'Wise thinking' says church as polls reveal Jamaicans are against repealing buggery law

A Christian group says a new poll which shows nine out of ten Jamaicans are against repealing the buggery law reflects wise thinking.



A Gleaner-commissioned Bill Johnson poll revealed that 91 per cent of Jamaicans are against repealing anti-sodomy laws.



According to the Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society, it is a wise position, similar to Jamaica's rejection of communism in the 1970s.



Founding member of the coalition, Dr Wayne West, says the attempts by pro-gay supporters to have the buggery law repealed would be a victory for what he calls the sexual rights agenda.



He says this agenda involves having countries get rid of anti-sodomy laws while chipping away at freedom of speech, and the right of parents to tell their children what is right and wrong.



West is questioning what is meant by fair treatment in relation to another poll finding indicating that most Jamaicans believe gay men are not treated fairly by either the legal system or the police.



The findings of the latest poll could serve as a signal to legislators whenever Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller makes good on her commitment to have Parliament engage in a conscience vote on whether or not to repeal the buggery act.



The poll, which involved interviews with 1,208 residents of Jamaica, has a margin of error of plus or minus three per cent.



It was conducted on September 6-7 and September 13-14.



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