– Minister Edghill

MINISTER within the Ministry of Finance Juan Edghill has strongly rejected calls made by the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) for his removal from his governmental position.

This call was made close to a month after the minister spoke as a guest on the INews Radio programme “Hard Talk”, and voiced his disapproval, from a religious perspective, of the gay lifestyle.

Minister Edghill said he does not intend to give attention to a matter that is undeserving, noting that his attitude to the matter will be guided by a scripture from the Bible, Mathews 5:11: “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. [12] Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Minister Edghill said the facts will show that he was invited in his capacity as a Christian leader, thus his opinion, to which he is entitled like anyone else, was expressed in that context. “It’s strange that they didn’t attack my theology,” he stated.

Speaking to the media yesterday, the minister reiterated the fact that Guyana is a secular state, and whilst he may not share the same ideology as many others, he was not about to force he views on anyone.
Dismissing SASOD’s statement that his comments were tantamount to “hate speech”, he challenged anyone to listen to the programme and point out where any such facet of his remarks were indicative of the accusation. “Let Guyana judge me, Let the tape roll,” he stated, adding that SASOD should have the decency to be accurate in reporting what he said.

Describing the homosexual lifestyle as “un-natural”, Minister Edghill said his words should not be twisted by a group that is seeking to move from being a Non-Governmental Organisation to one with political aspirations. The church, he said, has always maintained its belief of the sanctity of marriage as a union between a male and a female, hence the unwavering view that homosexuality is un-natural, given the fact that, in the case of humans, two of the same sex are unable to reproduce. “It is biologically impossible”.

Notwithstanding his views, the minister said that he will never be one to pry into persons’ personal lives and the church is not about to do any such thing. “Whatsoever two consenting adults do in the privacy of their homes or otherwise is their own business,” he added, explaining that whilst it may be against his religious beliefs, and he may not like it, that doesn’t mean those persons won’t engage in such practices. He cited the case where he also preaches against corruption and fraud, yet persons still persist with these practices.

Further refuting claims that he was promoting discrimination against the minority community, the minister said that nothing could be further from the truth as the church has always welcomed persons with alternative lifestyles, whether gay or otherwise, and as a religious leader, he has even counselled many of those who sought his guidance and advice on various matters.

He said that while he has never witnessed nor had evidence of any discrimination or abuse against gays in Guyana, he has personally been abused by a homosexual for simply expressing his views. “I want to know what name you would give to those persons, they call us homophobic, but I want to know what you call a homosexual that abuses a heterosexual.”

Those who make the claim about his promoting discrimination are either ultra-sensitive or mischievous, he added. He has hired, and knows persons who are practicing alternative lifestyles, and has never shown any ill-will or harsh feelings towards them. His public life, in this regard, is an open book and his tolerance to all persons regardless of faith, belief, race or lifestyle, is well known.

In closing, the minister explained that having travelled to more than 90 countries, many of which have stringent laws against hate speech, and having spoken on various issues overseas, not once has any such accusation ever been made against him.

Minister Edghill said that it was unfortunate that in advocating for their rights, SASOD is seeking to take away his right to freely practice his religion, exercise his conscience and his freedom of expression.