The Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All Sexuals and Gays (JFLAG) has reacted to Sunday’s mass rally organised by church groups in support of the retention of the country’s buggery laws.
JFLAG’s Executive Director, Dane Lewis, said the turnout did not come as a surprise and the group maintains that the buggery laws should be reviewed.
While stating that JFLAG is not daunted by the level of support shown for retaining the law, he criticised the church groups for not showing the same level of support for other issues as they are doing against homosexuality.
“But what’s interesting is that they have not rallied around other critical issues facing the country at this time, we would be more encouraged if they were able to take on more of the hot button issues that affect all Jamaicans,” Lewis said.
Meanwhile two members of the People’s National Party (PNP) have thrown their support behind the Church
They are Deputy Mayor of May Pen and Councillor for the York Town Division in the central parish of Clarendon and Uphell Percell and Member of Parliament for South East St. Elizabeth, Richard Parchment.
Both men were speaking at a divisional meeting on Sunday in South West Clarendon.
Percell blasted the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community for trying to push its agenda while
Parchment, who attended the rally in Half Way Tree, said as a member of the PNP he will not support the repealing of the buggery laws.
More than 20,000 people gathered in Half Way Tree square on Sunday at a mass rally organized by church groups under the umbrella of the newly formed civil society group – Jamaica (Churches Action Uniting Society for Emancipation) CAUSE.
The estimated crowd of 25, 000 packed Half Way Tree square for close to four hours to take a stance against what has been described as the push by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) community to victimize those who speak out against its agenda.
Jamaica CAUSE, was established following the removal of Professor Brendan Bain as Director of the Caribbean HIV/AIDS Regional Training (CHART) Network.
View the original article here
JFLAG maintains stance on buggery laws
