Granger non-committal on LBGT legislation

Jun 03, 2015 News

– considers religion, int’l practice and will of the people

By Abena Rockcliffe
International practice, religion and the will of the people are to be considered when President David Granger

President David Granger

and his government sit down to decide upon a way forward in dealing with the call for legislation to legalize certain practices that are deemed ‘human rights’.
During a recent interview, Granger was asked how he presumes his strong religious background will influence his judgment when addressing calls for legislative measures to be put in place for the benefit of Lesbians, Gays, Bi-Sexual and Transgender (LGBT) persons.
In Granger’s response, he was keen to note that he has strong religious beliefs which will not be altered even as he heads a multi-religious nation; however, he has a policy not to impose his religious views on society.
The President said, “I have made my choice. I have been educated. I grew up in the Anglican Church and I intend to die as an Anglican. I have strong beliefs, but I do not impose my views on anyone because this is a multi-religious society.”
Granger went at lengths to register his tolerance to other people’s beliefs as he said, “I respect Islam, I respect Hinduism and I respect Baha’i. Every Guyanese has the right to pursue the religious belief of his or her choice.”
However, the Head of State noted that he also has respect for the state as a whole and strongly believes that the “state should not allow itself to be swayed by one or the other.”
Granger added that the state has a responsibility to all the religious groups “so when that time comes, we will consult and we will take actions with those particular groups in accordance with international practice,

Former Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds

the law and the will of the people.”
The President also pointed out that the international goalposts on certain issues shift from time to time. He said that there was one time when people tolerated judicial execution for certain crimes, but many now feel that such should be abolished.
In essence, Granger remains non-committal and said that the decision will be with an aim not to separate Guyana from what is happening on the international stage while bearing in mind, that a state should never move faster than its people.
“There was a time when same-sex relations were punishable by law, but in many countries those laws have been repealed, we have to keep abreast with what is happening in other countries. At the same time we try not to get ahead of what the people want,” said Granger.
With Guyana being the only jurisdiction in South America with a law against homosexual activity, the previous government had taken a step that could lead to that law being repealed.
Moves had been made to address matters such as the death penalty, lesbians, homosexuals and the issue of corporal punishment.
During the life of the Tenth Parliament, Former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds had asked the National Assembly to name a special committee to consider repealing the laws against sodomy and cross-dressing, along with possible abolition of corporal punishment in the schools and the death penalty. He also asked parliament to study a proposed prohibition on discrimination against lesbians, gays, bi-sexual and transgender persons.
Hinds took this to the National Assembly as he indicated that after discussions with the United Nations Human Rights Council in May 2010 and September 2010, Guyana had committed to review those issues, which “may be considered controversial in Guyanese society.”
The motion from Hinds is labeled “Guyana’s follow-up to commitments made to the United Nations Human Rights Council with regard to holding consultations on matters (the abolition of corporal punishment in the schools, the abolition of the death penalty and the decriminalization of consensual adult same sex relations and discrimination against lesbians, gays, bi-sexual and transgender persons).”
The committee was set up, but not much work was done.
The Special Select Committee was tasked with assessing, “the attitude of Guyanese, especially parents and children, to corporal punishment and its possible abolition; the attitude of Guyanese, particularly the families of victims, criminologists, and professionals, on capital punishment and its possible abolition, and the attitude of Guyanese to any changes in the legislative provisions and criminal code regarding consensual adult same sex relationships and discrimination, perceived or real, against Lesbians, Gays, Bi-Sexual and Transgender persons.”
But A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) which formed the combined Parliamentary opposition in the Tenth Parliament, had asked for the issues to be dealt with separately. The contention was that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) bundled all the issues, which attracted different feelings. While APNU and the AFC had no problem abolishing the death penalty, the parties had concerns about the other issues.
Though the work of the Committee commenced in November 2012, deliberations at that level have not concluded to date.
Earlier this year, the then Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett met with the United Nations Human Rights Council. The organization urged that Guyana needs to get rid of the death penalty, but not much was said about LBGT issues.
Meanwhile, Guyana remains equally divided on issues related to homosexuals. The country’s overall HIV infection rate is estimated at 1.2 percent, but about 19.4 percent of Guyanese men who have sex with men are infected, according to the United National AIDS Report of 2010.
Current laws prohibit cross-dressing; “acts of gross indecency with male person,” which carries a sentence of up to two years in prison; attempted “unnatural offences,” up to 10 years in prison; and buggery, up to a life sentence.
Most of these laws are not often enforced.