With the equality referendum just one day away, Chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party Bradley Roberts is admonishing Bahamians to vote yes stating that it will deepen our democracy.
Mr. Roberts referenced a number of points for consideration as to why Bahamians should vote yes, despite what the vote NO campaign has suggested.
“The idea of a hidden agenda is crazy. Just as there was no hidden agenda during the Burma Road Riots and the birth of the labor movement, Black Tuesday, the women’s Suffrage Movement, Majority Rule and Independence, there is no hidden agenda with this equality referendum as we make one more giant step in our democratic evolution,” he said.
Dr. Minnis went on to note that the Constitutional Commission has worked for years to take into consideration the different views and concerns.
Just last week Chairman of the Constitutional Commission Sean McWeeney said that the proposed amendments are being “hijacked” by those who wish to focus on matters “unrelated to what the bills are about.”
“Religious leaders support all four of these bills. The top lawyers in our country worked carefully with the religious leaders in the Christian community to ensure that bill four would not change marriage, and as a result, bill four has the support of the leaders representing nearly 80% of the nation’s Christian community,” he asserted.
In the past few weeks many pastors have come forward including Bishop Walter S. Hanchell with the vote No campaign.
It is the belief of many pastors that the bills, mainly bill number four will lead to same sex marriages.
Not only have leaders of the religious community deemed the bills as misleading but so has authoritarian figures such as former court of Appeal President Dame Joan Sawyer who claimed that the current government is using the referendum as a “ruse” for LGBT rights.
Mr. Roberts went on to say that the former Chief Justice Sir Michael Barnett and many of the nation’s respected lawyers have said bill four will give new protections to our law which states that marriage must be between a man and a woman.
“Ordinary laws cannot guarantee equal rights. When rights are important, you must protect them in the Constitution. Laws can change from day to day. Our daughters should have their rights where our sons have them – in the Constitution.”
“This referendum is not complicated – it is about making sure our sons and daughters are equal as citizens in this country. That’s it. If you vote NO, you are not voting against politicians or gay rights – none of that is on the ballot.”
“This is not a game – this is about Bahamian families. Talk to the people around you and listen to their stories.”
“Let us vote YES on June 7 and ensure that the annals of history record that this generation was on the right side of history as they struck the proverbial blow for equality that will accrue benefits to future generations yet unborn.”
