Following the controversy that arose following St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ signing of the Samoa agreement, Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has denounced instances of homophobia that have been amplified in response to it.
The Prime Minister while speaking on WE FM’s Issue At Hand program, urged persons not to be homophobic but to keep themselves in a balanced state.
He said that while homosexual acts are criminalized in SVG, homosexuals still have rights.
“It is urged upon everybody not to be demagogic, not to be homophobic, but keep ourselves in a balanced state, and remember what I said, even though in our country, activities by gays and lesbians in St. Vincent and the Grenadines have been criminalized from colonial times, that’s now before the court, the constitutionality of that is being tested. But even while they’re criminalized, you cannot meet a gay person on the streets and slander them, you can’t verbally abuse them, you can’t beat them up, you can’t deny them access to the courts, you can’t deny them from coming in your supermarket or your shop, you can’t deny them scholarships—all what can happen if they’re caught in a homosexual act, they could be charged, but they’re human beings with particular bundles of human rights,” he said.
The Prime Minister in responding to those in society that are of the opinion homosexuals should not have any rights, said that the laws of St. Vincent and the Grenadines do not allow for discrimination against them.
The Prime Minister at the same time noted that the Government would not allow for things which would in any way encourage or promote homosexuality or transgenderism in the nation’s schools.
