Prime Minister Perry Christie.
By RASHAD ROLLE and
RICARDO WELLS
Tribune Staff Reporters
AS debate rages about the implications of the government’s proposed amendments to the Constitution, Prime Minister Perry Christie insisted that same-sex marriage will never happen in the Bahamas during his lifetime.
Mr Christie appeared agitated by the continued argument that the fourth Constitutional Amendment Bill could lead to same-sex marriage, telling The Tribune on Friday night that he is “almost embarrassed by” this line of thinking.
As for calls from those campaigning against the referendum to be given public funds considering the government has funded the YES Bahamas campaign, Mr Christie suggested he is not swayed by their arguments saying this administration has chosen to be on the “moral” side of the issue.
Mr Christie also called talk that the referendum is a smokescreen to legalise gay marriage through the back door “nonsense.”
“For me, I’m almost embarrassed by it,” he said on the sidelines of Junkanoo Carnival.
On the issue of funding the “no” campaign, he said: “People can ask and they can even go to the courts. We have to do what we have to do. I believe I have taken the morally correct position.”
“I hope everything goes well,” he added. “We support strongly the ‘yes’ side. We’ve made an effort to get the best lawyers from within the commonwealth to speak to the question of whether a backdoor to same-sex marriage could be opened and they’ve all said no. I’m almost embarrassed by it. One could argue what one might like. But I said to all of the religious leaders present (at a meeting with the late Dr Myles Munroe in 2014) that in my lifetime we will never have same-sex marriages. I don’t believe in it and my government doesn’t believe in it so it’s nonsense to speak about backdoor entry to same-sex marriage.”
During another interview on Saturday, he said: “I have said and will continue to say without fear of contradiction, this vote has nothing to do with same-sex. I have given them (religious leaders) that assurance and some continue to push a no vote, which is okay.”
“But my government has gone to great lengths to ensure that a yes vote would mean exactly what we say, a move to ensure that our sons and daughters are equal in the eyes of the constitution.”
He added: “The legal minds in the Bahamas have given us the nod and told us we are good to go, similarly with legal minds in the US, the UK and other major places around the world.”
“A point in fact here, many of those legal minds have said that our laws as presently constituted does more to allow same-sex marriage than any changes proposed in this referendum and that is what is strange.”
“And it is an amazing contradiction on their part.
“But, as it stands I can only hope that they can understand that government has taken the position that it is correct to have equality between our daughters and our sons and that our sons should not be superior to our daughters.”
One of the groups opposing the fourth referendum question, Save Our Bahamas, has formally written Mr Christie, requesting $100,000 to fund its campaign.
The organisation believes the fourth question would open the door to same-sex marriage. The other three questions deal with issues of citizenship.
The government has not revealed how much it has spent on the YES Bahamas campaign. Mr Christie would only say that the amount was not “that large”. He went on to say that the final amount still had to be totalled.
The country is still awaiting clarity on the total cost of the upcoming referendum.
National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage, who has responsibility for referenda, told The Tribune late last month that he would speak to the issue of costs and funding during a contribution in the House of Assembly later that week.
However, he has not yet spoken on the matter.
On the weekend, Mr Christie suggested that the cost could be in excess of $1 million.
The gender equality vote will take place on June 7.
Comments
TalRussell 8 years, 7 months ago
Rt. Honourable Primie Minister, If you, for one moment believe that you are speaking for Jesus, or even Bahamalanders in general, you is in error.
PM read your Bible cause you cannot read more than 9 verses that refer to homosexuality. But red on PM, cause there are well over 100 verses that refer to Judging others. The same Bible does also teach that Judging is a sin.
PM sin is sin and you are publicly done up and walking around this Monday morning, as a sinner.
PM you will have to read the entire Old & New Testament to find even the 9 verses that refer to homosexuality.
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 7 months ago
What would it take for a dog to turn around and eat his vomit?
Emilio26 2 years, 2 months ago
ThisIsOurs Lol!!!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
ohdrap4 8 years, 7 months ago
same sex marriage may not exist in the Bahamas at this time.
but gay marriage exists in the Bahamas.
I know a lot of gay folks who are married.
Emac 8 years, 7 months ago
What you, the prime minister of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, fail to understand is that the majority of right thinking Bahamians cannot trust anything you PLPs have to say, even if you are sincere about what you are presenting to the people. How could we believe you now when you said the same during the referendum that was held for legalizing gambling??? You gave us your word then as you are doing now. Your word meant nothing then, as it means nothing now. Yes I voted YES for the gambling thing, but the majority of the people voted NO! So the only thing you should be embarrassed about is your government's failure to allow the people's voice to stand. For these very same reasons,the people will revolt against anything you bring to them.
Honestman 8 years, 7 months ago
Typical populist pronouncement from the Prime Minister on a matter that is quite frankly way down the list of critical issues for the country. Instead of this bold statement why not declare:
No more CORRUPTION within my government in my lifetime. No more MURDER records in my lifetime. No more government INCOMPETENCE like BAMSI in my lifetime. No more SELLING OUT TO THE CHINESE in my lifetime. No more stalling on FREEDOM OF INFORMATION in my lifetime. No more SELLING OUT OUR YOUTH by failing their EDUCATIONAL NEEDS.
I could go on but I'm getting bored.
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 7 months ago
Just one more you should have mentioned Honestman: NO MORE SELLING CITIZENSHIP FOR VOTES!! And this is precisely what the four Christie proposed amendments to our constitution seek to do under the guise of equal rights for women.
sheeprunner12 8 years, 7 months ago
Any fool should be able to see this from a mile away ......... this is PLP Electioneering 101 ........... how do we get these dummies in the mood for the next election .......... give them sweet-nothings like BAMSI, Carnival, Numbers, University, new Police cars & Ambulances, pretty RBDF boats, NHI, Diploma for Dummies and Equal Rights .......... and BAM!!!!!!! ...... 5 more years on the gravy train baby!!!!!!
TalRussell 8 years, 7 months ago
Comrades it is unlikely that the PM does be aware that included among the PM's own MP's and Senators and legal colleagues, are man's who does enjoy wearing woman's panties.
Granted some may wear panties for comfort only but not the vast majority.
Comrades I can factually tells you that if you anonymously tooks a survey where men's were asked, if they have every worn woman's panties, or thought about it as a sexual turn on - 85% Bahamalander males - could answer, YES.
Oh yes, even 85% them man's Judges could answer YES to the panty question.
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2016…
licks2 8 years, 7 months ago
Our PM knows full well that the public will not give him Bill #4. . .he is "hoping" on the wagon where the wheels done "come off" in their hands. This man takes no position on anything that is in the best interest of our nation. . .and he is not a man of his words. . .THANKS BUT NO THANKS MR PM. . .I WILL PASS ON YOU!
Emac 8 years, 7 months ago
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2016…
jackbnimble 8 years, 7 months ago
Is he using reverse psychology? Didn't he recently make a statement that The Bahamas must learn to coexist with global views on homosexuality? Or this just to get more yes voters to 'jump in the line'?
Also isn't it true that they expect some "future generations" to bring a referendum to deal with it. Isn't this the reason for leaving "at birth" off the end of sex in the 4th question? Guess if that's the case, it won't happen in his lifetime but clearly in his children or grandchildren's.
sheeprunner12 8 years, 7 months ago
If two adult men or two adult women are living together in an intimate conjugal relationship sharing utility bills, sharing social responsibilities, providing financial and legal assistance for each other and/or their offspring and providing for long-term post-mortem relief for the partner/offspring .......... then is that a "marriage" as provided for by Ingraham's "common law" marriage provisions ......... No?????
I am sure that there are Bahamian "common law marriage" case law examples that may be used by now by these same-sex supporters ............. we will soon see them emerge
TalRussell 8 years, 7 months ago
Comrades why so little discussion on the much more important to Bahamaland's sovereignty - referendum Question Number 3?
sheeprunner12 8 years, 7 months ago
This issue of marriage is at the core of society ...... the structure of the family, the building block of a society ......... there is nothing more important to a country than the structure/survival/stability of the family ........ Is Perry saying that the Marriage Act is more sacrosanct than the Constitution???? ...... any government can amend the Marriage Act any day
TalRussell 8 years, 7 months ago
Comrades neither is there any conversations if it is the PLP Cabinet's intent if the 4 referendum questions are successfully voted upon - to apply them retroactively?
Exactly, how far back will you go PM - 1, 5, 10, 15 years?
PM, your government cannot even tell Bahamalanders - how many are living, working and borning babies - all while in the country illegally? The number of but one nationality is estimated to be well over 100,000?
Comrades neither has the PM bothered to clarify if Yes is to be the will of the voters, how long it will take, before the referendum's questions become the law?
Is it to become the law, before the PM does rungs the 2017 General bell?
Will it become the law of the land, if the Yes vote is but 51% to the No's 49%?
Required 8 years, 7 months ago
I feel compelled to point out that Perry has already surpassed the average life expectancy for Bahamian men... Ain't long now.
kairosmatt 8 years, 7 months ago
Can't happen fast enough.
Chucky 8 years, 7 months ago
Hard to believe so many get caught up in these dogmas, clearly equal rights for men and women is a must.
why not just amend the constitution to say that.
What's going on here is an attempt to use this non issue, to keep people occupied and in the hopes that we get so caught up in this, that we forget everything else. Sadly , it seems to be working.
Hide the ball anyone? Heard of it? This is just a game, and you be the fools.
What about the real issues in society.
John 8 years, 7 months ago
Brave Vladimir Putin is pushing for a gold-backed currency, ditching fractional reserve banking, and delivering a defiant rebuke to the Western world’s move towards a digital-only cashless society, according to a report circulating in the Kremlin on Friday.
President Putin swears he will NEVER stop the circulation of cold hard cash because he considers digital-only cashless currency to be a New World Order tactic to gain control over the public.
President Putin has stated his desire to destroy the Illuminati in 2016, and according to Kremlin insiders he believes disrupting the global banking cartel’s plan to ban cash is a key campaign in his war against the New World Order.
The Rothschild controlled global banking lobby want a digital cashless system because this will give them even more control over us. They want to monitor and control every single transaction, while destroying real world currencies so they can issue money that doesn’t exist, creating impossible financial burdens for the masses, all the while accumulating extraordinary real wealth and power for themselves.
Populations relying on a fully digital cashless grid will be incredibly vulnerable in times of crisis, according to the report written by the Office of the President (OP). A terrorist or military attack, or even a storm or power outage, would mean the end of a functional economy. Payments would stop, the economy would grind to a halt, and life as we know it would end. A new, desperate climate would take hold, with entire populations left vulnerable and helpless, completely under the control of their government and the shadowy elites pulling the strings.
They now have all currency under their control, now they are pushing for every country to amend their constitutions, so that they will all be the same, then they will become the one world order.
paul_vincent_zecchino 8 years, 7 months ago
Spot on, John. Thank you for exposing the truth about these New Werld Ordure creeps, poofters, wanckers, toffee-nosers and tossers. Most of them don't have the sense of a tree stump, yet they fancy themselves fit to tell us how to live - and how to die.
They want us all in 'compact urban areas' to supposedly save the planet. But our Creator has long decreed, 'Earth will remain inhabited forever.' What they really are is modern day Nimrods who wish to surveill, harass, and hunt the humans they hold in contempt, until they whole planet is their spoil, their little sandbox in which these Elites can queer one another off all day in a drug haze. There, I've said it. And I'll gladly say it again. Many people around the world are catching on to the gag. Mr. Putin is exposing it as is radio/internet talk host Alex Jones, among others. Thank you for stating the truth.
SP 8 years, 7 months ago
Sarkis Izmirlian trusted $800M on PM Christies "word". See what happened to him!
Exactly what criteria does PM Christie offer for anyone to trust him? I know of absolutely nothing.
When has anything PM Christie promised ever materialized?
PM Christies "word" on Bahamians first, gambling referendum, BAMSI, Immigration, Baha Mar etc. have proven to be totally worthless!
Everyone with any sense has already figured out this "gender equality" referendum is a disingenuous, fraudulent attempt to actually mask constitutional changes regarding immigration that would allow tens of thousands of Haitians secretly granted citizenship to pass on Bahamian citizenship to spouses and children.
Doing the math starting with a minimum of 30,000 Haitians granted citizenship spanning the past 43 years who will be passing that citizenship onto 30,000 spouses, equals 60,000 new citizens over night.
The referendum also calls for single or married citizens of Bahamas to automatically pass on citizenship to children. Haitians traditionally have large families with 6+ children, so we multiply 6 children per new citizen by 60,000 new Bahamian citizens which equals 360,000!
This raises 3 vitally important fundamental questions that cannot be ignored:
What happens when these 360,000 new Haitian Bahamian citizens decide to vote as a block against the interest of indigenous Bahamians?
What happens to indigenous Bahamians when these 360,000 new Haitian Bahamian citizens and tens of thousands of Bahamians of Haitian decent already here for 6 decades decide to form their own political party, and vote in their own Haitian Bahamian representatives to Parliament?
How many Bahamians of Haitian decent are ALREADY sitting in Parliament?
Bahamians better pay attention to what's really happening here!
Get all your children of voting age registered to vote NOW and VOTE NO to all four questions.
Trusting PM Christie would be totally foolhardy and irresponsible for any right thinking Bahamian with their children and future generations of Bahamians interest at heart!
John 8 years, 7 months ago
"The US will be de-industrialized and gays "given permission to act out." Women will be masculinized. Music would get "much worse." Much of what Dr. Day promised in 1969 has come to pass. But many more ominous events designed to establish a police state have yet to transpire." - See more at: http://www.henrymakow.com/#sthash.lUQnv…
"Dr. Day said sex will be separated from marriage and reproduction ( i.e. "sexual liberation") to break up the family and reduce population. Abortion, divorce, promiscuity and homosexuality will be made socially acceptable. Gender-neutered and promiscuous, fewer people are able to bond permanently with a member of the opposite sex for the purpose of procreation. - See more at: http://www.henrymakow.com/#sthash.lUQnv… "It will be made more difficult for families to stay together. More women will work outside the home and more people will remain single. Sports will be promoted to girls so they will become more masculine and seek career instead of family. They will be taught that they are the same as boys. - See more at: http://www.henrymakow.com/#sthash.lUQnv…
"Pornography, violence and obscenity on TV and in movies will be increased. People will be desensitized to violence and porn and made to feel life is short, precarious and brutish. Music will "get worse" and will be used for indoctrination.
There will be unemployment and mass migration in order to uproot long established (conservative) communities. Social change will be introduced in port cities and work its way to the heartland. (Thus, the east and west coast are liberal.) - See more at: http://www.henrymakow.com/#sthash.lUQnv…
Our society and culture are a fraud based on one central fraud, the monopoly over government credit in the hands of Cabalist private bankers. They are using this power to extend their monopoly over every aspect of our lives by manipulating world events and social behavior. The only way to save civilization from failure is to nationalize the Central Banks.
- See more at: http://www.henrymakow.com/#sthash.lUQnv… "Dr. Day says politicians are manipulated "without their even knowing it." Their failure to protect us from this Satanic conspiracy is a betrayal of the first order. We have to alert the sincere ones and reach soldiers and police too. Civilization hangs in the balance. We are in real danger and should prepare for the worst. - See more at: http://www.henrymakow.com/#sthash.lUQnv…
These are all quotes from 1969...before many of us were born...are we there yet?
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 7 months ago
Re-post: Bahamians had better mark their "X" on the ballot next to the picture of the gate, as it represents (1) the gate to keep thousands of foreigners (wanting Bahamian status) out of our country and (2) the gate to keep same-sex marriages from happening in our country! The corrupt Ingraham-led FNM and Christie-led PLP governments of the past three decades think we are all fools. Even though many of us are either unemployed or under employed, our corrupt government is now hell bent on granting thousands of foreigners Bahamian status in exchange for their vote down the road. We can't afford to let this happen. Bahamians must show up at the polls on June 7th and vote a resounding "NO!" to all four of the proposed amendments to our constitution. Remember....just mark your "X" next to the picture of the gate on your ballot. You must vote "NO" otherwise you and your family will really be sorry when the wave of foreigners come to our shores to take your job for less pay!
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