By KHASHAN POITIER,Guardian Staff Reporter
The Bahamas constitution clearly states that a same sex couple cannot get a marriage license, a government official confirmed Thursday.
For the past several days, viewers who tuned into the talk show Issues of the Day with host Jeff Lloyd listened as the question of whether there is provision in the constitution to prohibit same sex unions was debated by a homosexual group, the Rainbow Alliance and religious leaders.
On Tuesday, members of the Alliance were guests on the show and expressed views about same sex unions and discrimination against "gays." The following day Rev. Dr Wayne Thompson was featured and spoke out against such unions.
Minister of Financial Services and Investments Allyson Maynard-Gibson was Thursday's guest and while covering several issues, Mr Lloyd resurrected the topic of homosexual union as it related to marriage licenses.
A caller to the talk show asked that the administration clearly convey their position on same sex marriages, whether they supported it or was against it.
Mrs Maynard-Gibson said "the decision must come from the courts before the Registrar General's Office can issue such a license. Keeping in mind too that Parliament, the voice of the people is supreme. And so, if the courts list a finding where it is possible to have a marriage between a man and a man or a woman and a woman, the people of The Bahamas may wish to have a law passed about that. Of course, the constitution governs all of that and, or course, we have to look at that."
Mr Lloyd also asked what was the view of the present administration on same sex marriages, to which Mrs Maynard-Gibson said Prime Minister Perry Christie has in the past said, "It is the law."
Unsatisfied, Mr Lloyd asked whether the Government sees a need to amend the constitution so that their view can be clearly stated, thus eliminating future confusion.
Mrs Maynard-Gibson said she did not feel she needed to add to the prime minister's comment, but she said, "Two things are important in what he said when this is the law and secondly, that we will not circumscribe the Constitution Commission in what they're doing."
"We know what the law says, but what is the PLP Government's position on the issue... but would the PLP Government leave the law as it is?" the caller asked, to which Mrs Maynard-Gibson simply answered: "Yes."
The minister said, "I see people talking about challenging that and that's the duty of democracy in which we live. If they want to challenge it in the courts, then so be it, but as the law currently stands, in The Bahamas marriage is a union between a man and a woman and there will certainly be no issuing of licenses for a woman and a woman or a man and a man to get married today in The Bahamas."
The state-appointed Constitution Commission is conducting town meeting around the country to collect and record the views of Bahamians on several issues in the constitution.
At the most recent town meeting at the Diplomat Centre this week, attendees spoke mainly on the issue of gay marriages, with a strong contingent against it.
