Loretta Butler-Turner
By DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Freeport Reporter
dmaycck@tribunemedia.net
FREE NATIONAL Movement MP Loretta Butler Turner fully supports and stands with the government on the forthcoming Referendum for Gender Equality in the Bahamas, and urges other Bahamians to do so as well for the sake of future generations.
“I will fight them (the Progressive Liberal Party) on every front, but for this one I do stand with them,” she told the Rotary Club of Freeport yesterday. “On this I will hold their hand and I ask you to do the same.”
The MP for Long Island said she supported it in 2002 under the FNM administration, and continues to support it now in 2016 under the PLP government. She stressed that now is not the time for politics or for payback to the government for what happened with the gaming referendum.
“My fundamental beliefs about human rights and equality do not change depending on which government is in office. It is something that was right and just in 2002, and it is also right and just in 2016,” she said.
“I don’t have an argument with anyone who tells me the way they want to vote. I want to make sure I impart to you what the facts are and you make your own decision. As for me, I am voting ‘yes’ to all four questions. I admonish you to do the same, but if you don’t that is what deepens or democracy.
“I accept that … some may have philosophical differences, but I do not accept when one raised the question out of anger against the government as a payback vote. I cannot accept that.”
She pointed out that the gaming referendum was an expensive opinion poll and that Bahamians were misled into thinking that it was a referendum. “They spent our money for the opinion poll and told us it would be a binding poll and they turned around and changed it, and I know it makes you apprehensive. But this one is a constitutional referendum and it cannot be changed by the whim of any minister or Prime Minister, whatever the results are,” she explained.
“I have heard many say I don’t understand voting no. Are we going to shut the door just because the leader of our country today 15 years ago voted yes in Parliament and came out for expediency or whatever reason and told you to vote no, and you feel you need to pay him back? No we have got to look out for our children. It’s not the time for retribution or payback.”
Mrs Butler-Turner said that the referendum is about citizenship and ensuring that no laws are made that will not discriminate against someone because they are a man or woman. She said it has nothing to do with same sex marriage or transgender. “It is only about equality for sons, daughters and our men and women,” the MP said.
She noted that much of the talk is not based on facts, but rather on supposition, false ideas and considerable misinformation. Mrs Butler-Turner said that the referendum is another march and another chapter in the country’s march to freedom, “another opportunity for us as a people to bend the moral arc towards greater equality for certain group of women and certain groups of men. It is fundamentally about equality and basic fairness and justice.
“This referendum is a test of our commitment to freedom and equality. We should not allow unfounded fears to drown out the call of freedom and hope. Indeed, I find it quite disturbing that much of the debate is characterised by sexist, xenophobic and homophobic rhetoric. The notion that question four is somehow a pathway to same sex marriage is indeed a red herring, it is plainly wrong. It is not only the right thing to do ethically, but it is in the interest of justice,” she said of the four bills.
Comments
Regardless 8 years, 5 months ago
....so Long Island will welcome sissies now? Hmmmm. Haitians must be next.
licks2 8 years, 5 months ago
No. . .her stance is because her leader looked like he "found" one fence to sit on when he see the wind going south on this referendum!! She trying to stay with her "monied" upper classed backers. . .who mostly have the children who will be "harmed" by the blanketed "NO" vote!! They had money to go to overseas schools and got in relationships with them overseas people and have kids that are victims of our loop-sided Constitution!
She failed to realize that the majority "NO" voters did and do not have the money to be affected "en-mas" so they have the "cushion" to lick the PLP and all who stand with them! Doc "jumped" up on that fence for when the people "turn" on the PLP and all who looked like they are with them. . .this referendum is a "memorandum" on who we will "bury" on June 7. . .using the referendum!
These two people are now presenting "faces" to the public. . .one running the heck out of the way of this "cut hip" coming and one will stand up in the road and face the oncoming deluge heading her way!
A "YES" victory will make her look good and make Doc look like a fence sitting wimp. . .going forward . . . but if the "NO" victory comes in. . .she would have lost more "CREDS" with the people. . . a defeat she can lease afford. . . she is not the leader right now. . .no room to recover with election a few moths away!! I am beginning to see these two as the road runner and whylie Coyote. . .the one always trying to eat the other and continually ending up with a mouth of iron or rock! No bird! Lol!
TalRussell 8 years, 5 months ago
Careful with that green sign behind Loretta.
Comrade Sister Loretta does stand and hold the hands Christie, Brave, "Big Bad" Brad and even Jerome, Freddy and Pot cake. But the bigger question is - will Loretta stick around the pending green makeover of the red party to hold the hands Dr. Andre, Renward, Minnis and the returning under red tent Bran?
sheeprunner12 8 years, 5 months ago
Three things to remember about LBT.......... she has contracted post-Joaquin Long Island "burnout" .......... Her constituents have no interest in voting YES with the PLP ....... she may be GREEN before the end of this summer ........... it is not fun being LBT right now
Economist 8 years, 5 months ago
Good example of leadership LBT!
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 5 months ago
Very poor judgement on LBT's part, but not unexpected. She is flying her true colors now which explains why she was never in the running to replace Minnis even though most Bahamians agree that Minnis would make a far worse PM than Christie could ever be. Like Minnis, LBT will never be a leader, period. Let's all pray we have a reputable, well educated and honest independent candidate running in our constituency in 2017; someone who is principled, hard working and worthy of our vote. We really must free ourselves of everyone who has ever been in the political arena at the behest of the PLP, the FNM or the DNA.
licks2 8 years, 5 months ago
This sounds like "under-the-bus" time here. . .
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