Louis Wade Responds to LGBT Criticism

Louis Wade

Following the election of Plus TV’s Pastor Louis Wade as the media’s representative on the People’s Constitutional Commission on Friday, the LGBT community has come out strongly against his appointment. On Monday, Caleb Orozco, who also sits on the newly-formed task force, spoke out against Wade and the fact that he has taken staunch anti-rights positions on a number of issues, including Section Fifty-three, marijuana legalization and women’s sexual reproductive rights. Well, earlier today, Wade fired back at the executive director of the United Belize Advocacy Movement, UNIBAM and reaffirmed his commitment that the media will be represented justly at all meetings of the People’s Constitutional Commission.

Pastor Louis Wade, Media Representative, National Assembly

“I believe that if the LGBTQ community had elected me as their representative to represent them on the constitutional committee, then I believe that Caleb Orosco would be right in line to make his comment known and to scold or speak harshly to his colleagues that they selected the wrong person to represent them. However, this is the media of which I have been a member of for more than 25 years. I have worked in the media and at the time of my election I was out of the country representing the media because I sit on the Broadcasting Authority of Belize as the representative for the independent media in Belize. I do not think that Caleb Orosco or the LGBTQ Committee have any business in media or have any interest or shares in any media house even if they did, they had an opportunity to cast a vote. So, I believe that those in media itself who felt that I could not represent them clearly, they voted too and there were excellent names along with mine that they could have voted for. We are all conflicted on the commission and those who will all step to the microphone al wear multiple hats and have their points of view on every issue. I believe that whoever represents the church will be conflicted because it’s a small country and they will sit on multiple groups. I believe that whoever represents the union will be conflicted. I believe every one of us will be conflicted which is why there is a commission with multiple people from multiple sectors. And, as I said the majority of media houses that voted for me believe that I will be able to represent them and I have committed to them that I will represent them fairly.”