Is litigation around the criminalisation and lack of recognition of the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, currently possible in the countries of the eastern Caribbean? This was the main question under interrogation as lawyers joined activists representing the rights of LGBT people from September 21 – 23, 2015 in Grenada.
Addressing the very real stigma and discrimination faced by LGBT citizens is at the heart of the OECS Litigation and Advocacy Strategy Meeting, co-organised by United and Strong Inc., Saint Lucia and GrenCHAP, Grenada, with direction from Saint Lucian Attorney-at-Law Veronica Cenac.
“We must address the human rights of LGBT citizens in the OECS and we are on a path to full recognition of these human rights through litigation and advocacy,” says Janice Stephen, Vice-President of the Board of United and Strong.
She says of the process, “It was a positive experience. The first two days were informative for me as an activist as it highlighted some of the contradictions in the constitution, and opportunities and barriers in the law. But it was not only about the law over these few days it’s clear that the LGBT community has individuals that can stand up for us.”
Participants have experience working in or with human rights-based organisations in countries that include Dominica, Antigua, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and Barbados.
They have, through their work, direct knowledge of the deleterious effects of criminalisation on adult same sex relationships and gender non-conforming people, and are well-placed to identify challenges and map the way forward.
Also among the thirty-three participants were persons sharing experiences of litigation in Jamaica and Belize. Representatives of CVC, Heartland Alliance, Arcus Foundation, Human Dignity Trust, Open Society Foundation and the Canadian HIV AIDS Legal Network brought a wealth of knowledge on, and resources for, litigation and advocacy within the Caribbean.
Damarlie Antoine GrenCHAP’s Director of Research states, “There’s no argument, not religious nor legal, that can justify the continuous discrimination and dehumanisation of OECS citizens including Grenadians based on gender identity or sexual orientation. It is due time for our governments to take a stand against the prejudice and discrimination meted out to our citizens based on gender and sexual orientation. Quiet diplomacy hasn’t worked and democracy has arguably regressed in the Caribbean, so now human rights have to be demanded through legal challenges”
The discussions were anchored by Cenac, with over 17 years’ experience in related legal work and a long history of contribution to the movement. She said the discussions were “the beginning of a move among LGBT activists in the OECS and Barbados to demand the extension of basic human rights protections to them. There is no rational basis for the exclusion of citizens under Constitutions that seek to protect all citizens. Documented violence and abuse against LGBT persons or any other minority is unjustifiable in democratic societies founded on the rule of law and principles of human dignity.”
The three-day meeting is expected to be the beginning of a long process that includes extensive research and development, ultimately leading to legal protections from discrimination against same-gender loving and gender non-conforming citizens of the Eastern Caribbean and recognition of the human rights of all.
I have no way of verifying the following report. I read it in Canada from a supposedly dependable source.
It said 80% of the black voters in the US do not believe in abortion. Yet 80% of the black voters in the US voted for Obama. Obama promotes abortion.
These people voted for Obama because he is black with no regards for his morals or values, or lack thereof. People danced in the streets of a Kenyan village the night Obama became president. Not because a godly man would be leading the greatest nation on earth but because he was one of them.
What human \’\’rights\’\’ do LGBTQ people not have? They have the same \’\’rights\’\’ the rest of us have including the \’\’right\’\’ to marry somebody of he opposite gender. There are laws that regulate marriage stating who NONE of us are allowed to marry. These laws apply equally to all of us.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. Evangelist.
If we oppose these people for this abomination they are actually forcing us to approve, they state, we hate them. We Christians do not hate these people. If we hate, it is their action.
I reiterate, if they did not bring it out in public and want all those rights which are not rights, not even human rights, which they are not entitled to, we would not comment.
Holy Scripture: “Love the sinner hate the sin.”
This abomination highly offends God. He is in Heaven, we are on earth. Therefore,we are obligated to stand up for Him as well. This is our human, religious and spiritual right. Woe to us if we keep quiet.
Planned Parenthood is another one. All tied in.
Planned Parenthood Skirts Laws All Over the World, Not Just in U.S.
UN – pushing contraception to African countries, tied to foreign aid. They are holding those countries hostage. This is bribery.
Who gives UN that authority to interfere in the personal business of people and to suppress procreation? These people took it upon themselves to issue such immoral directives to those countries. Note what they are doing in the Caribbean/West Indies. They expanded their immoral directives to the Caribbean/West Indies. Those authorities do not see what the UN is up to as they heed the UN and also inform nationals this is what they should do.
Nationals, follow your godly, religious teaching and ignore those godless people who care not whether people live or die or whether they go to Hell.
God will take care of them in time.
For more information, go to C-Fam – Center for Family and Human Rights – Google it
You must know this. They are all tied-in. These people are out to destroy all what is good in the world including preventing babies from being born into the world.
Note the following:
UNFPA Foiled By Nigeria on Abortion, Sexual Rights
NEW YORK, September 18 (C-Fam) A powerful and controversial UN population agency told the Nigerian government to change its position on reproductive health last week after setbacks in advancing abortion and sexual rights for adolescents in Africa.
The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) told Nigeria to take back its reservations on “sexual and reproductive health” and “reproductive rights” in a new UN development agreement. The controversial terms are the cornerstone of the decades-long campaign to create an international right to abortion, and expand sexual rights for minors.
Something happened. The other, second part is below which states, Continuing. . .
We have our share in Canada. Take note:
A motion has been approved by Ontario lawmakers to remove the words ‘mother’ and ‘father’ from all provincial government forms.
The motion says it is being done to “reflect the diverse nature” of families in the province.
Sudbury Liberal Glenn Thibeault asked that ‘gendered’ terminology be replaced with gender-neutral and inclusive language on 10-thousand different provincial government forms.
Currently, birth certificates allow two same-sex adults to be listed as parents, and Thibeault says all government forms should use inclusive language.
Can you imagine that? This is shocking. They are taking away the words “mother and father”. Oh my!
This evil and more is what will happen to D/ca if this abomination is ever approved in Dominica.
This man must be one of those. They are the ones who push such legislation. God will take care of them in time.
The Liberal government has lost my vote for election in October this year
Continuing:
“If Nigeria withdraws her reservation on the two targets, the country will get maximum value for Naira [the Nigerian currency],” the agency’s representative, Ms Ratidzai Ndhlovu, told a gathering of population experts in the Nigerian capital Abuja, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported.
For more information go to C-Fam – Center for Family and Human Rights – If you wish, Google it
I have the entire information which C-Fam emailed me. It is too much to post on this Website.
Fellow Dominicans who are on the right hand side of God by also doing your utmost to give God due praise and thanks as you do some good for your fellow people, especially in such times after post TS Erika, be aware of what some people of the world are up to. Their discussions lead up to that, legislation of this abomination.
I recognize, every country, no exception Dominica, there are good people and bad people. After murders and other crimes, this abomination which is spreading like gangrene all over the world, is a bad one and bad for any society, as Dominica.
They do not respect our rights.
Ask yourself, what good will it do for Dominica? How will Dominica progress with recognition of this abomination? It is not one which will assist Dominica in any way. It also causes disunity and division, the work of Satan who is out to divide since he was thrown out of Heaven.
God forbids that the government of Dominica succumb to this abomination in our Dominica.
The buggarer lobby (sorry, to mask it with a ‘gentler’ word…gay lobby) is going about it the legleslative way. People who use Marijuana recreationally need to take a leaf from this book, get off their ‘high’ horses and employ the same lobbying method, or you are doomed – for another 45 years.
That’s the way to go about it. By paying (sorry….influencing) politicians, legislators etc. (which has been tried for many years, ..need to change strategy now) many of whom smoke or have smoked Marijuana recreationally, some of whom are gay; but the gay lobby has seized the upper hand, are influencing them where it matters most, the result, …bringing them to a meeting and make them feel it’s their idea and they must, command them to sit down and discuss it. Learn from this seriously! It is on!
As a christian the only thing i will condone is to decriminalize sexual acts between adults. But i will not tolerate any special privileges to LGBT people. As for marriage. The politician in Dominica that allow such a nonsense will never get my vote. Do what allu want in allu bedroom. God will be your judge. But don’t ask for marriage, that is a sacrament set up by God between a man and a woman. So run allu show. God is the final judge. And please stop trying to push allu ideology down Christians throat like we have to accept it and if we do not we are evil people. We do not have to accept it. That is our right. And any person who is a Christian, a true child of God will never accept such behavior. I will not hate anyone but I will never accept a behavior which has been declared to be an abomination in the eyes of God. Just to say what? That I am politically correct or going with the times? Well my salvation is more important than this.
Yes GABBY this book may be ancient but it’s content is relevant,accurate and more up to date than an magazine or news paper on the book shelf today.This life-style is also ancient just see what God did to Sodom and Gomorrah.He turned these two cities into ashes, 2 Peter 2:6.Now the difference is you all are smarter, because you can invent new sins by marrying one another and demanding that the authorities amend to laws to accommodate this depraved life style,if God don.t act in his own time He owes Sodom and Gomorrah an apology.
We all must bear in mind the time to turn from this wickedness is now, for Christ is calling “OH SINNER COME NOW”
Are you aware that Gaby or Gabby is a trans-gender? So-called he or she stated that some time ago in a previous article.
What they do not know is, God recognizes them as they were the manner in which they were born, if a male or female. They can physically change their gender, mutilate their bodies but they cannot change how they were born in the eyes of God.
Some of those people will have a rude awakening, to their detriment when they die; even as they are dying. They are ignorant, no doubt, spurred on by Satan who blocks their mind and they are not aware of it. Therefore, we are obligated to inform them whether they like it or not.
As Our Lord said, “If we keep quiet, even the stones will cry out.”
And you know, Christ has no feet and no hands on earth but our own. If we remain quiet, it is a sin against God and will be a punishment for us. We cannot also afford to be passive. We have an obligation, first to God and then to humankind. May we fulfill it.
Why is polygamy still illegal? And these homosexuals fighting for legalization. The world is really twisted. No wonder marijuana illegal and rum is available everywhere.
What’s up with these gay people, will they stop at anything but total public display of their kind of affection?
They are buying their way thru this whole thing, going thru the legal ropes with it till total victory. They have bought every democratic and some republican politicians in the US, gave close to a billion dollars to the democrats for relection to legitimize them, it has worked.
They have succeeded in turning Primetime TV into a gay act. Every primetime show that wants to win an Emmy must have a gay act. Did you see the heavily advertised show ’empire’ it has been turned totally into a gay show with a few scenes by Cookie and the other guy. Neil harris married to a man is in prime time, preety soon Elton jon will be on primetime TV going down a man’s throat is the first and main thing they portray. Do you really think the OECS has an issue? What more do they want? They are not being persecuted. But, one thing, strategy is to get their way of life spread thru…
It’s about time these issues were discussed. Sometimes I get the impression we in the Dominica tend to believe that these concerns do not pertain to us. But here it is happening right now and it makes me very happy. Members of the queer community should not have to live in fear. People always point to God and the bible to discriminate against gay people, but there are so many other sins in the bible. Imagine what would happen if were to discriminate against fornicators, liars, and people who worked on the Sabbath. Imagine the chaos that would ensure. These people are not seeking extra rights, nor are they infringing on your rights.
Hey i take the middle ground on this one. But i see in the future the LGBT will be getting more vocal and rights in the caribbean. There are several countries in the caribbeans gays can marry legally such as ,st Barths,Bonaire, st martin, st Eustatius, puerto rico, martinique. Guadeloupe, Marie Galante, Saba, st thomas st croix, st johns, and its legally recognize in st maarten,Aruba and cauracao. There is a case right now the CCJ has taken up regarding a jamaican residing in canada,who is gay, who states the laws of belize and trinidad discriminate against him because he is gay. He is stating those 2 nations are in violation of the treaty of chaguramas, regarding the free movement of people who are gay. lets see how the judges rule. But changes comes whether he are ready or not
yes changes come weather we are ready or not, its the circulation of life, like a clock, 12 o’clock midway will always exist so is 12 o’clock midnight, nothing is new under the sun, …now the gays want to live their life let it be…..for nature have a way of curing her self……..many will suffer and have been suffering…but that started a long time ago , when our ancestors choose to live a mortal life…………?……
As a queer transgender woman, I fully endorse this discussion happening. Dominica, like most of the other islands, is massively ignorant on LGBTQIA rights, and narrow-minded religious bigotry informs most of its decisions. Sadly, many Dominicans are happy with depriving people of basic legal rights simply because an ancient book told them to, happier to live in the days of their slave-masters than in the 21st century. We must grant queer individuals basic workplace protections and have anti-discrimination laws in place, since there is no reason to allow for lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender individuals to be discriminated against when looking for or working at a job. And we must stop terrorising queer people, so that we can all live together peacefully. No one should have to hide who they are, if who they are is nothing worth hiding. We are born with our gender identities and sexual orientations, and we are not harming anyone.
Aye DNO, see if you can get a picture to shows us who represented Dominica at that nonsense meeting nuh please. Thanks.
I seeing a Lucia flag dere and a green flag on the right – not sure if is a Jamaica or Dominica flag.
DNO, don’t you think that Dominicans would like to know if Dominica was represented and who exactly represented us so that appropriate protest action could be mounted to greet these people when they return to the island?
Speculating, could it be the Antigua flag? The previous article stated that Antigua is working towards legalization of the (so-called) modern family. This is what they mean by the modern family, to recognize those people and their lifestyle.
God only recognizes them as human beings – mortals. Yes, He loves them as He loves us whom He created for He is God. However, He disdains their lifestyle and that they want to be recognized and get married.
Many countries of the world have already legalized this abomination. God would like them to change their intrinsic lifestyle and behavior. They should know that not everyone will agree with them, just as some of them reject God, do not want His Holy Name mentioned and taught, saying it is their right. Well, it is our right to reject them to the point of ignoring them.
You want to protest against someone who is protesting for improved human rights for marginalised individuals? Lol. You kind of people are precisely why Dominica remains an ignorant backwater.
sometimes I wonder…………are we the only living creatures on the earth…just because we are humans with all kinds of immoral conditions and sickness………demanding all kind of rights…….but wait!……flies mosquitoes centipedes etcs, animals domestics pets etcs…trees:etc, don’t they have right too..am starting to wonder..?……………?????????
All you funny. If you are a Dominican & you say you don’t know a homosexual you really need to check yourself. I said it before I will say it again…Homosexuality is not just a form of sex but a form of love & for that it deserves our respect.
Instead these people come together and raise some funds 4 suffering Dominicans.You see what they are gathered for.?Man is naturally wicked.
Obama invited the pope to the white house, and because he knows that the pope does not agree with him on Sodomy,he Obama purposely invited priests who are homosexual and transgender actives to meet the pope.Like he is provoking the man.
I always think of those who claimed to be “born again” and voted for this man
I must inform you those who make fun of God and his people will one day pay for it. They will get exactly what they deserve. God is patient!
I have not yet heard about what Obama did for I was not in to listen to especially the Catholic News and Programs on EWTN – TV and Radio but I will hear it soon enough.
Prior to Obama winning the last election – presidency, he did not project his true colors. After winning it, this is when he projected them. He invited them to the White House.
You heard that he mandated all US employers incorporate in their staff insurance policies, sterilization, abortion and the likes. If they did not, the penalty was an exorbitant sum of money.
Some as Catholic Christians and other Christians took him and his administration to court. Some have been given a reprieve.
Some US Catholic adoption agencies had to close because they refused to allow gay and lesbian couples adopt children.
From my viewpoint, Obama is a huge disappointment.
Obama knows that this is his last years as president and so he does not care. This is why he is doing what he is doing. He will not be able to run away from God. In time, he will receive exactly what he deserves from no other but God.
I was once an avid supporter of Obama; not any more. Frankly, I do not know what he did for blacks in America and to alleviate their poverty. This is what he should have concentrated on. Many people are annoyed with him and disappointed; not only whites.
I will remember Obama as a man who supported those people and their intrinsic lifestyle. Did he not loudly proclaim that they have rights? Woe to Obama!
Seriously how do you so called Christians decide which part of the bible to pick and chose, I mean this is the same bible that condones slavery, child abuse and misogyny_? Only sodomy is a sin ? it’s your right to not engage in sodomy but who do you think you are to tell others what they can and cannot do in their personal lives.
Some of you always have some sort of silly comments and arguments which have no bearing on the article. You can never stick to the article and comment on it, that others could learn from. This is what we are seeking, useful comments.
Do you have anything to contribute to this article? Then do so. If you have none, keep quiet.
We are in the year 2015, the twenty-first century. You are living in the past.
What is history is history. It is past and it is gone. None of us were there and none of us experienced this in the past since we were not yet born anyway.
Why should you be concerned with that? How is it affecting you? If it is affecting us in this era, in this year 2015, then I can understand. I do not think it affects us; not me anyway and many others. Our heads/faces are in front of us; not; behind. Therefore, leave this part of history alone and proceed.ahead; not backward.
We are in the present and looking forward; Today, in this so-called modern-day era, we have other issues which are serious ones to concentrate on and to comment about namely, the disintegration of the family, so-called same sex marriage and adoption of babies by those people. If you are not concerned about that, you have a severe, moral and spiritual problem and you are one of them..
Who said we are telling you what to do? You people want to tell us what to do and to accept this intrinsic lifestyle which is against our morals, principles, standards and our religious teachings and conscience. You are the bold ones; not us.
We also have rights and the correct right. You do not think of our rights; but yours alone. We are not infringing on you and your rights. You are infringing on our rights and religious one at that.
You and your type are not the only ones in the world. There are other people. Do not be self-centered. Think of others and their rights.
The world does not revolve around you and your likes alone. There are other people in the world and in your country who do not share what you expect of society and the government. Governments should also consider the other people who raise objections about such abominations and which highly offend God Himself. There is a price to be paid for offending God.
When you bring this abomination out in the public arena, and want to change people, everything in the books, the law of the land, to suit your immoral lifestyle, ignoring our feelings, then we downright have a reason to object and speak against it.
Whatever people do in their private life it is their personal business between God and themselves. He will judge them. When they bring it out and want recognition, etc., then it is between God, ourselves and them.
In other words, keep your affairs private and the public will not bother you and have nothing to say against you or to you. Hope you comprehend that.
you all are at it left ,right and Centre why pretend you all are innocent because it is in the open, face the truth and deal with it
All you just start. Just now it will be a big tourisim product for them to come and marry in the Caribbean.
Why should it? It’s legal to marry all 50 states in the U.S. now…so why should a gay couple spend hundreds of dollars to have a wedding in the Caribbean and they can do it right there in the U.S? On the contrary the Caribbean is going to lose tourism dollars to gay couples because they no longer have to hide to get married.
Did you even think before you wrote this??
Not only in the Caribbean. Hope it is not in Dominica. These people want rights and they will go through any lengths to obtain it.
The UN is on their side and propagating this abomination. They have now brought it to the Caribbean/West Indies.
They sued some US Catholics for refusing to bake their so-called wedding cake.
They sued photographers for refusing to take their so-called wedding pictures.
Sometime ago, some of them dressed in their rainbow colors and went to the Catholic Church in the US. At Holy Communion time, they went up in line for Holy Communion. The priest did not give them Holy Communion. They made a lot of noise in the Church. Soon they will be suing the Catholic Church for not marrying them.
These people are dangerous as Satan who is influencing them. Beware of them!
…and we must all learn the difference between Love, Lust and License. ….”if you love me, keep my commandments”….. also read 1st John 3:19-24. If I love you, I cannot condone your actions that I think are contrary to Gods Law….
If we love God and also want what is good for them that they do not perish in Satan’s cauldron of everlasting fire, we must not condone them. This is something they cannot understand. It appears they prefer going to Hell.
They take God for granted, thinking that God is pleased with their abomination and they will go straight to Heaven when they die and that God will not condemn them. Foolish people deceiving themselves which is the work of Satan, the father of lies and deceiver.
I feel sorry for those people, those who initiated and legislated this abomination, those who applaud them, condone them and encourage them. We must tell it like it is without watering down the truth.
God is patient!
But What I hearing there again
Which HUMAN RIGHTS are they being deprived of
I always say the only rights they have as each one of us do is, right to housing and jobs, the right to shop and walk on the street. This is their right; not to be recognized as partners/couples and married people; not to be compared with them.
They want right to get married. For God’s sake and for crying out loud, these people are crazy and mad as Hell. Two men and two women married? They are sick! Every time I think of that and I have a conversation with someone about that, my blood boils and I get angry.
It upsets me that governments would legislate this abomination. How foolish could they be to allow two men and two women to get married. Are they blind or what? Well, God will deal with them in time. They will find out their error, probably too late..
You seriously don’t know what rights LGBT people are deprived of in the Caribbean? When people will beat you up, deprive you of a home or job, and, in extreme cases, kill you for being gay or transgender–all of which have happened in various islands? You do not know that most islands have no anti-discrimination laws to protect LGBT individuals in workplaces? You do not know that there are no civil unions or same-sex marriages being offered to consenting individuals in the vast majority of the Caribbean?
It is so amazing to me that people can ask, in 2015, why LGBT individuals want to have the most basic of legal protections. This is straight and cisgender privilege at its finest.
People are not allowed to rape, commit incest, practice polygamy, or commit bestiality. No
Not even in the privacy of their own bedroom, or out in the barn 
But of course they want their “rights.”
Now we have men whining because they cannot “marry” men, and women whining because they cannot “marry” women.
I could tell of a broken hearted husband whose wife left him to live with a female companion. One of his little daughters asked him, “:Daddy doesn’t mommy love us any more?” Then I know of several loving wives whose husbands left them to move in with males lovers. There have been cases of women whose husbands were on the “down low”. These men had all the benefits of married life; female sex when they wanted it, a mother for their children, a cook and a housekeeper. But guess what? They gave their wives HIV!
Don’t tell me these “consenting adults” hurt nobody.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. Evangelist.
I hope you will discuss our rights to smoke marijuana freely
Forget about that.
I tired of this Dominica is a christian nation talk cause, we have over 100 churches that we can go to for
85% of us to pray and worship false Gods and idols and do it in the name of Jesus , as we practice integration, christmas, eating pork, easter, interracial marriage, unjust weights and balances, witchcraft, sodomy, abortion, adultery, usury, and vote vote, Voting violates Exodus 20:3, Leave LBGT people alone cause u all not worthy enough to condemn anyone in Jesus name, moral pretenders!
You must be one of them. Too bad for you. You have not yet come out of your closet?
God does not approve of their abomination, OK!
Who said they do not have their prejudices? They are human.
It is said there are more so-called divorces among those people than they are in normal marriages. Learn more.
“there” are . .
Dominica is not a Christian nation. It is a nation that contains a majority of Christians. Dominica is not a Christian theocracy. Are you going to tell the Muslims at the Muslim Store to leave Dominica? Are you going to tell the people of other faiths and those of us who are atheists we should not be in or visit Dominica? Stop with this fascist theocratic language.
Some of you project that you have no sense whatsoever.
Dominica was predominantly a Catholic Christian country. I would think, despite of the other religions which sprouted up in recent years, it is still that way with more numbers.
You should know that. Dominica never had Muslims. Some of them were Christians, Catholics of all. They got falsely indoctrinated and changed to Islam. Some of them do not even know that Mohammed was a Catholic.
What they also do not know, once a Catholic, always a Catholic to death, Heaven or Hell. No one can change that. Not even God will change it. God blest their baptism as Catholics and no one on earth has the power to change it. God did not give this authority to them.
In this era, people migrate to other countries. Only the government has the power to reject them or accept them. If they conduct themselves appropriately, they are obviously welcome to stay. Therefore, what you stated is a lot of crap and makes no sense.