Cayman: Premier’s statement on Civil Partnership Law 2020

ArchiveSep 4, 2020

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Cayman: Premier’s statement on Civil Partnership Law 2020 — Prem Alden McLaughlin

GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands - As Premier,
I am utterly humiliated that because of our failure to do our duty as
a Legislature, the UK Government has been forced to legislate for us.
Notwithstanding our firm faith in God and strong Christian heritage,
Cayman is not a theocracy but a democracy, and no democracy can long
survive if it does not respect the rule of law. I have been shocked
that so many of our Legislators and, indeed, members of the broader
community believe that it was right to urge the Government to ignore
a declaration of our own Court of Appeal. And, that they also believe
that the Government is free to decide what category of persons are
entitled to enjoy the constitutionally guaranteed right to private
and family life.

But I pray that now that the Civil Partnership Law
has been assented to by His Excellency, the Governor, it will be
accepted as the law of the land and the campaign against same-sex
relationships will end along with the demeaning rhetoric which has
unfortunately characterised the public debate.

My faith tells me that we are all created in the
same ‘image’ and must reckon with God each for ourselves. Jesus
urged us to do unto others as we would have done to us. The
introduction of the Domestic Partnership Bill was the right thing to
do as a society that values each and every person within it,
regardless of race, creed, gender or sexual orientation.

Regrettably, much of the debate inside the
Legislative Assembly and in the media has caused our sisters and
brothers in the LGBT community to feel belittled, undervalued and
ostracised. Jesus never treated people in that way, ever. I am hard
pressed to find a reference in the gospels where Jesus castigated
‘outsiders’ even when their lifestyles didn’t comply with his
view. Let us as a community now seek to do as Jesus did.

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