The Minister of Home Affairs and Constitutional Reform, Mr. Kenneth Hodge, has stated his personal views and those of the Government of Anguilla on same-sex marriage.
The Minister was at the time speaking on Wednesday, October 13, ahead of the last of the series of island-wide constitutional and electoral reform consultations. That last meeting of the series was held the next day, Thursday, October 14, at the Church of God (Holiness) where Pastor Philip Gumbs and members of his congregation are opposed to same-sex marriage – one of the main contentions of the constitutional review process.
“The whole attention seems to be that as a people culturally [and] spiritually, we do not welcome persons of the same sex getting married, “Minister Hodge stressed. “It is something that is abhorrent to us as a people, to our culture and, certainly, as a Christian people. You know that is not something that the Bible supports so that has been the position being put forward very strongly. I too have not been attacked really, but challenged on that, and I have said quite bluntly that I do not support same sex marriage. But I am cognisant that from where I sit, as Minister and the person that has been charged with leading this whole exercise, that I cannot be seen to be really imposing my viewpoint on others. So I am listening to what everybody else has to say. We have to collate all the points and bring them to the table at some point. But for me, personally, my position is that I do not support same-sex marriage.”
Same-sex marriage has been described as a thorny issue of the constitutional reform process. A few years ago, the UK Foreign Affairs Committee, regarded as a sort of parliamentary whip against decisions of the British Government, put forward recommendations that same-sex marriage should be made mandatory in all the Overseas Territories.
The British Government’s expressed the view then that it would not impose such a decision on the territories as it was one that they should make themselves. However, the subject forms part of the current UK draft constitution now in circulation in Anguilla for consideration.
The UK Government’s actual statement, in May 2019, in response to the Foreign Affairs Committee was: “The UK Government has no plans to introduce an Order-in-Council on this issue [of same-sex marriage or LGBT rights]. Further, that sort of lifestyle is a matter for the people to decide on themselves.”
It is a statement that the Governments of Anguilla and the other Overseas Territories can hold the UK Government to – unless such a decision has now been changed.
It is a question, however, on which the Government is seeking the views of Anguillian young people, regarded as the future leaders of the island. In that connection, the Minister disclosed that the matter would be passed on to the recently-appointed Anguilla Youth Parliament for its views as well as those of other young people among the island’s populace.
