Church joins Court Case in which UNIBAM wants gay rights
A case filed against the Attorney General’s Office by the United Belize Advocacy Movement (UNIBAM) and its Executive President, Caleb Orosco, has grown into a major cultural battle, involving international lawyers and now, a group of local churches. On Tuesday an application was filed by the Catholic, Anglican and Evangelical Churches, to join the case as interested parties. Attorneys Rodwell Williams SC, Eamon Courtenay SC, Michel Chebat, Jackie Marshalleck, and Chris Coye filed the application on behalf of the churches. They are going against UNIBAM, which is seeking to have section fifty-three of the criminal code declared as unconstitutional. The section reads that “carnal intercourse against the order of nature” is punishable by imprisonment of up to ten years. That law, according to UNIBAM, criminalizes homosexual relationships. And while the government and churches have some of Belize’s top attorneys on their side, UNIBAM has the backing of powerful organizations including the International Commission of Jurists, the Commonwealth Lawyers Association and the Human Dignity Trust, which have also joined the case as interested parties. A notable on their legal team is Lord Peter Goldsmith QC, the former Attorney General for England and Wales. The organizations have filed an affidavit claiming that the law is “incompatible with the rule of law and with respect for international law and international obligations enshrined in the Belize Constitution.” UNIBAM is being represented by Attorney Lisa Shoman SC while Attorney Godfrey Smith SC is on the team representing the international parties. A date has not yet been announced for the start of trial in the Supreme Court.
The Catholic Church cannot keep the Priests out of our sons behinds, the Anglican Church have had its share of womanizers & all of them have had or still have homosexuals who are/were prominent in the church including one Priest’s offspring. Come on folks, do not decimate your choir because of this silliness.
With all the ongoing corruption plaguing or country,and the immoral obstacles being thrown at our young children’s,who need this nonsense stuffed down their throat.Belize in not england or wales,surely not san francisco,or boston,with all the sex abuse in the catholic churches,who are they to tell us what is unconstitutional in our country?Belize must do what’s best for belize,not what’s best for the rest of the world.
Sounds like BIG money is involved in this one. Lets see how it plays out.
I am so happy to see the stance and the general public is taking against this immoral court case. Belize is a God fearing nation and to have a case such as this in small country is unprecedented. Homosexuality should not be promoted in Belize period. I am so proud of the Attorneys who join the opposition of this case shows that you all are respectable people that have some pride left in you. For Belizean lawyers to support something like this shame on you all just for the sake of money you would go so low as to involve yourself in this case of course as human beings we are free to make choices in life but we must take into considerations the societal impact that is already plaguing Belize imagine if this case turns out in favourable ruling many Belizeans including myself would be very much disappointed. I recall in 1998 when the church and other Belizeans had opposed to the MS Leeward gay ship coming to Belize and it still docked. Months later Hurricane Mitch formed right in front of Belize these are things we have to look at . God bless Belize and Keep us free from this sinful situation
It’s unbelievable how many organizations has the time to waste on this Homo $#!% and yet can’t come together to find a solution to the crime situation in the Jewel.We are definately living in the last days.Government wasting tax-dollars on Homo rights when this money can be used to combat crime.
Why do Gays figure everything must be changed to suit them? I would just ship the whole lot to Castro in San Francisco if possible. Belize is bad enough without adding these stupid problems to the list. Caleb is so upright that is why he was caught with his pants down!! ha ha ha
I say let them keep effin each other in the rear legally..or change the law to make it legal…. but ALSO MAKE SURE THAT ANY SEXUAL HARASSMENT OR SEXUAL PREDATOR BEHAVIOR ON THEIR PART TOWARDS PEOPLE OF THE SAME SEX IS PUNISHED THE SAME WAY AS WE PUNISH A STRAIGHT MAN SEXUALLY HARASSING A WOMAN.
All I am saying is lets not be like europe where there is a double standard. Gays have more rights than straight people, if we will go for equality lets make sure it is EQUAL.
UNIBAM needs to understand that Belize will not tolerate this nonsense here, and talking about the constitution, he should read the very first sentence of the Constitution to understand that he trying this in the wring country.
Let Lord QC from england take them all from belize to England…..or, maybe they cud be givern a place on southside to go live….since all we money di spend da southside.
These people should find somthing constructive to do than to give thier @$$ to other men. Damn God made female for us to reproduce and live, they should be punish and if seen in the street they should be stone to death. Shame on these people. damn shame…
Now where did those church get the money to hire all those lawyers and we know how exspense those lawyers are, and, they will not give free school fees…
This is disgusting that the church who make money off of poor peoples back do this.
Children go to bed hungry and are kept out of school for lack of funds to buy a uniform. Homeless people are on every street corner and doorway in downtown Belize City. Mothers appear on TV night after night begging for money to get an operation to save their child’s life. Where are the churches then? But suddenly they have no shortage of money to spend on FIVE of Belize’s most expensive lawyers?? Jesus wept.
God created Adam and Eve; not Adam and Steve…we don’t even have to question our constitution; this is what the omnipotent created and we should not even waste our time fighting for something as stupid as this. Like one of the commentators said; we should invest this money wisely in combating crime. What a shame for those so-called professionals trying to get money on an issue so low.
Wow. Talk about closed minds.
why everything need to be confused, i dont see if why or how making a change in the constitution will affect anyone other than the Homosexuals so wghy are heterosexual people so afraid. If you or you siblings are gays then no mater what law in please they will always be one. What ever they are doing they will continue to do just because now it will be legal. And my respect to the islander comments you are right any crime should be punishable be it gay straigth pedophile,rasta, regardless of anything thing there should be a consiquence punishable by the law. so i say whats fair is fairfor everyone. Go forth Caleb Orosco
Shame on Godfrey but not surprising
unibam to hell with you, belize those not support this gay rigths at all and we as a nation those not want to bring more wrath to our country which is already going over the limit with crime. caleb why not get mexican nationality and go the the d.f in mexico there you”ll be welcome in open arms and maybe @r$e too.
Homosexuality will NEVER be accepted in Belize; America is to blame for all this with their reality shows, music videos etc depicting immoral behavior as being acceptable. America, no dont still has great influence over a vast number of us, but lets learn something from those middleastern countries,not terrorism, but lack of influence America has on them.
Everyone should have basic human rights,even gay people.The Constitution is to protect everyone.You have to seperate church and state.Adam and Eve have nothing to do in this debate.
Gosh so many ignorant people in belize. That is why we are watching the rest of the world past us by because people in Belize choose to stay ignorant and third world. I really wish all the gays would be taken away from Belize and made to live in England- a true first world country where people have more important issues to concern themselves with rather than being homophobic.
GAY IS WRONG! ITS A SIN and totally gross, man kissing a man? Legal or Not legal its morally wrong. If this law go through look at our kids watching gays make love inthe streets of Belize.
So ignorant…i bet that each one of these persons has atleast ONE gay person in their family, or MORE…
THey want equal rights, not to have sex on the streets!
ANd if we should start stoning people on the streets, we should stone, ADULTERER, PEDOPHILES, RAPISTS….caz to me THESE people are the disgusting ones…not the homosexuals. Look at what they are doing, standing up for themselves, coming together to fight a cause, which is something that NO ONE ELSE is BELIZE is DOING…if anything we should learn from them. And whether we like it or not…they are going to conitnue being this way. ANd if any day my daughter or my son tells me that they are gay, i wont punish him or her, i will embrace him, and teach him or her to defend themselves from the close minded people that live inBelize…how can u say that MITCH was becaz of the gay cruise?
DOnt u KNOW that God is not a GOd of punishment?
Apparently YOU dont know ANYTHING about GOD, so dont begin to quote wat u dont follow.
and BTW…God hung out with the OUTCASTS in his time…and guess who the outcasts of these times are? THE HOMOSEXUALS…go figure.
I must say that I am ashamed of Lisa Shoman and Godfrey Smith, but being aware of their past it really don’t surprise me that they are defending this group of homosexuals, how can I ever vote for Lisa Shoman? I can clearly see now why she became a politician, its all about power to continue their dirty work.
LIZA SHOMAN AND GODREY SMITH ARE NOW OFFIAL MEMBERS OF THE DICKIE THE DOG BRADLEY GROUP, FOR THESE LAWYERS ITS ALL ABOUT MONEY, MONEY MONEY, SEEMS THEY WOULD GIVE THEIR ……… FOR MONEY, SELL THEIR SOULS FOR MONEY. SHAME SHAME SHAME ON THEM THEY WILL ROT IN HELL
What’s next? constitutional rights for pedophiles? Pedophiles after all are born that way.
Scary! God will lash some of us with bitter tongue. The end is very near! REPENT OR PERISH!
Stan you are the ignorant one or possible gay as well. The laws should not be changed to accomodate the difference in lifestyles. There is a standard and if you choose not to live so, go where you are accepted. Yes some households might have gays or criminals or whatever but deal with them within your household. Yes God hung out with the outcast but did he change to be like them? No he wanted to save them. he did not lobby that what they are doing is right. If you like what they are doing, open your house and other doors for them to access you every which way! We do not know why things happen but read about Sodom and Gomorrah.Sodom and Gomorrah have become synonymous with impenitent sin, and their fall was a proverbial manifestation of God’s wrath.[Jude 1:7][1] Sodom and Gomorrah have also been used as metaphors for vice and homosexuality . If we encourage it we are going against God.
YES I AGREE THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS, BUT THE WORD OF GOD SAY HOMOSEXUALITY IS INDEED AND SIN, FOR THAT REASON GOD DESTROY SODOM AND GOMORRAH. I AM NOT SAYING THAT WE DON’T FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD, BUT MY ISSUE IS THAT THE LAWS SHOULD NOT BE CHANGE TO SUIT MR OROSCO, IF THEY CHOOSE TO LIVE THAT LIVE AND END UP IN HELL THAT IS THEIR PROBLEM,, IN FACT A LOT OF RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE WILL END UP IN HELL, BECAUSE GOD LOOKS AT THE INSIDE OF MEN NOT THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE. BUT PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE LAWS. WHETHER THE LAWS CHANGE OR NOT MR OROSCO WILL CONTINUE HIS HOMOSEXUAL LIFESTYLE, LET HIM BE THE INE TO GIVE ACCOUNT TO GOD, KEEP THE LAWS IN PLACE
right on STAN! just a bunch of close minded people *shakes head*
no wonder its belize, we’re talking about ha! :\
i need help unu please help me my mind is in confusion
THE CHURCHES HAVE FAILED US.
THE CHURCHES HAVE FAILED US.
THE CHURCHES HAVE FAILED US.
THEY CAN STAND UP FOR GAY RIGHTS AND ARE ……….loudly SILENT ABOUT VIOLENT CRIME.
THEY ARE TURNING AWAY FROM GOD……………
GOD HELP US!!!!
@ Star……pedophiles are MADE BY ADULT PEDOPHILES…….THEY ARE NOT BORN THAT WAY.
Though some GAY people are BORN THAT WAY…….. as GAGA would say.
From reading some of these comments I can understand why Belize will, forever until the end of time and beyond, be a !$%#ing third world mentality colonial washoff. There are serious of corruption, police brutality, one of the highest murder rates in the Caribbean, cronyism, nepotism, gang warfare that threatens everybody,s future, mass drug trafficking by the deadliest cartel organization in the worlr, mass poverty and I could go on and on, and yet, people are preoccupied with who’s screwing who in the privacy of their bedrooms…….ten there’s the issue of the Catholic church which breeds the worst pedophiles humanity has ever known and the Anglican church of adulterers….they won’t stand up for the injustices of the poor and fatherless but they have money to waste issues that they themselves engage in in the dark. Brook of !@#$ing vipers and hypocrites!!!………….AND EVERY MAN WILL ACCOUNT TO GOD FOR HIS OWN SINS!!!!
JC Accepted them, If you banish them then you are going against God’s own children…think about that Justice. Accepting that people are different doesnt have to scare you so much, and yes accomodate, if they want to marry let them marry! Beware of the words that your thoughts create, for it mite just come back and bite you…
Apparently u have never been in a situation, i was like you, then i found out that someone i loved very much was gay, it didnt change him, he was still the same, and i wouldnt call him a pedophile, he prob does more good than any person i know, and has the most open mind, accepts people, is empathic,
I learnt a lot from this perosn and excuse me, but i will not stand here and judge them
STRAIGHT PEOPLE have their share of faults too…so before you try to take out the chip out of your neighbor’s eye be sure to take the LOG in your own…since u in the bible, go find it in Matthew….
How easy you all forget!!!!!… back in the sixties, basically the same debate was going on..
Don’t recall?
Just replace the word Gay with Black…..
To all those big headed lawyers who are supporting UNIBAM, you think you know so much but you don’t know a thing. It’s a dam shame, especially to those who are running for a post in the coming general election.
If the laws in the constitution is changed to accommodate a SINFUL ACT as homosexuality, then you will have to take God away from it because the constitution will no longer be founded under the SUPREMACY of GOD. You take away God from the Constitution, you will have sold the country to the devil. You just watch and see what will happen to . It is so sad that we cannot learn from the past – Biblical times, where time after time God has been warning us.
Keep your eyes open – You Mr. Caled
SHAME: It’s sad, sad that we are here protecting and trying to grant rights to these types of people. These gay men keep harassing young boys. They promise them many things, use them and then try to get rid of them. That is why in the past many have been found dead. That is no way to end a mans life, neither do i support this act. GAY’s all over our country, In high positions, UNIBAM, NAC, ALLIANCE AGAINST AIDS, PASMO. and all there support groups. Waste of tax payers money, waste of peoples time and defending a bunch of nasty men.. what a shame.. Belize is not ready for this yet.. Even when one applies for a job, they higher there own kind. Seems its adam and steve no longer eve,,
THIS IS MADA!@$$, HOW IN THE WORLD THESE MEN THINK OUR COUNTRY WILL CHANGE LAWS TO SUIT THEM. HELL NO WAY!!!!
PRIME MINISTER DEAN BARROW PLEASE DO NOT! AND I SAY AGAIN DO NOT CHANGE THE LAWS, POR FAVOR, ESTOS GAY MEN NO PUEDEN TENER SUS WAYS OK, LEAVE THEM IF THEY WANT TO TAKE ….., ESES ES SU PROBLEM DE ELLOS, …………., BUT THE LAWS MUST STAY IN PLACE AND TO HELL WITH THE INTERNATIONAL LAWYERS, ORGANIZATIONS OR ANY OTHER GROUP. THIS MAN CALEB SHOULD DO SOME SOUL SEARCHING, HE SHOULD REPENT AND CHANGE HIS WAYS CAUSE IF HE DIES IN THIS SIN HIS SOUL WILL BUR FOREVER AND EVER.
I would never live in Belize.They talked about land of the free.To me it is more like the land ignorant people.That is the reason they are so backward., and the country is dirt poor.Nothing is civilized about Belize.
Reader,northside,nameless,stan and all those other supporters of faggoty.Using words like closed minded,confused,ignorant and homophobic,i am glad most of you dont live in belize.Homo’s sure the h*** wont bring our country out of third world status,and if one bad apple will spoil the bunch,it must what?get tek out.whatever homosexual’s do in the privacy of their own home is fine with me,just dont get caught doing it,because it is illagal and the law of our land.And no i sure the h*** dont have any homosexual’s in my family that i know of,or i would sure keep my children away from them,i want my children to grow up as “normal” people,and one day discover the joy’s of a man and woman,so please stay where abnormal people is accepted.
People:-where are our morals and values gone. Can’t believe money is being wasted on such a thing. To Lisa Shoman and Godfrey Smith, real shame on you. These are the things you want to tell our children that it is ok to do these actions in the public eyes. Then again we probably should expect no better from you two. I guess anything for money.
Let’s come together Belize and stand up against this, whether you are part of the church or not. But most of all we need to pray for our country, leaders, and children.
People. let’s bring back our country and stop mimic other countries.
Belize Constitution Preamble…….We, as Belizeans, covent to bow to the SUPREMACY of GOD.
No need for further discussion or argument.
Gay? Dont agree with your behaviour being criminal in Belize and under God’s Laws? (Torah, Bible, Quran…God is not defined in the Constitution, But God is One and the same in all Abrahamic religion, and homosexuality is most definitely a sin, no argument)….then go bugger yourselves in another country.
Seems to me that these lawyers are getting big international money to work on this case. Lisa need money to run her campaign in Belmopan and Godfrey the do it because he’s …….., the money is just a perk. Belize is a third world country yes, but we do not have a colonial mentality. The so called “first world countries’ accept this, we do not have to fall in line with what the rest of the world is doing. If the …….. them want tek ……. mek them do it, but when they want to change the laws of Belize to make them feel better about themselves I have a problem with that. Belizeans are not ignorant we are strong minded and know what we do and do not want for our country
Fire bun for the UNIBAM group and Caleb Orosco.
I have a homosexaul family member, but I don’t condone changing the Belize law for any degenerating death style. Like Belize society don’t have enough on its plate to deal with already. I LOVE my homosexual family member but that death style is degenerate.
The church has its own internal issues when it comes to various degenerating issues, but I applaud them for jumping on this issue.
Nuff respect to Attorney Lisa Shoman SC and Attorney Godfrey Smith SC. ONE LOVE!
i’d say majority of those that say we’re ignorant or any other name trying to bring we down are those living abroad not in belize. and because they live abroad they feel they are more open minded than we here but let me tell you we also know about this issue, it’s only that we don’t accept such things which are plaguing the first world countries with sin. sin and imorality are more seen in those well develop countries so i rather accept being called close minded but not accepting to change our beloved laws to suit a 2% of the population gay life style forever, God is love but he punishes who does who dothe wrong things meaning any kind of sin. He is love, but he burned Sodom and Gomorrah because they were living like caleb orosco ( it would have suit him more like caled da asco).
John Boy,Carson,Ca:Who told you that Belize will fail to exist without you?What’s your point.Your statement is irrelevant to what is been discussed so i guess you’re the one who is ignorant.
To me this is not about supporting the gay community or the churches. We as Belizeans as human beings think & do what we believe & know. We have to see what this UNIBAM wants to do. It plain wrong, cause this will earse a law. Here what is say criminal code. Its about crime not about gays & religious people. We need more laws to keep our families & Belize safer not take them out…
Everybody should have basic human right but in life people need to realize that we serve a mighty God and homosexuality is wrong. In the Bible God punished his own people for their evil doings. Belize is such a small country going through so much already but proletariat need to realize that it’s because influences from America and media outlets are corrupting the people in this world. Of course homosexuality is accepted in America and broadcasted but wake up and realize that they are the same ones that remove prayer from their schools, got rid of ” in God we trust” from their dollar then they wonder why so many people are suffering. In Belize the younger generation are also losing sight of God and focused more on a materialistic life that’s why there’s theft and envy and corruption in the country. Let me ask this though, what happens when all material possessions are gone? What will become of each person’s life???
Dont care what law passes or doesnt pass
i just wanna say one thing
KEEP THE LESBIAN PORN
i swear on my tank of gas (which is damn expensive) that if lesbian porn is banned or outlawed
i shall start a REVOLUTION to bring back lesbian porn
RESPECT DI BUSH!
@ john boy,we are happy people like you would’nt live in our country,so why wasting our time with your imput,carson california should be your concern.