Suit filed against Trinidad Gov’t for ‘prohibiting entry of homosexuals’
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
NEW YORK (CMC) — An AIDS awareness group in Trinidad says it has filed a lawsuit against the Government for “prohibiting the entry of homosexuals” to the twin-island republic.
AIDS-Free World, an international advocacy organisation, said Tuesday “the immigration law of Trinidad and Tobago explicitly prohibits the entry of homosexuals.
“So offensive is the law that AIDS-Free World has filed suit in the Caribbean Court of Justice against the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, demanding that the discriminatory provision be expunged,” said a statement from the group, adding that UNAIDS is “well aware of the lawsuit”.
The lawsuit comes as UNAIDS and the Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) prepare to sponsor a book launch on the subject in Trinidad and Tobago.
AIDS-Free World said its lawsuit is founded on three principles: the indisputable principle of human rights, the principle of prevention of HIV/AIDS and the principle of freedom of movement.
On the indisputable principle of human rights, the group said it is “indefensible to have people barred on the basis of sexual orientation”.
On the principle of prevention of HIV/AIDS, AIDS-Free World said it is “well-established that laws which stigmatize and vilify homosexuals create a culture that drives men who have sex with men underground, away from testing, prevention, treatment and care”.
On the principle of freedom of movement, AIDS-Free World said “it is a matter of law that every citizen of the Caribbean should have free access to any other country in the Caribbean.”
“We would argue that the government of Trinidad and Tobago doesn’t have a leg to stand on,” the statement said.
“Why, then, would UNAIDS sponsor a book launch in Port-of-Spain (the Trinidad and Tobago capital)?” the group questioned.
In addition, the group pointed out that the National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan, 2013-2018 of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago states: “Some of the existing laws of Trinidad and Tobago discriminate against MSM (Men Having Sex with Men) …”
The book to be launched on Tuesday, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port-of-Spain, is titled “Legal and Policy Perspectives on HIV and Human Rights in the Caribbean.”
“Everyone associated with the book launch will surely feel some discomfort,” said AIDS-Free World.
“ Holding the book launch in a country that bars entry to homosexuals is a direct contradiction of the recommendations of the Global Commission on HIV and the Law (that UNAIDS co-sponsored), and an equally direct contradiction of the executive director of UNAIDS, who has said time and again that UNAIDS has zero tolerance for discriminatory laws.”
The gays have backitive now so dem voice )))))LOUD((((( . It seems like people/government must juss hold dem corner and mek de gays gwaan tru….caws it seems like ah fe dem world we live in ah ya nung!
Manners…..A blessed morning to each and everyone
what a way dem waa go a di people dem place and tell dem how fi run it
morning minuhcare anythin surroun dem a uproar but world hunger n innocent killings nuh get a voice
this is God’s land and no one have the right to tell ppl where to go because of who the sleep with,,,SMDH
We love to separate discrimation but it goes hand in hand with hate,,at one time TRINIDAD didn’t care a shit about they black ppl and all they wanted to do was remove them or kill them(history said so), that’s where the separation came between the trini Indians and the blacks of Trinidad,, and up to this day they still hate each other, and look at they land,,STOP DISCRIMATING AND BUILD YOUR ISLAND BACK TO RESPECT! it’s so funny that the poorest island have the largest voice on oppression!,,,smdh
THIS IS A MOVEMENT YOU CAN’T STOP EVER!,,we don’t care not one bit about the way you so call straight ppl do things,, but as soon as we want to do something unno up in it
WHY DON’T UNNO SPEND YOUR ENERGY ON THE POOR and the things that affects you ,,We put our energy in things that effect us that’s why we have a VOICE,,
UNNO KNOW I HAVE A BROAD BACK SO all comments are welcome…lol
den is white people deh trinidad? di people dem can se who dem want there n who they dont want there..a God land but he says to obey the laws of the land..n di laws were made by man.nuff gay people deh a trinidad n dem openly gay so all a dis is jus a big sham fi try prove a point
this is a result if we don’t send a message that it is wrong. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqJxuzpPxFk well done Trinidad.
smhhhhh,,that’s all i will say,,obey the law,,,this law was not written in stone,,,,it was also law to sacrifice before eating, do we still do it?,,please ppl about obey law,,why not try to obey the once unno could handle ,,like thou shall not lie,,to easy i guess or too main stream..kmt
sacrifice before eating is not the law of the land..please read what i said
Met we could talk/debate about the bible if you choose(sodom & gomorrah) but i will not argue who is wrong or right when it comes to RELIGION!..the Bible is there to rebuke/teach/understand because it was inspired by God but written by Man , who is corrupt.
Yes Met to sacrifice at the alter was law! you could change it or slice it any how it still was law and it was not written is stone , so it was altered. My believes from reading the Bible
u say was law or is law? if your beliefs are from the bible how u a jump cross the section whey declare death to certain people..dont do that
Met death is declare for all sins at that time,, come on,, at that time JESUS SAID FIND ME ONE THAT IS WORTHY AND I WILL SAVE THE LAND,,(god knows all so he need not ask the question,,bigger than you and I) EVEN SARAH WAS BURNED AND SHE WAS WITHOUT SIN , BUT DID LOOK BACK. THE LAW IS THE LAW FOR THE TIME AND THAT’S THAT TO ME. The land stands as we speak and the ppl live as we speak.
SIN is what you consider it to be , and if being gay is wrong for you then you should have no part in it AT ALL,, even for correction,,,the bible is full of things that is unlawful but still as humans we do it everyday,, we have feelings that GOD AS PLACED IN OUR HEARTS and if you want to talk about the SEX ACT ,, then we could talk about it involving straight ppl that choose to HAVE gay sex but proclaim to be straight,,,so what are we really talking about here?