![\"\"](\"http:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/gay-men-holding-hands1.jpg\" "\\"gay")
One government consultant says he is in full support of gay rights in Dominica.<\/p>\nOne government consultant says he is in full support of gay rights in Dominica.<\/p>\n
Government\u00a0 productivity consultant\u00a0 and\u00a0 former government press secretary, Parry Bellot, was speaking on the heels of an article published on Dominica News Online where a gay called on government to put measures in place to make homosexuality in Dominica non-discriminatory.<\/p>\n
Bellot gave his opinion on Wednesday morning on Angelo Allen\u2019s \u201cRise and Shine” talk show on Q95.<\/p>\n
“I support gay rights because it is an issue that I have given lots of thought to,” Bellot said.<\/p>\n
He said he had not always supported gay rights but now he has had a complete change of heart.<\/p>\n
“Quite frankly, when it first became an issue in the world, by people demanding gay rights up to the level of civil unions and gay marriages, I wondered about that and I certainly wasn’t in favor because I was brought up in a Christian home where we frowned upon these activities. There was no way homosexuality should exist (back then) and people would think it was an abomination and terrible things would happen to you,” he said.<\/p>\n
But now Bellot said he is not even certain that the bible condemns homosexuality in the way that people see it.<\/p>\n
“I can probably quote sections in the bible that suggests otherwise. As you know when it comes to the bible, people interpret things all kinds of ways. You have one bible and 30 different religion. I go by conscience and when I examine the issue over and over in my mind, I come to the conclusion that, who are we (people in authority) to deny the individuals in doing things that they want to do to and about themselves,” he argued.<\/p>\n
Bellot said if society allows certain privileges for men and women to get married “who are we to determine that these privileges should apply only to a man and a woman?”<\/p>\n
He added, “I thought about it a lot. I remember even being disgusted when a gay bishop was ordained ten years ago. That didn’t seem right. But more and more I have come to the conclusion that this is alright to have people with that orientation in all facets of society.”<\/p>\n
Bellot said gays also possess good qualities.<\/p>\n
“Gays seem to have very nice qualities, they are very friendly, very expressive and very artistic,” he explained.<\/p>\n
He said gays are entitled to their rights, civil unions and marriage.<\/p>\n
“I do not believe any government has a right to say that you and you cannot be together. For instance if one party dies, the other should be able to enjoy the retirement benefits of the other,” he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"One government consultant says he is in full support of gay rights in Dominica. Government\u00a0 productivity consultant\u00a0 and\u00a0 former government press secretary, Parry Bellot, was speaking on the heels of an article published on Dominica News Online where a gay…","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":39316,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39315","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n