In an exclusive interview with the Freeport News yesterday, former Grand Bahama Christian Council (GBCC) President Rev. J.C. Wallace claimed that two men were given marriage rites by a local minister in Grand Bahama, which Rev. Wallace says is against the laws of The Bahamas. He is calling for the marriage licence of the minister who performed the ceremony to be revoked.
According to reports, the men got married on the beach at a local resort three Fridays ago. Some staff members of the resort reportedly said they witnessed the alleged incident. Sources also state that a reputable Bishop performed the marriage ceremony for a substantial fee.
Upon contacting the Registrar General’s office to inquire if the so-called marriage was registered, Acting Deputy Registrar General Joyanne Pratt said yesterday that to her knowledge, no gay couple has ever presented an application for marriage and, accordingly no marriage licence was issued.
“And we would not be properly authorised to do so,” she said. “Apart from it being against the law, it is inconsistent with the policy of the Government.”
Rev. Wallace is certain, however, that the minister who performed the ceremony knows that it is illegal and believes he may have done everything within his power to ensure that it was not registered.
“From what I gather, he could have just told them that it was illegal in The Bahamas and give them certain papers stating that certain things happened, but not that an actual marriage ceremony took place,” the Christian leader said. “If these two men were involved in a marriage ceremony and monies were exchange, which I am sure it was, then it is viewed as an illegal act. If I do something for you and I charge you, then I am performing a duty, but if I don’t charge you then I can consider it a favour and deny it ever happening down the road.”
Rev. Wallace said GBCC President Ricardo Grant has been informed of the matter and that the council had already begun its investigations. The former GBCC leader said he is positive that the reports he has been given are the truth and he even went so far as to contact the police about it. It is his belief that if performing same sex marriage is against the law, then it warrants criminal prosecution.
However, when the Freeport News contacted Police Press Liaison Officer Chief Superintendent Basil Rahming, he said he could not comment on the matter at this time.
“I detest this,” Rev. Wallace said. “I detest this with all of my might, and if I were the president of the Christian Council, I would have already spoken out against it. Just because the registrar had no record of the marriage being performed does not mean that it has not been done.”
Rev. Wallace has even presented his findings to Bahamas Christian Council President Dr. William Thompson, the Attorney General’s Office and has attempted to contact other religious leaders in authority who could also investigate the matter.
“The brother knows what he did was wrong and he is now trying to cover his tail,” Rev. Wallace said. “I don’t’ know how he thought it would never come out, not in The Bahamas. I am not going to stop until I see that his marriage licence is revoked.”
Rev. Wallace said even if The Bahamas was not a Christian nation, there are other nations of the world where marriage is between a man and a woman and not between two men.
When the Freeport News contacted the minister who allegedly performed the ceremony, he said, “It is not at all true. I am a Bible-based minister. I stand by God’s word and I would never approve any same sex marriage and I am not for sale.”
The minister said not only does he detest same sex marriages, but he would never and has never been involved in any way with performing any such marriage. He added that he is very disappointed and amazed that gossip is taken for the Gospel as opposed to the truth.
When the Freeport News spoke with the general manager of the resort where the alleged marriage ceremony took place, he said no official marriage ceremony took place at the resort.
“I don’t know from where this information has come, but at this resort, nothing like that happened at all. It is completely false,” he insisted.
He said that he also had communicated with BCC President Dr. Thompson, during which time he told him that the reports were not true.
Source: Freeport News
