Jamaica Umbrella Group of Churches dismayed by UWI’s termination of Brendan Bain

On Tuesday, Professor Brendan Bain was sacked from the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, following a call by various advocacy groups to have him removed from his post after providing expert testimony in the UNIBAM challenge.  The Jamaica Umbrella Group of Churches has issued a release expressing its dismay with the manner in which the situation was resolved.  According to the release, while the JUGC understands the argument and justification presented by UWI for cancelling the contract, the group believes that the decision will only serve to further the discrimination and stigmatization of persons who are homosexuals.

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Isani Cayetano

“Kindly begin sharing with us the position of the Jamaica Umbrella Group of Churches with regards to the removal of Professor Brendan Bain as the head of CHART, UWI.”

Reverend Gary Harriott

“The umbrella group of churches, we are concerned that this relationship between Professor Bain and CHART is ending in the way it is ending.  We would have hoped that there would have been a more amicable resolution of the situation.  In one country there is the level of work that Professor Bain has offered to the HIV/AIDS fight in the Caribbean.  We are deeply concerned that the matter has ended in this way.”

Isani Cayetano

Gary Harriott

“In terms of the developments with regards to the actions taken by the advocacy movement with regards to Professor Bain’s expert testimony, can you share with us your thoughts or the representation of the group that you belong to on this matter?”

Reverend Gary Harriott

“Well the group is concerned that it would appear that because Professor Bain’s opinion is not shared with the advocacy group in terms of the repealing of the buggery law then he is being… That is the concern because a significant part of the church community have people who also share that view in terms of keeping the buggery law because they are of the view that if you repeal the law it is going to result in what happens in other societies where you are ending up with same-sex marriages etc…  So we are concerned that there was not a place for Professor Bain with all his expertise to still offer to the program even though he has a different perspective on that particular matter.”

Isani Cayetano

“What is the atmosphere in Jamaica, either within the church community there or within the student body of the University of the West Indies, in light of this particular decision taken by the university to have Professor Bain removed or to have his contract canceled?”

Reverend Gary Harriott

“It’s kind of difficult to measure the impact now or are being silenced.”