Skelton: Still ‘a bit of confusion’ on same-sex marriage
Chairman of the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM), Ronnie Skelton, signalled that he remains uncertain about the prospect of same-sex marriage and whether it can possibly become legal in the BVI.
“I am of the view that same-sex marriage is a subject to be interpreted by those who are more competent to do so like the courts and the church,” Skelton said when approached on the issue at a recent press conference.
He added: “There is a bit of confusion that I myself am not clear about. So until that happens… I will try to make sure that I try to look at it in a more objective way and see exactly what is being asked.”
Shereen Flax-Charles, who recently announced her intention to run as the Ninth District candidate for the PVIM, commented that both abortion and same-sex marriage are “very ticklish issues” which have their pros and cons.
“I would go out on a limb to say that, perhaps, in the case of same-sex marriage, a referendum needs to happen,” Flax-Charles said.
She added: “These people are human beings as well, and we have to understand that while you may believe something should be a certain way, we have to respect the beliefs of others and so let us as a community – a Virgin Islands community – decide the way to go.”
Referendum
Just last December, Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley said the contentious issue would be placed on a referendum for the public to make a decision on whether to legalise same-sex marriage in the territory.
A resolution on the referendum was expected to be taken to the House of Assembly to be voted on, and if successful, the governor in consultation with the Premier would affix a date for the referendum.
“This will be the first referendum in the history of the Virgin Islands. This referendum will give all eligible persons the opportunity to defend what they believe to be socially and morally right. This referendum will also consider the question of whether new legislation should be introduced to provide persons in a domestic partnership with certain legal rights such as the ability to pass on one’s estate to their partner regardless of sex in intestacy,” the Premier said.
Dr Wheatley said at the time that a campaign would be launched to educate the population on the matter before the referendum takes place, but no further announcement has been made since that time.
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Stop playing cat and mouse game. Are you saying that you can not or is afraid to make public your stands as a leader or even a Christian on the issue of same sex marriage. Wow.
His response to this shows how out of touch he is with what is happening. Ronnie needs to give a younger generation a chance to lead. He was one that complained about Ralph O’Neal being old and not wanting to go home. Ralph was winning his district every single election. Now Ronnie is the ripe age of 70 years and behaving worse than Ralph. He lost election two times and now coming back claiming the people calling from him. Outside of his little elite club I don’t know who else could be calling him. Their press conference was a disgrace. He appeared disoriented, confused and displayed a lack of understanding of topical issues. Hr could help the country from outside but he is not what we need now.
Leave it to the courts and the church he said. Please get this man away from me. He doesn’t even have the conviction to say how he feels about it. Next please
God create Eve for Adam not Sadam for Evan. Why so Our Society indulged or be influenced to accept such. The same Places accepting this practice are the Ones offended and are against prayers in Public Schools. The Government needs to take that discussion or paper off the Agenda and focus more on how We can unite as One People and build up Our Territory. Next thing you going see a Ship full of Gays parading Our shores. Now tell me what are you exposing Our Future Generations to. What Morales, Ethics and Cultural aspects will be defined for Same-sex marriage?
He wants to be elected to HOA which is the body that debates and passes Legislation but he wants to leave it up to the Churches to decide. This is truly the leader that we need right now..*sarcasm off*
Please, allya leave this guy out from politics every time he in there he find a way to make my pocket lighter. Please keep him from in there, NHI does me no good, but makes a select few rich.
None of them have a backbone. Not one.
Sorry, this is not a leader nor who we want as head of state – noo sirrr.
The matter should and is going to be legalized. I would rather see two same gender persons living in bliss than to see a traditional marriage engulfed in constant domestic violence.
Ronnie seems confused about lots of things.
I cannot see Ronnie any other way than power hungry and entitled. He left the NDP with Mitch to form a new party because they both lost internal elections in the NDP. They actually caused the VIP to win the elections. Ronnie left politics after losing and Mitch took over the party. You heard nothing from him for 4 years. Now he sees a chance to grab the Premiership to which he think he is entitled, he came back and wrestled the chairmanship away from Mitch under the guise that people told him that they would not support PVIM if he was not the leader. Who are these people? Ronnie needs to retire. A simple question like same sex marriage is asked and he cannot answer that? He has to defer to the church and the courts? This man serious?
If you cannot stand for anything you will fall for nothing.
You did not have a position because you did not think about it, and you have not thought about it because it is not money.
Thank honorable Mitch for having a backbone and taking a stand. I stand with you ( virtually of course).
Ronnie has an unwavering view against homosexuality. This is evident by his past public statement about these issues. You, Ronnie Skelton can be a law maker if elected, don’t just conveniently say it is for the church and court to decide.
You are part of the NHI fiasco. You and your team did nothing to stop the price gouging that went on after NHI was implemented (and I wonder why, I wonder which of you and your friends with clinics and private hospitals would have benefitted).
Now you are saying that if elected you will fix NHI. UMM plz, just plz. Why did you not fix it then, when you were health minister ….that is after years of people crying fowl under NDP power.
PVIM, NDP, VIP, Fraser party all the independents so far are lack luster. Why the UK did not cease the opportunity and take over for a lil while?
Them man fraid to have an opinion on that one. How you gonna vote for somebody that cant even give a straight up opinion on how they personally feel about a particular issue? what confusion is there? its a simple question its either you think its wrong and should not be allowed or you think denying them is discrimination and these people should have the same rights and privileges as everyone else.
Say it is wrong! like it or not, tell them it is wrong you do not have to get mad. its not you it Jesus said; peope will become reprobates for the settle for second best. it would happen but did he
not condone it! Jesus said they will not enter into his rest.
He have a resting place when we leave here, and a place call hell as well where you would not have no rest. Choose believe and live.
I’m sorry, but I don’t recall VOTING for any pastor, minister, priest or leader of any church in the VI.
I vote for government representation and as such, expect those for whom I vote to REPRESENT me. If the representative votes following the tenets of their church, so be it. If I don’t agree with that, I won’t vote for them. If I do, they get my vote.
That’s supposed to be how it works. It’s time we all start thinking that way about politics. We are at a crossroad, with too many people and too much money to continue voting as though we are a small village built on favors.
Churches! SMH.These are issues that should be up to the voters (most of whom belong to churches), but not the churches themselves.
We need to wake up and grow up.
Jesus said don’t do a lot of things and all ayo still doing them. Miss me with this hypocrisy please. Ayo know what Jesus say when it’s convenient. Half of you all cheating on your wives, thieving, telling more lies than Satan, full of jealousy and covetousness. Let people do what they want. God will be their judge not you.
For miss flaxx Charles to be against same sex marriage wiukd also mean she against her own …
Too old and out of touch with the 21st century.
This man looked tired and out of touch on each question. No details from him or his PVIM colleagues. Just platitudes. I write dem off
This debate is easy to settle. One does not have to be a Believer to make a decision on the matter of same sex marriage. If you are in a relationship with someone with whom you cannot perform the natural organic function with the parts in which you were assigned at birth then relationship is
unnatural…periodt! You can love whomever you want to but asking the court to recognize that union of folly is absurd.
This man is old, tired and out of touch with the community. For four years you heard nothing from him. Now he smell power and wake up. Get lost!
Is being revealed live ,and if that don’t open your eyes , then nothing else will , welcome to the holy land ,with all them devil angels exposing their true self for free
What kind of objective way you are looking , simple its wrong, jus say its wrong, wrong , is wrong doesn’t matter how nice it looks, what ankle you looking at it from underneath thd table across the board behind close doors ,IT’S WRONG PERIOD ..
There will be less future children due to same sex marriage. Women are more inclined towards same sex marriage then men so men will just become sperm donors into test tubes and nothing more. No more men impregnating women in the future. Due to the anonymous practice of sperm donation the men will bear no responsibility to their unknown children which is already the situation in the West Indies well before the legalization of same sex marriage.
Why is Elizabeth Frazer Skelton not celebrated as one of the first and as you look further of many Black female slave owners and in Elizabeth’s case a full on trading house..She was a big timer in her time that no white traders would mess with.Im not going to post a link.Its on the internet and if your not in full denial or just curious..check it out.
I believe PVIM are secret agents for the VIP because if Ronnie is some kind of brilliant man like how they trying to say then he must know that if PVIM and NDP is separated that it improves the VIP chance of winning greatly. I guess he is not that brilliant after all. His bad minded overrides his supposed brilliance.
They all God-fearing people until they have to actually be verbal about their beliefs. Ain’t nuttin ticklish about it. It’s either you for it or against it.
Let the people live their lives in peace how they see fit. If they are happy with their partners being of the same sex, whose business it is but their own. Who appointed us Judge and Jury over these people’s lives. The majority of conventional marriages (including my own) end in divorce court anyway. Let people make their own choices with what makes them happy. Passing a Law that makes this issue legal will not prematurely kill any one of us.