SASOD to Ramotar: The Bishop has to go

SASOD to Ramotar: The Bishop has to go

The Society Against Sexual Orientation and Discrimination (SASOD) wants President Donald Ramotar to do some house cleaning and rid the cabinet of Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Bishop Juan Edghill.

The gay and lesbian rights group believes the Bishop openly flaunted the Constitution of Guyana when he made public statements that the group believes further fuels discrimination against the gay community. SASOD is convinced the Bishop’s statements could be considered “hate speech” and it wants the President of Guyana to remove him from public office.

On the Hard Talk radio programme on 90.1FM, Bishop Edghill declared that  homosexuality is “destructive, unwholesome and unhealthy.”

According to SASOD, Edghill went on to state that it is “scientifically proven” that homosexuals are more promiscuous, disease laden and violent than “normal” people.

SASOD said the Government Minister was adamant and unapologetic for his “hateful comments which were clearly intended to incite and ill-will against LGBT people, which is a violation of Article 146 (3) of the Guyana Constitution”.

At a Tuesday afternoon press conference, Managing Director of SASOD, Joel Simpson

Managing Director of SASOD, Joel Simpson at a Tuesday press conference was adamant that “Edghill’s inflammatory edict amounts to hate speech as described by Article 146 (3) of the Guyana constitution as “speeches or other expressions, in whatever form, capable of exciting hostility or ill-will against any person or class of persons.”

Simpson told the media conference that, “we are therefore calling for his removal as a Government Minister and Member of Parliament as this is a blatant violation of the fundamental rights and freedoms under the Guyana constitution.”

Bishop Edghill who is a former Chairman of the Ethnic Relations Commission, appeared on the radio programme to defend another Minister of the Gospel who had appeared on the same radio programme the previous  week to declare that all gays should be sent to a special island so when the wrath of God comes down on them, it does not offend anyone.

SASOD has compiled a full report titled “On Devil’s Island” which is a Universal Periodic Review on LGBT human rights in Guyana. The report highlights laws that are seen as discriminatory to the gay community.

SASOD now intends to solicit the support of other human rights groups and organisations in its efforts to get the Donald Ramotar PPP Civic administration to send home its “in house Bishop” who once declared at a political rally, that had Jesus been around, he would be voting PPP Civic.

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