St. Vincent and Grenadines’ buggery and gross indecency laws challenged

Sean Macleish (left) and Javin-Johnson. Photo credit: iWitness News

Two gay men have filed court proceedings to challenge St Vincent and the Grenadines’ “buggery” and “gross indecency” laws, which criminalise homosexuality.

According to a release, the two men, who have been advised by Jeremy Johnson QC and Peter Laverack of 5 Essex Court, assert that their dignity and autonomy are stripped by these laws. They have filed claims with Affidavits stating that they have been exiled from the Caribbean nation due to the severely draconian and damaging effects of these laws.

Javin Johnson, aged 22, successfully claimed asylum in the United Kingdom in 2017 having established that he could not live as a gay man in St Vincent.  Sean Macleish, aged 53, is a Vincentian resident in Chicago, Illinois.  Macleish has publicly advocated to the Caribbean nation’s Prime Minister for the removal of these laws so that he may return home with his partner, but to no effect.

These challenges coincide with Prince William and his family holidaying in the country on the exclusive island of Mustique, whose website states “there are no rules on Mustique”. LGBT visitors, however, would be liable to arrest and imprisonment for up to 10 years if caught being intimate. Prince William stated this month that he would be “absolutely fine” if his own children were gay.

The two claimants are unknown to each other, having separately decided that now is the time for decriminalisation. They say that these laws violate multiple and overlapping rights in the Constitution, which are there to protect all Vincentians, no matter who they are or who they love.

These court challenges come in the wake of Jason Jones’ successful challenge to Trinidad and Tobago’s anti-gay laws, a week after a similar challenge was filed in Dominica, and with other challenges already afoot in Jamaica and Barbados.

Commonwealth Caribbean nations inherited these laws during British colonial rule.  Now uniquely in the Americas, these nations continue to criminalise homosexuality, placing them in an ever-decreasing minority globally.

The challenges were filed by local lawyers, Zita Barnwell and Jomo Thomas, listing English barristers Jeremy Johnson QC and Peter Laverack of 5 Essex Court, London, as the intended trial advocates. 5 Essex Court was instructed by a team at Hogan Lovells, which includes Charles Brasted, partner, Tom Smith, senior associate, and Iris Karaman, trainee solicitor.”

The two challenges are expected to be heard together in the High Court in Kingstown. The British Privy Council may have ultimate say on these colonial-era laws, as St Vincent and the Grenadines still sends its appeals to the old imperial court in London.

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11 Comments

  1. The Darkness
    July 30, 2019

    Ok … So more cases of Americanism going on…

    Why don’t you LGBTs go try this with Russians instead? 8) maybe they will be more accepting?

    Lemme ask a question… Supposing that the whole world goes ok with this debauchery… What do you think will be the arguement for the later to come higher death rate compared to birth rate?

    And for you lesbians wanting children… Artificial insemination is just an insult to the natural way… A hole Canna full a hole… Science will tell you that too.

    If you give birth to a boy, he should be seized by the state… Before he becomes too feminine.

    A drop in work force is also something to be kept in mind…

    For the few remaining straight males out there… Hold strong.

  2. Mystalics Family
    July 29, 2019

    STOP ALL YOU DORTY STINKING WAYS

  3. ??????????????????????
    July 29, 2019

    Hello people love the person. It is our responsibilty but do not condone what is abnormal. Abnormal people (reprobate mind) remember the Creator , go in seclusion, develop a relationship with him; speak about your feelings. No one can do that for you. Only you can. Pour out! Be willing to obey! Yes I agree you are not a criminal I agree. Let God help you. Do not accept you were born so. If we all agreed with our feelings & what the voices in our mind tell us, we would just do anything. Is that right? Not at all. There is something called sin. And we all must be mindful of this (yes all of us). What we do in secret is all known by the Creator. That is already bad. But to be bold is brazen, there is one word that the Good book calls it all sin. Asking to be brazen to sport with your unatural partner is tantamount! Repent people not only the gays but all of us let turn from our wicked ways; reverence the Father who created us gave life. Almighty Jehovah deserves better!

  4. ???????????????????
    July 29, 2019

    Abnormal feeling can be done away with if you tell yourself that this is not right & take on the fight to change their way of thinking. That having been said, I do the problem is you accept this abnormalcy in your head; do not think of the consequences. You do not make an attempt to erase the abnormacly in your mind; having accepted it, is very stubborn to even think otherwise. Yes of course, no one should hate you as a person but should show love to you but be honest, wanting to move around abnormally openly cannot be right. What kind of society are you contributing to? Go in seclusion – think again about what you want to be or analyse the voices in your head (they are there nagging every human beings). They are confusing but you have to make the choice (free will). In your analysis – think about the Creator first & foremost. Were u created to be disobedient or rebellious? Wanting to go public with abnormalcy? Selfish too because u think of you! Put yourself in another shoe

  5. What's going on?
    July 29, 2019

    Dominica, now St. Vincent?
    I smell a conspiracy. I’m curious, how does an anti-buggery law prevent you from being intimate?Do you prefer to be intimate in the public view? Do you think the police go around with a flashlight 🔦 to check what people are doing in their beds? We have men here who do the same thing you do, only they do it with women. Why are they not helping you to complain? I think they should, since the law affects them too. Also, tell Prince William, we adhere to British law when we’re in Britain.

  6. Bring back the kidnapped Dominican parrots
    July 28, 2019

    Next they will want a law making it legal for someone to marry their dog or goat and have sex with their dog and goat.

    • The Darkness
      July 30, 2019

      Or worse … Mother and daughter want to get married… (It’s already happening)

  7. Jane
    July 28, 2019

    Come on vincy run them bull man out . good job no billing.

  8. Kalinago Justice
    July 28, 2019

    :?: Does these abominables want more natural disasters to ravage the islands by their actions to disturb the Highest Power of the Spiritual Realm :?: If this is not the Desolation of Tribulations, I don’t know what is :?:

  9. The UK Contingent
    July 28, 2019

    Live and let live. We were all Jah’s children!

  10. Taj
    July 28, 2019

    It time that Caribbean nations with such ancient laws on homosexuality come to the 20th century reality.

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