Tensions erupted between Jamaican Christian representatives and gay rights lobbyists during a forum at the 7th Summit of the Americas in Panama last week.
Jamaica was accused of promoting violence against persons based on their sexual orientation.
According to one Jamaican representative in attendance, the forum erupted after she sought to defend Jamaica as a country with deep religious values.
Helene Coley-Nicholson was one member of a Jamaican group of civil society activists attending the summit in Panama City.
She was there as President of the Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship, LCF.
During a forum that was supposed to be focused on Citizen Participation, tensions erupted between the LGBTI lobbyists and Christian groups, including the LCF.
According to Mrs. Coley-Nicholson, a transgender spokesperson presented a series of prepared recommendations.
These included a call for non-discrimination and recognition of all types of families, including same-sex families, as well as punishment for states that do not take affirmative action on behalf of LGBTI people.
Mrs. Coley-Nicholson says she was also opposed to the attempt to dictate to sovereign states, what type of government they should have.
She says the LGBTI lobbyists didn’t react well to that response.
Although they were unable to agree on a single position, the LBGTI group’s recommendations were removed from the document.
The group instead drafted a document seeking to protect the religious views of persons.
The document was presented to the 35 Heads of State at the Summit.
