Political commentator Claude Skelton Cline has warned that the Virgin Islands must not allow the United Kingdom to use same-sex marriage as leverage in the upcoming constitutional reform negotiations.
Speaking on his radio programme this week, Skelton Cline said he supports the right of persons to love who they choose, but strongly opposes any attempt to force the Territory to accept a legal position that conflicts with its cultural and religious values.
“You can love whoever you want to love, and I will fight for your rights to love whomever it is you want to love,” he said.
However, he argued that the Virgin Islands should not be pressured by the UK or any other external body to redefine marriage.
“What I will not want, and what I will not do is the United Kingdom or anybody else telling us... that we are mandated by law to marry,” Skelton Cline stated.
He said he would support civil unions and legal protections for same-sex couples, including rights similar to those enjoyed by traditional married couples, but maintained that marriage remains a deeply cultural and religious issue for many in the Territory.
Skelton Cline said the UK should not use constitutional reform as a bargaining chip to force the BVI’s hand.
“You cannot negotiate with a gun to your head,” he said.
His comments come against the backdrop of recent remarks by Premier and Minister of Finance Dr Natalio Wheatley, who said on the Too Inquisitive podcast with Kirton “Bunchie” Wheatley, that the government does not recognise same-sex marriage locally.
“When it comes to the question of marriage, which is a cultural kind of concept, cultural, semi-cultural, religious concept, we’ve decided that same-sex marriage is not something that we recognise here,” the Premier said.
However, Wheatley also explained that international human rights requirements mean the government must still provide some form of legal recognition for same-sex relationships, possibly through a Civil Partnership Act or Domestic Partnership Act.
Skelton Cline said any decision on same-sex marriage should reflect the will and values of the people of the Virgin Islands, rather than pressure from abroad.
Speaking on his radio programme this week, Skelton Cline said he supports the right of persons to love who they choose, but strongly opposes any attempt to force the Territory to accept a legal position that conflicts with its cultural and religious values.
“You can love whoever you want to love, and I will fight for your rights to love whomever it is you want to love,” he said.
However, he argued that the Virgin Islands should not be pressured by the UK or any other external body to redefine marriage.
“What I will not want, and what I will not do is the United Kingdom or anybody else telling us... that we are mandated by law to marry,” Skelton Cline stated.
He said he would support civil unions and legal protections for same-sex couples, including rights similar to those enjoyed by traditional married couples, but maintained that marriage remains a deeply cultural and religious issue for many in the Territory.
Skelton Cline said the UK should not use constitutional reform as a bargaining chip to force the BVI’s hand.
“You cannot negotiate with a gun to your head,” he said.
His comments come against the backdrop of recent remarks by Premier and Minister of Finance Dr Natalio Wheatley, who said on the Too Inquisitive podcast with Kirton “Bunchie” Wheatley, that the government does not recognise same-sex marriage locally.
“When it comes to the question of marriage, which is a cultural kind of concept, cultural, semi-cultural, religious concept, we’ve decided that same-sex marriage is not something that we recognise here,” the Premier said.
However, Wheatley also explained that international human rights requirements mean the government must still provide some form of legal recognition for same-sex relationships, possibly through a Civil Partnership Act or Domestic Partnership Act.
Skelton Cline said any decision on same-sex marriage should reflect the will and values of the people of the Virgin Islands, rather than pressure from abroad.
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