2nd protest against termination of UWI professor is held at Battlefield Park

A small protest was held on Saturday morning in Belize City in solidarity with Doctor Brendan Bain, who was recently terminated from the CHART program at the University of the West Indies. The organizers, Belize Action and the Belize Association of Evangelical Churches say that freedom is under attack and that they would not stand for the bullying from the LGBT community. Bain gave expert testimony at the UNIBAM case to decriminalize sex with the same gender. That case was argued almost two years ago and Bain continued to serve at CHART until his termination. Duane Moody reports.

Duane Moody, Reporting

Look who’s discriminating now! That just one of the many silent statements being made by members of Belize Action and the Belize Association of Evangelical Churches championing that their freedom is under attack by members of the LGBT community. The protest, which is the second to be held in Belize, comes in solidarity with the Jamaican Bar Association, and other organizations—local and regional who are angered by what they call the wrongful termination of Professor Brendan Bain as head of the Caribbean HIV/AIDs Regional Training Network, CHART.

Lance Lewis

Pastor Lance Lewis, Evangelical Bible Church

“He spoke the truth concerning his findings on MSM; saying that men who have sex with men are more likely to contract HIV/AIDS. This is not something unusual. The 2010, Center for Disease Control in America shows that as a fact; the 2010 Center for Disease Control graph shows that men who have sex with men in the United States have a higher chance of contracting HIV/AIDS. So he has not done anything wrong and we are saying that he was put out because of an agenda to get rid of anybody who is against the practices of homosexuals.”

While the numbers were smaller than the previous protest, the message remained loud and strong; that the action taken against Professor Bain is an act of victimization and bullying says Pastor Lance Lewis.

Pastor Lance Lewis

“We are trying to get more people aware of the seriousness of it; that our freedom is at stake. Freedom for standing up and speaking the truth is at stake. Jesus spoke the truth and his life was put on the stake. We are putting our lives on the line for standing up for truth and we will continue to do so because a lot is at stake; the future of this country is at stake; the future of our children’s lives are at stake. And if we continue to be backing down, we will be in a serious problem and our country will be destroyed.”

The protest lasted one hour and saw vehicles honking in solidarity with those in attendance.  Men and women, young and old—even a baby in a stroller—had their mouths taped and/or signs on their chests expressing various sentiments on the issue. It concluded at midday with prayers. Glenda Brown says that Bain’s termination aside, God doesn’t like ugly.

Glenda Brown, Protestor

Glenda Brown

“This even proves that there is a strong move raising up against what is right and what is justice. We are out here as the church. We love people; all people. Our concern is that people who sin these blatant way and sin against God, if this lifestyle becomes rampant in our nation, God is going to bring judgment on Belize. He has done it in the past and God is the same god. He hates sin—he loves sinners, but he hates sin.”

Duane Moody for News Five.