On Buggery and gays in cabinets with politics ............ some responses ............

Video - pre-election Leadership Debate December 20.12.11

President of the People’s National Party (PNP) and Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller is promising to review the country’s buggery law if she is returned as prime minister of Jamaica.

The pronouncement came last night as she faced Prime Minister and leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Andrew Holness in the third and final political debate convened by the Jamaica Debates Commission.It also comes amidst the intensification of discussions on the matter.
“We should have a look at the buggery law,” said Simpson Miller in response to a question on gay rights.

She also challenged a previous pronouncement by former prime minister Bruce Golding who told a BBC TV interviewer some years ago that no gays could serve in his Cabinet.Simpson Miller said she was not in favour of such a position and suggested that persons should be selected for Cabinet duties on the basis of their capacity to deliver.

Responding to the same question, Holness articulated the need for Jamaica to achieve minimum standards governing human rights and suggested that such steps were being taken through measures such as the passage of the Bill of Rights.He added that any change to the existing legislation should be made on the basis of due consideration to the views of the people.

“We are an open society and the issues that are difficult and uncomfortable to discuss, as the society progresses, these issues are being discussed. People are entitled to their opinions but as leader of the country I have to respect everybody’s opinion (and) make sure that the institutions of freedom are well in place so that the debate can continue,” said Holness.

Let us also remember importantly that this is her personal position and not of the rest of the party and it doesn't appear under the justice theme of the PNP's manifesto.

Executive Director of JFLAG Dane Lewis said the Prime Minister missed an opportunity to make a bold declaration on securing rights for all Jamaicans, he continued on a telephone interview that "We're very encouraged by the bold statement from a Jamaican politician the opposition leader Miss Portia Simpson Miller, I am very disappointed that the Prime Minister with an opportunity to make as bold a statement chose the lower road. It is going to take a conscience vote it's gonna take the leaders of this country to make some bold steps to recognise the rights of all Jamaicans." He also said he trusts the sincerity of the opposition leader, he doesn't think it's a ploy to win the votes of the gay community days before an election.  He said too that it was not about threats on withholding aid by UK and US governments who have now tied aid to LGBT rights.       

The church community in the form of their representative today Dr. Lentworth Anglin, Convenor of the Umbrella Croup of Churches said on CVM News "We consider homosexuality, lesbianism, same sex marriage to be anti scripture and therefore we oppose that kind of behaviour, we are not necessarily dictating to individuals how they should live, we're just stating a position, we are not trying to necessarily trying to deprive persons of opportunity for service to the nation but we are just simply presenting our position."

Meanwhile Desmond Mckenzie of the Jamaica Labour Party JLP on the campaign trail said "I think the debate on this is not for now but it is a debate that should go on but there are moral issues here that as a country that has more church per capita than anywhere else in the world that is something that should not escape our minds right now."

Could this be a trap? if we enter all the way to a conscience vote on the proposed path by the opposition leader that the members of parliament vote and leads to an echoing of the majority sentiment then it would be a done deal in my view. Then we as a nation could rebutt to the nations who are redirecting aid that is now pinned to the rights condition of the LGBT community that the matter was voted on and the decision made. Then there maybe no room for agitations for any other rights based issues for LGBT people including gay marriage although we never asked for such prior to now. I disagree with the JFLAG folks I think this has a lot to do with the pressure from the UK and the US also she maybe wants to sure up a lead in this tight race by appealing to her large LGBT following that has always been a feature since the seventies. I am still skeptical about this announcement by the opposition leader, there is method to madness and politicians do not make blanket statements like that without some reason ahead, although as indicated above it is her personal opinion outside of the rest of the PNP which still has in its midst former Attorney General A. J Nicholson who penned the No Plans to Legalise Gay Marriage document in 2006 and vigorously debated on the opposing side to buggery etc in the Sexual Offences Bill.  Let us also not forget the PNP sided with the JLP on the invented gay marriage ploy so executed in parliament to deny us rights in the Charter of Rights Bill in 2009.


audio commentary:

 On Buggery & Gays in Cabinets ......... 21.12.11 by glbtqja4 

also see: PNP 2006, No plans to Legalise Same Sex Union (FLASHBACK)

MUST SEE previous post from here!: click below

The Line in the Sand for the JLP Part 14 ...... but vote ☐ PNP ☐ JLP ☑ Legalize Buggery/Anal Sex in private ........



here is one of the disparaging videos bashing PNP operatives 
could this also be a reason for Portia's response??

UPDATE Dec 22 - In an afternoon Press release from the PNP website came the following:

PNP Has Given No Commitment To Repealing The Buggery Act

Kingston, December 22, 2011: The People’s National Party notes that following Tuesday’s leadership debate, some persons have been suggesting that PNP President Portia Simpson Miller, has given a commitment to “repealing” the Buggery Act. The PNP uses this opportunity to state clearly that Mrs. Simpson Miller gave no such commitment.

The PNP President said it was time that the Act be “reviewed” and all members of the House of Representatives provided with an opportunity to vote on the matter based on their conscience.

It would be expected that in such a vote, Members of Parliament on both sides of the House, would take into consideration the views of their constituents.The PNP President remains committed to her pledge to make appointments to a Cabinet led by her on the basis of competence.

UPDATE Dec 23, 2011


Vaz Says Constituents Stand Firm Against Homosexuality

Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) candidate for West Portland, Daryl Vaz, on Wednesday night told a party mass rally in St Mary that his constituents have already told him to say no to the repealing of the buggery law.

Addressing thousands of Labourites in the seaside town of Annotto Bay, Vaz poured scorn on comments by People's National Party (PNP) President Portia Simpson Miller during the national leadership debate with JLP Leader Andrew Holness on Tuesday.

Simpson Miller, in her rebuttal to a question of whether homosexuals would be excluded from the Cabinet, said the issue was one of human rights, and her party would not reject anyone based on their sexual orientation. She said should the PNP be returned to power, Parliament would initiate discussion on the buggery law in Jamaica with a conscience vote on whether it should be repealed.

But Vaz claimed the people of his West Portland constituency had already spoken on the matter.

"We don't buy number two inna Cash Pot," said Vaz, in a reference to thepopular game of chance in which the number two is used by some persons to refer to homosexuals.

According to Vaz, while he was willing to participate in any debate on gay rights, his response is a foregone conclusion.

"God made Adam and Eve and not Adam and Steve," Vaz said as Labourites cheered and shouted anti-gay slurs.

The issue of homosexuality has been on the JLP election platform even before it was raised as a question in the debate Tuesday night.

In Gordon Town, St Andrew, last Sunday, JLP deputy leader and the party's candidate for Western Kingston, Desmond McKenzie, declared "fire bun", following strains from the popular dancehall song which has a line "dem a par inna chi chi man car".

Also, at a recent meeting in St Elizabeth, persons on the JLP platform made reference to their love for "boonoonoonus" women, a claim that sparked a backlash from women's groups.

Former JLP leader and then Prime Minister Bruce Golding had declared an in interview on the BBC that no gay men would be allowed to serve in his Cabinet.

On Tuesday, Holness, did not articulate a clear position when questioned on the issue but implied that he would not fly in the face of popular opinion opposed to gay rights.

In recent months, several countries, which are aid donors to Jamaica, have suggested that they might change their position if more was not done to protect the rights of homosexuals.

also see the GLEANER EDITORIAL - Courageous Stance Worthy Of Replication and ‘Idiot plan that!’ - Many Jamaicans against Buggery Law review

What say you? as we watch the developments unfold. Bear this in mind as well, after digging my archives I found the presentation by Mrs Simpson Miller in 2009 (poor audio though) where she sided wholeheartedly with the then Prime Minster Bruce Golding (his speech linked) on the banning of gay marriage, gay marriage rights by the way was never asked for by the LGBT advocacy structure but it was dishonestly pushed on the agenda during the Charter of Rights debate then as a smoke screen to deny us recognition in the Charter. 


She said on October 20th 2009 - "Mr Speaker when we accepted the final report from the joint select committee that were looking at the bill we were completely satisfied with their recommendation of a provision to restrict marriage and like relationships to one man and one woman within Jamaica and that the provision should be specifically spelt out so that there could be no ambiguity .......... yes one man one woman (laughter in the house) and if you are Jamaican and go overseas the same applies ..........." 

Peace and tolerance

H

Rowdy gays banned by J-FLAG, JASL .......... (Jamaica Observer)

SEVERAL homosexuals who have been cast out of their homes and communities and are now living on the streets of Kingston, including some with the dreaded HIV virus, have been banned from the premises of the two most prominent advocacy groups in Kingston for bad behaviour.



These males, some of whom are commercial sex workers, are complaining that they no longer have the full support of advocates Jamaica Forum for Lesbians All Sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG) and Jamaica Aids Support for Life (JASL), charging that they had left them defenceless against attacks from hostile 'homophobes' and even police officers bent on getting them off the streets.

Homeless homosexuals in New Kingston say they have been deprived of medicine and other assistance from JFLAG and JASL because of the bad behaviour of a few.

"They say we are not allowed on their property because you have some 'girls' who go up there and behave bad," a gay man admitted to the Sunday Observer in an interview at one of their popular hangouts in New Kingston.



He declined to be named, but gave examples of lewd brawls — some of which resulted in physical confrontation between gay men on J-FLAG's Kingston premises — as the reason for the ban.

He said that as a result, those among them living with HIV had been struggling to access the vital and cost-free medical treatment they used to get.

Several of these homeless gays have also felt the chill of the night air as they are forced to sleep in abandoned buildings, their cries for help falling on deaf ears.

The JASL was established in 1991 with a mandate to provide stigma-free prevention, treatment, care and support services to Jamaicans living with HIV/AIDS islandwide.

J-FLAG is an advocacy organisation which provides support and intervention programmes for those who are victims or potential victims of violence because of their sexual orientation or gender identity discrimination.

The premises of advocacy groups Jamaica Aids Support for Life (above) and Jamaica Forum for Lesbians All Sexuals and Gays have become off limits to some unruly homeless gay men.

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Rowdy-gays-banned-by-J-FLAG--JSL_9418813#ixzz1VfuWLjgB

Both J-FLAG executive director, Dane Lewis, and his JASL counterpart, Kandasi Levermore confirmed that some persons had been barred from visiting their organisations' premises, but the ban only applied to an overly unruly few numbering seven.

"Yes, we have banned those who have violated the space because of their bad behaviour, but it's not everybody that is banned from accessing our services," said Lewis. "And it's not that we don't still look out for them," he added.

But, another gay male, who also declined to be named for this article, but who sported women's tights and spoke with the customary feminine drawl during the interview with the Sunday Observer, questioned the organisations' decision even as he defended his friends.

"There is no way you can take on 20 to 30 gay persons from different backgrounds, different homes, with different personalities and expect them to behave perfect. It can't go so," he said while gesticulating wildly.



"You are going to have fights, you are going to have fuss, you are going to have quarrels, 'cause even in a normal family that happens. You understand? There is no way everything will go smoothly," he said.

"If somebody start something you don't ban the whole group! They need to 'tan tuddy' and make sure that the rules and regulations are applied."

"Even on Thursdays they used to have a thing they called the K-package (at JASL). This was a programme they set up so that the homeless could go there and get lunch on a Thursday. Now the homeless can't go there anymore," said another member of the group.

"You have a number of homeless gays living in an anti-gay country, so to now have your own turn against you is not easy," one of the men told the Sunday Observer.

They told stories of how they ended up selling gay sex for money and living in abandoned homes and on the streets and gullies in the capital city.

"Some of them on the streets have nowhere to go, their families put them out, they can't go back to their communities and so they just out there suffering," said one of them.



He claimed he knew a 15-year-old gay youth who was chased from his home and community after his sexual preference was discovered. One night, while on the streets, the police accosted him, beat him and chased he and others like him away from their corner. The teen reportedly took refuge in the home of someone he knew, sleeping in a back room. However, even there he was not safe as he was stabbed to death in a mysterious incident.

"He didn't have anywhere to go, or anyone to help him. If JFLAG or JAS(L) did help him when him family put him out, he would still be alive today," said his friend.

"...That organisation was built to protect the rights of gays in Jamaica, but now we are not able to go there and access anything. They not protecting us at all. Once we could go there and access services and make reports and then they would try to venture out and see what they could do to uphold the rights of the gays," another young man said.



But Lewis insists that his organisation still does what it can for those gay males in need as long as they are well-behaved.

"Anyone who has not violated the rules because of bad behaviour has not been denied access to our services as far as I know."

For JASL, Levermore said: "We have generated a list of about seven guys that are, in fact, banned from the AIDS Support property," she said.

"However, that does not prohibit us from bringing the services to them. And from time to time we do have outreach where we take some of the services out to the guys. The seven in particular, they fight, they quarrel, they stab up (each other) and you name it. And they just behave in a manner that is just not appropriate for even in your home."



She said the ban had to be imposed as their outrageous behaviour was a turn-off to those legitimately seeking help from the organisation.

"It pushes our other clients away from seeking our services because of these same guys... when the other clients come, they have to put up with the kind of behaviour that these guys carry on with. Other than that, it makes it a very unhealthy environment for the staff at Jamaica Aids Support for Life. We have in many ways asked, begged, solicited, (be)friend(ed), we have tried everything to get these guys to understand that their behaviour is unacceptable and we have asked them to amend, adjust, all of that to no avail."



She said as recently as last August 6, there was an altercation involving some MSM (men who have sex with men) that resulted in someone being stabbed on the property.

She insisted that it was not a permanent ban and her organisation had not cut its services to the gay homeless population in New Kingston.

"Usually a ban is for a period of time. It's not that they are totally restricted. Depending on the offence there would be a time frame affixed. Many times we have had to call the police or the security company that does monitoring for us. We have to be panicking every minute when these guys are fighting on the property.

"So once it gets out of hand, it's usually things that are an offence against the law, and then we have to put some restrictions in place, especially after we would have intervened and asked them to cease and desist and the behaviours continue."

ENDS

UPDATE: August 22-08-11

Reports suggests at around 9:15 am a set of the homeless men went to the property adjacent to the Jamaica AIDS Support for Life offices where a gaping breach is in the bordering fence and created a temporary scene calling the occupants gays and battymen and other negative connotations so much so that the security detail contracted to provide surveillance had to be called in to maintain order, the men reportedly entered from the rear of the premises via an adjacent property but were kept back by the security, a shouting match ensued for some minutes. There seemed to be a zero tolerance approach the security detail however was professional who for all intents and purposes are usually summoned via a panic button or some other digital signalling device. According to the eyewitness while one of the men behaved very badly, almost defrocking infront of the detail the other men were more subdued and seem to cooperate in retreating to the neighbouring property.

The behaviour of the men is a cause of concern for the residents as they fear needed attention to the property a view that is fear but given the article in The Jamaica Observer and the hint to where certain offices are there is some concerns as well. Certainly I am on record as to the behaviour of the men and would be unfair if I did not bring that part into question but if the only way to deal with this rebellious population is to not engage them and besides the major LGBT body politic is not engaged anyway then I am afraid more reports like this may be forthcoming or worse.

Updates to come where available

Rowdy Gays Matter 21.08.11 by glbtqja2

Level heads are needed now. Meanwhile August 23rd history was created when the same men hinted to in the article launched a civil disobedience action two days in a row on the property of JASL, more in the audio posts below:

Other sides to the msm homeless saga by glbtqja2

Other sides to the msm homeless saga part 2 by glbtqja2

Peace and tolerance

H

Case Update: Brotha Hurt by Homophobic Violence in 2008

Remember this case in 2008? where three gay men were attacked in Mandeville, Manchester at their home by an angry mob of approximately 20 people who had threatened them with violence days before if they did not leave the community to which they refused. The matter was also aired on CVM TV (a DVD copy should be a JFLAG's archives, if kept safe) at the time with the fire brigade saying on camera they supposedly went down a natural cave formation where one of the men was suspected to have fallen into and found nothing, a claim that has left many including myself doubting as our forces do not have the requisite cave exploration equipment to do that kind of investigation.

What as even more disturbing at the time was that a group of local expert cavers offered on a pro bono basis to assist to prove if such excavation was done as said by the fire department to which JFLAG declined, this was one of the many controversial pointers that has gotten several persons doubting JFLAG's reoluteness on issues at the time to the present day leading to the strong criticisms about their stewardship.

The photos below highlight some of the injuries then as I had taken at the old office when he had come in for an interview I had insisted upon then that injuries be documented carefully and the necessary permissions granted for re-publication:

He has since healed miraculously along with his other friend who sustained far lesser injuries as he managed to escape the impending doom as they watched television in their rented flat. I caught up with him at a party recently and he was in good spirits, unlike others he decided to remain in Jamaica no matter what and do what he has to do and not take the asylum route for now. He was looking quite well physically too and his scars could barely be seen as they have healed nicely, including the chopped left ear that was reported as severed on some news sites and blogs.

Thankfully his life was speared after this harrowing ordeal, as for his missing friend he is not sure what has happened really to him but he doubts he fell in the cavern at the time as no signs of any deceased has occurred since including unusual odours etc. to indicate such. His other friend has since also found resolve from his temporary displacement and was last heard from some months ago by our photographed individual above.

Great news as we sometimes do not follow up and bring some closure to some of the atrocities past thus leaving detractors to think no such happenings go on in the first place hence the cynicism when LGBT groups agitate and to also inform the LGBT body politic of the outcomes of some of the cases where persons think the victims are still victims when they do not see or hear of the transitions and gains they have made in rebuilding and assimilating into general society.

Hope he grows from strength to strength other updates will come from time to time as needed.

Peace and tolerance

H

Cartoons and the use of gay typed characters part 2

cartoon above published July 26.07.11

See part 1 where I briefly looked at the Shebadarization of entertainment on a whole with brief effects on Jamaican psyche and associated gay typed characters on Jamaican stages.

Over these many years cartoonists in particular have been weighing in on the issues with every thing from very disturbing and stereotypical pieces to more satirical ones poking fun at the issues, many persons in the LGBT community and by extension the advocacy groupings have expressed some outrage specifically to today's Observer image as done by resident cartoonist Clovis:

This is following on the recent apology from the police high command on Superintendent Fitz Bailey and his assertions on gays involved in organized crimes without specifically naming the ones they are involved in.

also see:

Apology Accepted JCF but some questions on several fronts still linger ...

Other popular cartoons include the now infamous call from public defender to put prisoners to work however Clovis gave a spin on the issue by showing the two prisoners in a romantic position in jail-house fatigues, another was the barred closet door as hammered blocked by former Attorney General A.J. Nicholson.

Certainly the Boom Bye Bye one I included here was one of many others that were too offensive so I left them out of this entry that was a supposed response to the "Not in My Cabinet" rant on the BBC's Hard talk show in 2008/9 however one can also appreciate the cartoonists are also carrying the views of readers and John Public which may be for or against LGBT issues but given our very slow change to a more tolerant society the toons seem to be reflecting more comedic themes especially the Clovis ones that have a stereotypical cross dresser with male features also visibly shown.

As I said elsewhere sometimes we have to laugh things off sometimes if not we all may go mad.

Peace and tolerance

H

UPDATE July 20, 2011 - in response to the last cartoon (above) a letter to the Observer

Bad precedent

Dear Editor,

This is in regard to your cartoon of July 19.

I find your portrayal of gay people to be most offensive! Do you really believe that all gay people carry themselves in this manner? You are setting a bad precedent and initiating a stereotype that will just help perpetuate the rampant homophobia that plagues the Jamaican society.
Please act responsibly by understanding the ramifications of what you publish! I sincerely hope you will see the gravity of this and take corrective action.

P Valentine
Saxhomes@aol.com