One caller expressly stated 'We want no part of that homosexual affairs' on the Speak Out BVI radio programme on February 27, 2013. Photo:religiopoliticaltalk.com

“That aint dead out,” said the caller as he talked about the prospect of the law regarding homosexuality, which was recently passed in the United Kingdom (UK) and its chances of reaching the shores and being imposed on the people of the Virgin Islands (VI).

“So one time when we got to really rise up against these things what these people want to do to us, brother it going to have to happen,” was the final remark of the caller.

Co-host of the programme, Natalio Wheatley aka Sowande Uhuru felt that some of the reasons given could not stand up to scrutiny. He felt the issue was purely and simply one where developed nations that had an economic and political relationship with the Virgin Islands, have now sanctioned the practice.

“This is a practice that has been sanctioned by them, not in large part, but certainly the United Kingdom just had legislation passed making it legal and in America, several states have done the same,” Sowande explained.

He argued that the reasoning presented was one whereby the VI was a Territory of the UK and there was nothing the Territory could do about it. “Well certainly I have a different point of view when it comes to that,” said Sowande, “I think that as a people… we need to be able to negotiate with the United Kingdom and to assert our position with the United Kingdom.”

He felt this was especially true where the people were of one accord and the majority of persons disagreed with what was taking place in the VI, while adding that it was not as simple as going independent even though the issue of independence was one which required some discussion.

Another caller asserted, “England, if they’re forcing it on us, they should not… and we should ask England not to force it on us because it is not our tradition. We want no part of that homosexual affairs, neither with man or woman. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for the same very thing.”

While admitting that the constitution needed to be observed, the caller felt that regardless of what the constitution felt, that part of it needed to be left out of the Virgin Islands, “tell England we don’t want it and we should stand up and kick against it,” he continued.

“I mean, I listen to America, I’m listening to the BVI and I’m listening to England… but I could tell all three of you that there is a rude awakening waiting for you all… God has it for you and [there is] no way you can escape it,” the caller assured, “the only way you can escape that is to shun from the homosexual affairs. We don’t need it.”

Yet another caller felt that the VI would have to be careful with what it was adopting, “If we don’t be careful we’re going to adopt anything,” he said. “As I see it now here in the BVI, our lifestyle is patterned after the United States’ lifestyle.”

He asserted that US citizens had “more money to play with in terms of their income… we here have to be careful, or else we’re going to find ourselves in the doldrums.”

Host of the programme, Doug Wheatley, felt that government had been caught off guard when a caller had raised the issue on the NDP radio programme last week but he thought the issue had been in the air long enough and the government as a result, should have discussed the matter and started preparing themselves to have a position which would have involved consultation with the public.

“Since it was in the air for quite a long time, I don’t think it’s quite fair for them to tell an inquiring public that we have not yet discussed it and we don’t have a position,” Wheatley said. “I think that they ought to get their act together, I think that they should start studying the matter and agreeing what they understand the matter to be and then coming to the public about it because obviously it is going to be an issue here.”

According to Wheatley, a lot of the countries that have passed the relevant legislation consider the topic of homosexuality to be a human rights issue. Consequently, Mr Wheatley felt the human rights chapter in the VI constitution needed to be examined by Government, VIslanders and the Attorney General with a fine tooth comb to see exactly what the obligations were with respect to that human rights chapter in the constitution regarding same sex marriage.

He maintained that if same sex marriage were to become law in the UK, that it wouldn’t be imposed through ‘imperial legislation’. “I think that they would get in touch with the BVI and they would say what the situation is and they would give the BVI an opportunity to respond and that’s why the government should be ready to deal with the issue,” he added.

“I think that if it is going to be applied to us… we would be given a period of time, about five years [or] three years… before something like this could be applied,” he said while making reference to the laws governing capital punishment and the forewarning that came with it.

“Our government had failed to do that whereas a government like Bermuda did respond… so I think we can’t be sleeping on these matters and what we need… I can understand the emotion, I can understand the passion and so forth.”