The Editor, Sir:

Prime Minister Bruce Golding made it clear in his interview on the BBC about his position on gays and lesbians serving in his Cabinet. I am not at all surprised; the question is still in my mind. How will you know them, Mr Golding?

Here are my reasons for saying that:

1.They are not your typical flamboyant person with the hand bent at the wrist.

2.They are not walking down the street on Hope Road or Cross Roads hand in hand with another man.

3. Most are already married with children.

4. Most live very productive under-the-radar, political, influential lives.

Educated and connected

5. They are usually the most-educated and connected individuals nationally and internationally.

6. They sit in the church pew or might have, in some instances, given a message on Sunday morning that you have in some time or the other listened to, and have found inspiring.

They are 'human beings'. Men and women of good standing, law-abiding, tithe-paying persons of any community.

So, Mr Golding, homosexuality is not illegal in Jamaica. Therefore, Mr Golding has made a mockery of himself by saying that he will not have any homosexuals in his Cabinet. How will you know, Mr Golding, whether these individuals you have installed in your Cabinet are, in one way or the other, gay or straight?

I am, etc.,

A concerned Jamaican

jamaiic98@yahoo.com

Bronx, NY

Via Go-Jamaica

The Editor, Sir:

I was proud to hear how Mr Golding stood his ground abroad when faced with questions concerning homosexuality and his Cabinet.

We have to know who we are and what we stand for and don't feel intimidated by First World countries who want to threaten us because of such moral issues.Let us not forget God. Will we be the nation that stands for holiness and righteousness?

I am, etc.,

M. WILSON

enuj03@hotmail.com

Bronx, NY

Via Go-Jamaica

The Editor, Sir:

I agree 100 per cent with our prime minister. The Bible does not agree with such a lifestyle; there is a God that we will answer to, although we still tend to go our own way.

I understand Una Clarke's point of view that it is nobody's business, but God never had a homosexual in his camp, and these are some of the things hindering our closeness with God as a country.

We must not bow; we must remember God is a mighty God who is coming back. We don't own ourselves, no matter how much we think we do. Turn from your wicked ways, allow the PM to do what he has to do. I pray that God will give him wisdom, knowledge and understanding to lead Jamaica on a path to God.

I am, etc.,

SHELLY

myway4sure@hotmail.com

Bridgeport, CT

Via Go-Jamaica

The Editor, Sir:

I am a Jamaican living in the United States. The prime minister's comment on gay and lesbians in Jamaica could not have been better said. Because other countries are accepting this immoral lifestyle does not mean that we as Jamaicans should accept it. We may be a poor country, but we have high moral standards.

We need more influential people to speak up against this despicable lifestyle, and people who are found condoning or being involved in it should be reprimanded by the law of the land. It is nasty and sickening.

Upset foreparents

I stand 100 per cent behind the prime minister on this issue. Our foreparents would be extremely upset if they knew that we were even attempting to lower the high moral values that they laid down for us and which we were brought up with.

I am, etc.,

TONY ABBOTT

sojabwoy1@aol.com

Bridgeport, Connecticut

Via Go-Jamaica

The Editor, Sir:

Prime Minister Bruce Golding has left no room for doubt about his feelings for homosexuals. By his recent statement, it is safe to say that Golding has utter disdain for Jamaican citizens who are homosexuals.

So strong is our prime minister's disdain, he categorically asserted that no citizen who is known to be homosexual can sit in his Cabinet. By extension, he is saying that the Jamaica Labour Party has and will bar any known homosexual from entering representational politics on a JLP platform.

Licence for discrimination

The prime minister is also asserting that no matter how brilliant and capable a citizen may be, if she/he is a homosexual the country will not be able to benefit from her/his talent (even if such talent is most needed at the Cabinet level). By further extension, our prime minister is giving licence to employers to discriminate against citizens who are homosexuals.

If Jamaicans, whether straight, gay, lesbians or in-betweens, allow the prime minister to go uncensured for his remarks, we, by our inaction would be embracing his egregious and irresponsible statement.

As prime minister, Bruce Golding represents all Jamaicans regardless of colour, religious beliefs, place of origin, gender and sexual orientation. We must demand that our leaders govern from a position of enlightenment and not from a position that is reminiscent of the 'dark ages'.

Should not be barred

There are no laws in Jamaica that make being homosexual a crime and, therefore, my homosexual brothers and sisters should not be barred from serving our country at any level. Homosexuality is neither a preference nor a lifestyle of choice and for this reason, I have chosen to take the enlightened position to not condemn.

The topic of homosexuality can be a complex one for those of us who are 'straight', but tolerant of diversity in most respects. Bruce needs to refrain from inciting irrational behaviour with his irresponsible tongue as the odds are that there is at least one homosexual in his Cabinet. Oh, I forgot, he did say "knowingly".

Peace and love.

I am, etc.,

Dr RICHARD

KITSON-WALTERS

k-w@comcast.net

Jacksonville, FL

Via Go-Jamaica

The Editor, Sir:

I would like to commend the prime minister of this country, the Honourable Bruce Golding for his eloquence and composure during his interview with the BBC. It is heartening to hear the prime minister's reassurance that Jamaica will not bow to pressure from special interest groups, here or abroad, and bend our morals to accommodate a minority view.

These special interest groupshave been running a systematic campaign to tarnish the country's image in their bid for acceptance of their deviant lifestyle. I put these questions to these special interest groups:

1) The thief is a deviant - so is the murderer; are they clamouring for our acceptance?

2) If what they are doing is so right, why do they need to be accepted by everyone around them?

3) Why do they even care what we think?

4) And who gives them the right to put a label on anyone who does not support them?

Stand behind PM

I call upon well-thinking Jamaicans to stand behind the prime minister. The minority must not be allowed to dictate how the rest of us live our lives. We have rights too - the right not to be subjected to and forced to accept lifestyles which we find repulsive.

The laws against buggery must remain in place. Any special interest group, whose members feel that Jamaica should jump over a cliff because everyone else is doing so, is made up of traitors and modern-day terrorists and should make one of these liberal colonies their home.

I am, etc.,

DENISE CLARKE-WILEY

deniseclarke@cwjamaica.com

Montego Bay

Via Go-Jamaica

The Editor, Sir:

I MUST say that I have had an opportunity to watch the Bruce Golding-BBC interview. I think that the PM did an excellent job, despite the few naysayers' views. There was nothing of which he should be ashamed. He came over as being intelligent, independent of thought and not some little 'lap dog' talking for the world stage or saying what the international community wants to hear.

I think the interviewer, himself, was somewhat spellbound by the calm and firmness with which Mr Bruce Golding responded to the questions and the way he politely redirected the interviewer's question to consider the facts and not merely to create TV ratings. An example of this was clear, and which should be indelible in our minds, was the way Mr Golding amicably corrected the interviewer on the erroneously framed and posed question as to his Government's inability to curb the madness and corruption in the Jamaican police force.

Moved on

Bruce cleverly questioned the interviewer to declare the year of reference to which he alluded. To which the interviewer said, "2007". Then the PM cleverly reminded him that he, and his government were only in power for four of those months. The interviewer quickly moved on.

Notwithstanding the above, I MUST say that he could have scored higher on his response to his statement of not allowing known homosexuals to serve in his Cabinet. He could have simply stated that the current Jamaican laws run counter to enhancing gayness and he was adhering to the law of the land.

I have a few gay friends. I don't and would never advocate any form of discrimination toward them. However, many, including me, do view being a homosexual as not in line with normality.

Jamaicans watching

Mr Golding is aware that Jamaicans at home are watching or will hear of his response to the homosexual-based argument. He was also cognisant that a snap election is just around the corner. Probably one of his reasons for all these tours!

We need to put party politics aside and call a spade a spade. I have never voted JLP in my 34 years in Jamaica and probably never will. However, that should not opaque or mask excellence when it is perceived. The time for playing party politics is over! The time now is to support all efforts to make my country, Jamaica, the best it can be.

Good job, Sir Bruce!

I am, etc.,

JOSHUA SPENCER

joshuaspencer@rogers.com

Toronto,Ontario