THE Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) is contending that the proposal floated by government to hold a referendum on removal of the ‘buggery’ laws is odious.

In a statement, the human rights body said the government must be the only body in the society unaware of the homophobic atmosphere encouraged by the country’s laws.

“The results of a referendum to determine what has been evident for decades is unjustified and therefore an abuse of public funds,” the GHRA said, adding: “ The conditions under which it would be held are inherently unfair, since civil debate among the Guyanese population has been rendered virtually impossible by bigotry, myths and fear.”

According to the GHRA, were these unfair conditions corrected, there would be no need for the referendum, since the absence of a rational basis for the ‘no vote’ would be exposed.

It also noted that while the majority deciding for the minority is central to democratic politics, the government should be conscious of applying this norm rigidly when minority rights are at stake.

“This proposal also raises the spectre of the last bizarre referendum held in 1978 in which, on the basis of a 15 per cent turn-out, a new Constitution was foisted on the country, politically polarising the country for decades.

“That 1978 referendum at least had the justification of testing a clear proposition supported by the then Government, whereas the proposed referendum is a cop-out, a substitute for leadership, courage and decency,” the GHRA said.

The human rights body claimed that the government’s preference for dodging and weaving on sexual identity rights was reflected in Guyana’s vote in the United Nations (December 2016) not supporting renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on LBGT rights.

“Rather than continue the pretence of a mission of discovery over what is common knowledge for the average Guyanese and for the international community, the Government of Guyana needs to set out a coherent proposal to bring to an end a situation demeaning both to Guyana and its citizens.  This implies more than repealing the buggery laws. It means dismantling what has been referred to as the ‘architecture of homophobia’ that sustains the repression of equality rights of persons of all sexualities,” the GHRA said.

WITH Guyana recently indicating that it will move to a referendum to determine the legality of homosexuality, Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge believes that the situation is a sensitive one and requires careful attention.
The Foreign Affairs Minister noted that many of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries have undergone social and political changes, which have resulted in their populations growing accustomed to or accepting “certain types of behaviour.”
“… but this is Guyana and in these countries you have a different mix of not only ethnic groupings, but you have religious groupings,” he stated, while adding that in giving consideration to the particular issue, there is need for the government to listen to the views of its constituents.