On October 31, the Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality (ECADE) announced its intention to challenge the buggery and indecency laws in Barbados, St. Kitts-Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada and Saint Lucia. The group says the laws contribute to stigmatisation, and legitimize hate speech, discrimination and violence—and it is their intention to file court papers before the end of 2019.
A well-known Saint Lucian businessman told the STAR that he welcomes any legal challenge that seeks to ensure fundamental human rights are protected. Asked about the local attitude towards the community, he said: “I’m openly gay. However, society has a way of over time becoming more accepting of certain things. In no way does it mean that things are great now or the best it can be.”
He added that the environment when he was a teenager, compared with now, “is not as bad as it used to be”. The society, he says, is “more accepting”. However, while the situation may have improved, said our source, it does not mean that persons who do not have a voice are not facing discrimination and violence.
“I know of at least seven or eight individuals, one of whom was a partner of mine, that was murdered,” he went on. “The type of violence was horrifying. It wasn’t just a gunshot. It was kicking in the person’s teeth, tying them to a tree, stabbings of various sorts. When you look at any crime that is hate-based, they all have the same storyline.” The business owner said ECADE is taking a stand “to ensure that people have the fundamental right to live their own life freely”.
On Tuesday, External Affairs Minister Sarah Flood-Beaubrun also reacted to ECADE’s decision. She said the laws are in place and, as far as she is aware, government has no plans to review the Criminal Code in that regard. The minister reserved further comment until the legal challenge is actually filed.
