Premier’s referendum on same-sex marriages sees more delays
A promised referendum by Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley over how the territory will deal with same-sex marriages has been met with even more delays.
Same-sex marriage has remained a highly controversial issue in the territory and Premier Wheatley first promised in 2022 to address the issue with a referendum after it appeared that a court trial was likely to decide the way forward on the issue.
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.
Previously, Dr Wheatley said, although his government was committed to moving the referendum forward, there was a legislative challenge concerning voting machines.
Premier Wheatley stated this week that the next step is for a resolution for the referendum to be debated in the House of Assembly (HOA).
“The time frame of holding a referendum is also dependent on amendments to the Referendum Act to align it with the amendments to the Elections Act. We are also monitoring the judgment in the pending case as we seek to determine the way forward,” Dr Wheatley told lawmakers.
He advised that holding a referendum in the territory is governed by the Referendum Act 2002 and noted that the conduct of a referendum mirrors the conduct of a general election. “The Referendum Act 2002 is based on a manual voting and counting system and has not yet been updated to bring it in line with the current provision in the Elections Act that allows for electronic tabulating of votes,” the Premier explained.
According to Dr Wheatley, holding a referendum in the territory outside of a general election would cost between $250,000 and $300,000.
What the law says
According to Section 8 of the BVI’s Referendum Act, 2002, a special subject which is voted upon at a referendum shall require only an affirmative or negative vote. It will be considered as being accepted if more than fifty per cent of the total number of votes counted are in the affirmative.
Conversely, the referendum will be considered to be rejected if fifty per cent or less of the total number of votes counted are in the negative.
However, the referendum is only considered to be valid if at least fifty per cent of registered voters cast valid votes.
Once the results of a referendum are officially declared, they are considered final and cannot be changed. However, if someone who had the right to vote in the referendum believes that there were any mistakes or unfairness in the process, they can take their concerns to the High Court and challenge the results.
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What happened in the case?
Doc., give that up. You quite well know the vast majority does not want that law.
This/we are a Christian society, and so is your family.
Whoever is slipping you extra bucks to get that done probably has a greater agenda, that is to corrode, infect the society and destabilize the moral content of and send it into chaos.
Please look at legislating items that the people and country will benefit from, like reduction in unemployment, improved infrastructure, education and new employment institutions.
The same egregious tactic of destroying societies and countries are being seen in African countries to date. Fortunately, some leaders have become aware of the underground pervasive tactic and are fighting back.
The country needs:
– improved healthcare
– improved education
– improved infrastructure
– reduced crime
– reduced corruption
Yet, Natalio focusses on what people do in their bedrooms.
Seriously? If the BVI were a truly Christian country, then we would not have illegitimate children, or crime and you would turn in your sons and daughters to the Police for the murders and drug deals that go on all over the BVI. Yet you don’t. Instead, you are bigots hiding behind religion.
Stay out of people’s lives and let real equality prevail. Don’t forget that we were once slaves and had no rights. Even the Bible accepted slavery. Today, we have moved forward. Let those who want to marry someone of the same sex do so (in the law, not in church)
This matter will eventually be decided by a court of law; not a referendum. The pending case before the court is an important one in this fight.
I predict there will a positive outcome when the courts render a judgement, and if the constitution means what it says, then the courts will decide the legality of same-sex marriage down the road.
My advise to the Premier is this: stay out of people’s bedrooms. Whatever win you seek from this referendum will not get you to stay in office.
Many in the public believe you are doing a poor job already and are very anxious for either the U.K. to take over this territory, or new elections called.
Whatever referendum you are hoping to have will not save your job. As the poster “styles” has suggested:
The country needs:
– improved healthcare
– improved education
– improved infrastructure
– reduced crime
– reduced corruption
and I might add, the U.K. wants the COI recommendations to be implemented before the governor forces your hand.
Stop pandering to the religious crowd for votes. The referenda may pass but the courts will have the final say.
It’s not going to help you remain in office. Also stop wasting taxpayers dollars on a battle you will eventually loose.
The $250,000 and $300,000 of taxpayers money you will be spending could go towards more meaningful areas such as our pot hole filled roads.
But, if you insist on wasting taxpayers money, just remember I told you that you are digging your own political grave if not more.
May I remind you that your predecessor was busy digging hole for others and is now in a big hole in a Miami Federal Courthouse. Don’t set yourself up for a fall. The past haunts. Karma is real.
Carry on at your own peril.
I wish this is a bedroom affair! It is not. @Referendum will be a waste of money , time & resources, Wake up!!! it is an open affair. They want to do it on the streets, churches, shops, mosques, offices. Folks in Tortola now observe pajamas day in offices. School curriculums in woke states in America have been amended to promote same sex, encouraging kindergarten to explore their bodies and o enjoy sex. We would be asked to turn our businesses to be rainbow and woke compliant. This is another attempt by the imperialists to reconfigure humanity, an evil we must all condemn and resist with our last drop of blood. Can anybody check the statistics on the rate of death in the last one year and compare with the year before covid? What happens when the body’s immune system is compromised by the untested vaccines?. World population is wearing out gradually. Lets not further destroy the fabric of family life and human existence. Say no to same se marriage. Say yes to the return of the beautiful family values promoted to give birth to todays BVI
6% of the American population is apart of the LGBT community.
@Guess What? You have a lot going in with you. Only a psychiatrist can sort you out. Lots going on in your head. The content of your post is telling.
Indeed, you sound like one of those evangelical Christian nuts running around America trying to tell people how to live their lives.
The minute you wrote “work”, I knew instantly that you were one of those right wing indoctrinated nuts.
The same people who voted for Trump and will do so again despite he is an adulterer who slept with multiple women while married, including a porn star, convicted sex abuser (rapist), misogynists, racist narcistic bigot, inspiring insurrectionist, twice impeached former president, 91 count felony indicted criminal.
People like you need to search your own souls, clean up your own backyards, and simple do the world a favor and: MIND YOUR BUSINESS.
Which part of MIND YOUR BUSINESS do you not understand especially in matters that does not directly or even indirectly affect you? Which part?
Live your hypocritical life and leave others to live whatever their lives are.
Stop telling lies about the intent of pajama parties and school curriculum “encouraging kindergarten to explore their bodies and o enjoy sex.”.
All right wing propaganda from the Kool aid drinking crowd. Sick of you hypocrites.
There are some HOA that are hiding in the closet.
Unrighteousness has never prospered. Neither do insults. A little comprehension will go a long in respondig in cntext.