UNIBAM takes alternative lifestyle to Court

Dean Barrow

In February of this year we told you about a law suit concerning sexual orientation that was brought against the Attorney General’s office.  This lawsuit, which is a first of its kind for Belize, was filed by the United Belize Advocacy Movement (UNIBAM) challenging section fifty-three of the Criminal Code which states, “Every person who has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any person, or animal shall be liable to imprisonment for the years.” Caleb Orozco, Executive President UNIBAM, told us that the code criminalizes consensual physical relationships between gays and lesbians. Today, Prime Minister Dean Barrow was asked to comment on it, here’s what he said.

Dean Barrow

“Well I would have preferred that it had not happened, I remember a year and a half ago I spoke at a U.B. graduation and one of the things that we have to be grateful for in this country is the culture wars we see in the United States have not been imported into Belize. Well obviously this is the start of exactly such a phenomenon, I would limit myself to saying that the Government as a government has taken the position that it needs to argue for the constitutionality for the law that’s in place that’s being challenged and so uh I would not go beyond that official position.”

UNIBAM is using sections three, six and fourteen of the constitution as a basis for their arguments to support the human rights needs of the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender (LGBT) population.