Persons should not be discriminated against based on sexual preference but Guyana not ready for same-sex marriage -Jagdeo

In his response, Jagdeo chose to address the issue of same sex marriages instead and quickly pointed out that it was his belief that the country was not ready for same sex marriages to be legalized.

Persons should not be discriminated against based on sexual preference but Guyana not ready for same-sex marriage  -Jagdeo

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has added his voice to the reignited debate surrounding the decriminalization of same sex intimacy and on Wednesday threw his support behind the position that persons should not be discriminated against based on their sexual preference.

During a press conference at his office, Mr. Jagdeo who served as President for 12 years, was asked about his party’s thoughts on the government’s move to hold a referendum to determine whether Guyana’s colonial law which criminalizes same sex intimacy should be repealed.

In his response, Jagdeo chose to address the issue of same sex marriages instead and quickly pointed out that it was his belief that the country was not ready for same sex marriages to be legalized.

He explained that his view followed consultations which the party had conducted on the issue.

The Opposition Leader said the issues is one that the Parliamentary Opposition intends to deal with in a bi-partisan manner.

The PPP said it intends to engage the government in discussions on the way forward. “… I don’t know whether we are prepared for same sex marriages,” he said.

Jagdeo’s comments came hours after several local human rights groups called on government to reconsider its proposal of a referendum to deal with laws that criminalize same sex intimacy.

Rights groups believes that a referendum will only lend to more marginalization of a minority group.

But Jagdeo said the issues is not one without history as he recalled consultations held on the issue by the PPP while in government.

“We had two views from public and one the party felt strongly was that people should not be discriminated against because of sexual preference when it comes education, health and other social services,” he said.

Jagdeo said he is supportive of laws being changed to protect against discrimination and claimed that the PPP had begun to make those legislative changes while in government.

He recalled too the move to have a constitutional vote and the accompanying outcry on proposals to make same sex marriages a fundamental right in Guyana while he served as President.

Jagdeo said he is convinced that Guyanese don’t want to see anyone discriminated against and compared the laws that criminalizes same sex intimacy to the death penalty.

He pointed out that while the laws are on the books no one has been executed or prosecuted using those laws for decades.

Jagdeo reasoned, however, that laws must reflect practices and at some point, in time it will have to changed.

Local gay-rights advocacy groups such as the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination have repeatedly stated that its fight is not for same sex marriages to be made legal but for the laws which criminalises same sex intimacy to be repealed.

 

 

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