Churches march against plan to legalise same-sex unions

THE FIRST in a series of marches to protest against plans to legalise same-sex unions in Barbados was held on Saturday.

On Saturday morning, more than 200 church members marched through the town of Holetown in the parish of St James. They came out in force to send a message to the government that the church is not in agreement with making same-sex unions legal.

According to Dr Veronica Evelyn, the executive director of FamilyFaith-Freedom, the registered charity which organised the march, the gathering consisted of worshippers and leaders from different denominations.

“As you know, it’s it’s COVID time and we have to be careful, so we are limited in numbers. We could not go over 250, so we are very happy with the turnout,” Evelyn said.

SHOWING DISAGREEMENT

Meanwhile, the chairperson of the registered charity, Pastor Paul Leacock, said the series of marches would demonstrate the Church’s disagreement and its request for the government to reconsider and rescind its its decisions to institutionalise same-sex unions in the country.

Last month, in her deliverly of the Throne Speech, Governor General Dame Sandra Mason said a public referendum on allowing same-sex marriage will be held.

The tourism-dependent Barbados must have a “frank discussion”and “end discrimination in all forms” so as not to be “blacklisted” for humanrights issues, the Governor General said then.

“My government will do the right thing, understanding that this, too, will will attract controversy.”

She added that the government would accept the result of the public vote.

A date for the referendum has not been set.