s law or principles? Let we say that God is the boss, he does not change, he established laws for his kingdom and no matter what man may do he does not change to please anyone.
Love allows us the opportunity to use this principles to Honour God , and those who do not he will destroy.
Love gives us patience to deal with others in love, no matter their sins, therefore we are not given the mandate to judge others, only God and angels will judge us. But at the same time he give those in authority wisdom only when they ask for it. Don’t bring Jesus in it , he already set his standards.
I WANT TO BELIEVE THAT MARK CAMPAIGNED FOR THIS LADY
The only thing produce between 2 bearded hard face man is maggots …, and extinction of man kind carrying on by white supremacists, the population reduction to suit the super rich who don’t want share the earth resources with lesser human most black.
Heaven and Hell is right here on Earth. When you die, it is finished
What say you to a male and female couple who suffer infertility and cannot have children? Are they an abomination too?
Its very hard to debate someone whose worldview is predicated on mythical beings. You have opted to believe in the Colonaliser’s “invisible man in the sky” which is your CHOICE. I entirely respect your CHOICE to hold those beliefs, and I respect others’ CHOICES to believe in the Tooth Fairy or Yetis but those CHOICES should not restrain other human beings who do not also CHOOSE believe in your myth-system from enjoying the same human RIGHTS you enjoy. No-one is asking you to be gay or to marry someone of your same gender.
Certainly not a leader if she would inject her personal opinion into a controversy like this.
just a thought.. No Human Rights should be enjoyed by those who defile God’s words with this unnatural act of selfishness they call Human rights to engage in this wanton behavior, Change your deformed lives.
Love and Lust are two distinctly different involved things.. Seize the time. Luce did not say same race marriage. stop creating mischief damm it.
It’s hard to believe that we are actually having a debate about same sex marriage. It’s a mental illness as far as I am concerned. The Ugandan Government got it right. It’s just nasty. Plain and simple. Disgusting to say the least.
The truth does not need popular agreement to be true. Same-sex anything is a sin. The Bible defines marriage between a man and a woman. Now you can do whatever you want but just understand it’s in opposition to our saviour and King. We do stuff like this then we want to have a day of prayer in Hurricane season.