Pastor Brian Turtin of the Mt Sinai Spiritual Baptist Church of God in New Montrose has made it quite
clear that he is sticking to the Holy Bible and will not be supporting any gay marriage and is therefore asking Almighty God to speak to the hearts of parliamentarians in St Vincent and the Grenadines that they will not pass any law permitting gay marriages.
Pastor Turtin’s comment came days after two overseas-based Vincentians made applications to the court here seeking to have the laws that prohibit homosexuality declared unconstitutional. He was at the time delivering the sermon during a service on Sunday morning.
“I pray that God will give this government wisdom; and I pray that laws will never be passed in this country giving two men right to get married,” pastor Turtin said.
The matters filed in court are challenging the constitutionality of the Criminal Code which deals with gross indecency and buggery and prohibits homosexuality.
Section 146 of the Criminal Code states that: “Any person who commits buggery with any other person; commits buggery with an animal; or permits any person to commit buggery with him or her; is guilty of an offence and liable to imprisonment for ten years”.
Section 148 of the Criminal Code states that: “Any person, who in public or private, commits an act of gross indecency with another person of the same sex, or procures or attempts to procure another person of the same sex to commit an act of gross indecency with him or her, is guilty of an offence and liable to imprisonment for five years.”
“Be a real man”, “don’t bring your nastiness in the church,” “We like to find excuse for nastiness,” and “Fire! I will curse them!” are some of the remarks he made.
The legal challenges were filed by local lawyers Zita Barnwell and Jomo Thomas but English barristers Jeremy Johnson QC and Peter Laverack of 5 Essex Court, London, are listed as the intended trial advocates. 5 Essex Court was instructed by a team at Hogan Lovells, which includes Charles Brasted, partner, Tom Smith, senior associate, and Iris Karaman, trainee solicitor.
One of the males, 53-year old Sean Macleish who lives in the US, is seeking to return home with his partner.
Twenty-two year old Javin Johnson who was granted asylum in the United Kingdom because he was able to establish that he could not live in this country with his gay partner, is the other person challenging the laws.