While Guyana’s 2015 elections saw the major parties promising not to discriminate on the grounds of sexual orientation, the media editorialized favorably on Ireland’s vote in favor of Marriage Equality, and President Granger said he will not allow “religious impositions” to dominate his administration’s positions on LGBT issues. But, on the other hand, there was a court decision unfriendly with trans people.
Stabroek News of Guyana editorialized favorably on Ireland’s vote in favor of Marriage Equality: “Marriage … is a concept, underpinned by individual love. Since this quality is not confined by sexual orientation – or, indeed by any other facet of identity, sexual or otherwise – there is no defensible reason for not redefining the institution to take account of our broader understanding and tolerance of human diversity. The civility and grace with which Ireland has managed this transition should be noted by every democratic society that hopes to get rid of outmoded and disabling traditions of its own.”
Also, Guyana President David Granger, who was raised an Anglican, said he will not allow “religious impositions” to dominate his administration’s positions on LGBT issues. He said: “There was a times when I suppose that same-sex relations were punishable by law but in many countries those laws have been repealed so we have to keep abreast with what is happening in other countries but at the same time what our own people want, so try not to get ahead of the people and at the same time we try not to separate ourselves from what is taking place in the international community.”
On the other hand, The Guyana Trans United expressed concerns about a court decision related to last year’s murders of GTU members Jason (Jada) Samuels and Carl (Tyra) Sinclair. According to GTU, the magistrate acted unfairly by punishing a GTU member and not an MCC security company employee involved in a two-vehicle confrontation. The security guard had freed a colleague who attacked several trans people and, after being freed, murdered Samuels and Sinclair.
Source: 76 Crimes
Original article: Progress + disputes: Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia
