‘This is the right thing to do’

Law changes that will prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation should not spark fierce debate in Parliament, according to the Minister who will table them.

Community and Cultural Development Minister, Wayne Scott, told the Sun he had even asked his own pastor to pray for him to have the strength and wisdom to do what is right.

Mr Scott acknowledged that the changes might be seen by some as contentious, but maintained they were part of modernizing the island’s laws.

He added: “I went to the pastor at the church I attend and I asked him to pray for me.

“I asked him to pray for me to have the wisdom and strength to do what is right and this is the right thing to do.

“We are not trying to sneak this change through.

“Coming down the proper path was going to be contentious but it’s the right thing to do.”

The changes to the Human Rights Act will be tabled on May 17 when Parliament re-opens.

The amendments will prevent discrimination on the grounds of sexual discrimination as well as age discrimination in the provision of goods, services and facilities and housing.

Mr Scott said: “This is something that people get very, very nervous about because so many different things are thrown into it.

“This Government is not looking at same sex marriage.

“The intention of the change is not to legalise or set the groundwork to legalise same sex marriage.

“It offers fundamental human rights that have been around in the Western civilized world since the 1980’s.

“I don’t think it will be a heated debate. If it is, it is extraordinarily hypocritical. There is nothing, and I am a Christian, in the bible that suggests in any way, shape or form that you should discriminate against anyone on the grounds of their sexual orientation.

“From a religious point of view there should be absolutely no support for any type of discrimination.

“I feel very comfortable moving forward with this.

“This has nothing to do with anyone’s preferences, it has to do with what is right.”

Meanwhile the Minister stuck to his guns about his decision not to include age discrimination in the  workplace as part of the tabled changes despite criticism from Age Concern.

He said: “There are many different potential areas that have to be looked at regarding age in the workplace and a lot more implications.

“We could very easily have held this up for six months, a year or even two years while we explored every possible scenario.

“That would be irresponsible and we are choosing to be responsible.”