T&T high court ruling on LGBT rights welcomed

THE EDITOR, Sir: THE RULING handed down by the high court of Trinidad and Tobago regarding the unconstitutionality of sections of the Sexual Offences Act is a positive development for the improvement of the human rights of members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community across the Caribbean region.

Trinidad and Tobago has now joined Belize as a trailblazer and will, we hope, set the pace for other countries, including Jamaica, to follow.

The ruling is significant because it indicates that a cultural and legislative shift is taking place across the region.

This has not happened overnight, but has been due to the relentless efforts of many activists and human-rights defendants, some of whom have been killed because of their activism.

The ruling should send a strong signal that no one should be victimised by the law because of their sexual orientation.

As a human rights organisation, Stand Up for Jamaica believes in the fundamental dignity of every human being and their right to be protected under the law.

The so-called buggery law inherited from the colonial masters has been a shackle on the human rights of Caribbean people and its removal from the law books is an essential step to safeguarding the dignity of LGBT people, and ensuring their equal protection and non-discrimination before the law. CARLA GULLOTA Executive director Stand Up for Jamaica