Wires crossed for statements made in gender bender policy
Since the media had access to the Prime Minister at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, after the conference all hot button issues were raised with him. First on the agenda was the Gender Policy that was the product of the Women’s Commission. The policy spoke about the legalization of prostitution and spoke of respect for people regardless of sexual orientation. The Women’s Commission has apologized for the prostitution language and Cabinet removed text regarding religious traditions subject to equality. The Prime Minister said policy should inform government’s actions.
Prime Minister Dean Barrow
“I really don’t know if the churches were consulted specifically. In fact, I spoke to the C.E.O. in the ministry this morning and I was told that the churches were not consulted specifically; they are on various sorts of satellite bodies and the AIDS Commission, the National Committee for Families and Children. But in terms of the writing up of the policy by the consultant and its finalization, it was my understanding that the churches were not directly involved.”
Jose Sanchez
“Sir, Cabinet was unaware of the proposition for prostitution within the policy itself?”
Prime Minister Dean Barrow
Dean Barrow
“Well I don’t know that there is a proposal for prostitution…but let’s not quarrel about the wording in that particular section that has come under fire; what it means. Obviously the ministry and the commission have apologized to cabinet, to all concerned, for its inclusion and have indicated it will be withdrawn. You may have a point in that when the draft came to cabinet, I’m not sure whether—we may well have missed that. And if that is so then we apologize. But clearly that really was a question of wires being horribly crossed. As the commission has said that should not have been there in the first place.”
Jules Vasquez, Channel 7
“I guess a lot of the hubbub centers around the fact or non-fact that there are homosexuals within the ranks of every realm of human endeavor in Belize and the leader of the Opposition has acknowledged which can’t be argued as the matter of fact, there are homosexuals in the P.U.P. and they are certainly welcomed. Would you say the same for the U.D.P.?”
Prime Minister Dean Barrow
“I don’t want to say anything that the Leader of the Opposition has said; you will understand that I can speak for myself. But look, we also—as I think the press release made clear—took out the last few words in the paragraph dealing with respect for diversity because those few words could well have been interpreted as government trying to oblige the religious community to in fact act in a certain way. This is government’s policy and this is what ought to inform government’s actions. And we certainly are prepared to maintain very strongly that paragraph, absent those words, which then results merely in the statement that government policy is going to be informed and should be informed by a respect for diversity of all types including diversity of sexual orientations.”
I am totally against the sin of homosexuality, but like I believe the PM is trying to say, we live in a democratic society, which essentially means the people decide how they want to live, not God. And that is perhaps what the ‘church leaders’ need to get a deeper understanding of.
Seems that both the leader of the opposition and the Prime Minister are both in support of the policy proposals. Neither of our leaders have said No to these proposals and are moving to a more neutral position where both parties benefit financially and politically. But will it benefit the people of Belize or a few influencial people. When will the people voice their opinions. Maybe in Decision 2018? I say the time is now Decision 2013.
Know that there are dummies in cabinet who do not read. I feel certain (unless politics has changed him) that Godwin reads all documents that pass under his nose including that Gender Policy. If he did, it was his obligation to inform the cabinet of it’s contain. So please PM do not be hypocritical in saying the passage will be withdrawn as if you did not know about it.
Channel 5 really should avoid using ‘words’ and ‘metaphors’ directly from the P.M. as the topic for a story i.e. ‘… that really was a question of wires being horribly crossed.” for ‘Wires crossed for statements made in gender bender policy.’
Not good, you know how arrogant this man can behave. He already thinks he is the ‘brain of the whole outfit.’ He is also a master mind at quelling ‘REAL ISSUES’ in an effort to confuse and sedate the people.
This guy thinks all see in the same view of impotence and ignorance as he does his life and certainly his public endeavoures.
ignores or wants to be seen as inoccent to the historys’ fact of every civilization that fell libertine to its animal insctincts of personal carnal pleasures and ignored to understand that humans think and rationalize and that we have senses as compared to animals of the field; these civilizations or powers were destryoed by natural disasters. Play with fire and will get incinerated! Peace is our motive but if our peace is threatened then force is the option.
Belize: please be inform that if we do not change the word SEX for Sexual Ordination in all our policies we will shortly be unable to export our products to the US or our bananas to Europe. Pleading with you Belizeans let’s do like Trinidad and say Noooooooooooooooo
Shouldn’t a policy that guides the government be reviewed CAREFULLY by the government before it is announced?
Who is the anonymous “consultant” who wrote a policy that subverts the morality of our nation? He/she was paid by public money, he/she was intended to guide government actions, so I think the Belizean voters and taxpayers have an absolute right to know whose advice the government is following.
I hope the press asks about who wrote the policy until we get an honest answer.
Political double-speak. Business as usual: the people end up dealing with the changes instituted “on their behalf”.
@Storm is right, let’s learn about the mystery “consultant.”
When you select your consultant, you have already determined the result. I am sure they chose a consultant that they knew would recommend to legalize sodomy and prostitution. It was no accident, but from the top down, GOB lacks the testicular fortitude to say what it means. They just pray to enact new laws, policies, and amnesties when nobody is watching.