Gov't rules out same-sex marriages

Hamilton, Bermuda (CMC):

Community Development Minister Wayne Scott says government has ruled out giving the green light to same-sex marriages.

Government said earlier this month it proposed to amend the island's Human Rights Act by adding sexual orientation to the list of prohibited categories of discrimination in the areas of the provision of goods, services and accommodation.

But, he said, the changes will not go any further and same-sex marriages are not on the government's agenda.

An overhaul of human rights legislation, which would see the repeal of the Human Rights Act in favour of a comprehensive Equalities Act, as planned by the former administration, will not go ahead.

"We are not going down the path of an Equalities Act; we are updating the Human Rights Act," Scott said, adding "goods, services and accommodation are protected categories under the Human Rights Act.

"I can tell you that same-sex marriage is not on the agenda, it is not being discussed. That is not the intention of amending the Human Rights Act. The Human Rights Act updating is dealing with the provision of goods, services and accommodation which our basic Human Rights Act now covers."

'good' news

Campaigners welcomed news that the United Kingdom. Parliament had voted overwhelmingly in favour of legislation which would legalise same-sex marriage.

Scott said that the UK example came about as a result of the British government replacing its Human Rights Act with an Equalities Act, which was a "huge piece of legislation".

"That is not something we are doing, we are not looking at amending the Marriage Act in Bermuda. This is an updating of the Human Rights Act.

"The intention of this legislation is not to set the framework for same-gender marriage. That is not something that, as a government, we are looking at doing."

"My government is not inclined at this time, nor any time in the future, to consider civil union or same-sex marriage," then Families Minister Glenn Blakeney said last September.