Premier’s statement on Civil Partnership Law 2020

As Premier, I am utterly humiliated that because of our failure to do our duty as a Legislature, the UK Government has been forced to legislate for us. Notwithstanding our firm faith in God and strong Christian heritage, Cayman is not a theocracy but a democracy, and no democracy can long survive if it does not respect the rule of law. I have been shocked that so many of our Legislators and, indeed, members of the broader community believe that it was right to urge the Government to ignore a declaration of our own Court of Appeal. And, that they also believe that the Government is free to decide what category of persons are entitled to enjoy the constitutionally guaranteed right to private and family life.

But I pray that now that the Civil Partnership Law has been assented to by His Excellency, the Governor, it will be accepted as the law of the land and the campaign against same-sex relationships will end along with the demeaning rhetoric which has unfortunately characterised the public debate.

My faith tells me that we are all created in the same ‘image’ and must reckon with God each for ourselves. Jesus urged us to do unto others as we would have done to us. The introduction of the Domestic Partnership Bill was the right thing to do as a society that values each and every person within it, regardless of race, creed, gender or sexual orientation. Regrettably, much of the debate inside the Legislative Assembly and in the media has caused our sisters and brothers in the LGBT community to feel belittled, undervalued and ostracised. Jesus never treated people in that way, ever. I am hard pressed to find a reference in the gospels where Jesus castigated ‘outsiders’ even when their lifestyles didn’t comply with his view. Let us as a community now seek to do as Jesus did.