LGBT rights advocate, Maurice Tomlinson, explains his legal challenges to Belize and Trinidad anti-gay laws in this article for Gay Star News.

It’s getting cold in the global north and some lucky souls will be able to get away for a few days (or weeks) in the sun.

The Caribbean is usually a very popular vacation destination for northerners because of the variety of leisure options available to suit just about every taste.

Two Caribbean territories that demonstrate the range of delightful diversions on offer are the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (which is quite cosmopolitan, with a strong creole influence) and the central American territory of Belize (decidedly more rustic and Latin inspired).

Both countries are at almost opposite ends of the Caribbean and although there are some common traditions flowing from a shared history of British colonization, very little else links these countries.

There is, however, one very noticeable similarity; both territories ban the entry of homosexuals, and they are the only countries in the Western Hemisphere to do so.

As a national of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the regional economic union which seeks to unite the very far flung territories in the Caribbean region, I have launched legal challenges to the immigration laws of Belize and Trinidad and Tobago on the grounds that they violate my right to freedom of movement across the region.

Both these matters were launched in the past 2 weeks.

I was therefore intrigued by a recent story in the Trinidad Guardian newspaper about leaked correspondence between the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, the Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar, and a representative of the UK based group Kaleidoscope Trust.

Apparently, over four months ago, the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago wrote a private letter to a British citizen to say that she intended to include the recognition of the human rights of homosexuals in the country’s new gender policy and this would include repealing the decidedly homophobic section in the immigration act.

While I certainly applaud this potential human rights advance by the government of Trinidad and Tobago, I found it bewildering that such a significant public policy change – a change that will have an impact on a significant number of Trinidadian and CARICOM citizens – is communicated to a private individual in the UK months before our region gets to hear about it.

This is not normal procedure in a democratic society.

More, the timing of the ‘leak’ is entirely suspect: As was stated above, I launched my challenge against the Trinidad and Tobago immigration law just a couple of weeks ago. The release of the letter at this moment smacks of damage control.

I certainly hope this will not be another empty political promise similar to the one made by Jamaican Prime Minister, Portia Simpson-Miller.

Nearly a year ago she promised during a much reported election campaign debate that she would call for a parliamentary conscience vote to review the country’s 148 year old anti-buggery law.

This offensively invasive law was imposed on the island during the period of British colonization.

Even so, Jamaica’s Minister of Information recently announced that the vote on reviewing the law has been placed at the ‘bottom of the [legislative] pile’ (read: no longer up for discussion).

In this regard, I would be curious if there is an actual timeline in the mind of Mrs. Persad-Bisseaur.

After all, four months have already elapsed since her promise of a new policy.

The homophobic provisions in the immigration laws of Belize and Trinidad and Tobago are a blight on the Caribbean.

They undeniable contribute to the marginalization of groups vulnerable to HIV and AIDS by proving legislative support for the debilitating stigmatization and discrimination against members of not only the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community, but also the mentally and physically disabled who are derisively referred to in the acts as ‘idiots’ ‘imbeciles’ ‘physically defective’ and other dreadful names.

It is noteworthy that both countries have signed the Conventions on the Rights of the Disabled.

It is time for these horrendous laws to be repealed; there is simply no excuse for their continued existence.

AIDS-Free World will do all it can to ensure that they are consigned to the rubbish bin of history, once and for all.

Maurice Tomlinson is an attorney-at-law and has been involved in LGBTI and HIV and AIDS activism in Jamaica and the Caribbean for over 12 years. He is Legal Advisor, Marginalized Groups for AIDS Free World and helped coordinate the first ever legal challenge to Jamaica’s British colonially imposed 19th century anti-sodomy law. In 2012 Maurice was awarded the inaugural David Kato Vision and Voice Award which celebrates the life and work of murdered Ugandan LGBT activist, David Kato.

For the original report go to http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/belize-and-trinidad-lesson-homophobic-exclusion211212