For years now, many people across Anguilla – led by the Anguilla Christian Council and supported by the Government of Anguilla – have been vehemently objecting to any imposition of same-sex marriage becoming legal in Anguilla.
In recent days, the Montserrat Christian Council has taken up the mantle in the Overseas Territories to once again push back against any such legalisation in Montserrat and by extension, the OT’s.
On July 23, Caribbean National Weekly published the position of the Monserrat Christian Council on the issue.
The stance taken by the council follows the tabling of legislation in the United Kingdom earlier this month, to make same-sex marriage lawful throughout the British Overseas Territories – including Montserrat.
Addressing persons attending a prayer and thanksgiving service, Chairman of the Montserrat Christian Council, Rev. Gesner Louis-Charles, spoke in response to the legislation, noting that the island of Montserrat would not compromise the word of God.
“Let the whole world know that we have no issue here in Montserrat, we are peaceful people. If other countries have their issues, we have no issue here. Let the whole world know that we will not compromise the word of God. It’s one man and one woman. We are not going to compromise it, we will stand by it, we will die with it in our hands. That will never change. Let the whole world know that [in] the Christian Council where we are, that will not pass,” Louis Charles said.
“If you have your own stand, we have no issue, that is your belief that’s fine – if you are in need, we will feed you. But as to follow you – that will not happen over our dead body – the Lord is on our side. With Bible in our hand, we are not going to compromise our faith…”
Earlier this month, Lord Michael Cashman, a legislator in Britain’s House of Lords, introduced a Private Members’ Bill to make same-sex marriage legal in the Cayman Islands and other British Overseas Territories.
The bill extends to six overseas territories where same-sex marriage is currently unlawful – the Cayman Islands, Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
If the bill passes, it will make marriage between same-sex couples legal and would empower local governors to make changes to the law to allow homosexual couples to wed.
