Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

#TheBahamas, October 9, 2023 – The  Bahamas Christian Council is moving against LGBTQ efforts by the University of The Bahamas as it decided to host a Pride week forum on its campus this week.

Members of the Council turned up outside the University Campus gates on Sunday October 1st, gathering for a press conference where they protested against the decisions of the university.

Delton Fernander, Christian Council President Bishop, was very vocal about the nature of the University’s efforts to support the LGBTQ community, maintaining that it’s “an affront” to their “national values on the campus of a publicly funded institute of higher learning.”

He explicitly speaks to the use of the people’s tax dollars to fund what he expresses is an act against morality under the beliefs of The Bahamas.

“We do not believe that the university which is funded by our tax dollars should be the platform to advance a lifestyle and agenda that are in contradiction to our nation’s constitution and the values, standards and morals of our country and its people.”

Additionally,  the President  adamantly maintained that the event cannot be given the chance to be held on the university grounds as long as the institution is funded by taxpayer dollars, and he continues to expound again referring to the violation of the values of the people as stipulated in the law of the land, the constitution.

It is known, as indicated by Fernander, that the event is not under the University despite being held on the campus. It’s revealed that an outside, “special interest group” which wasn’t named, is behind the planning of the event, which the Council says is “an expressed immoral agenda, to stage” what to them is  “intended to attack the very moral tenets” of The Bahamas.

He also informed that the event is not part of a course offered at the institution. Considering this, he urged the University to refrain from hosting the forum.

“I believe that right now as a University that they should make the decision, since they’ve removed themselves from the event, since the event is not being endorsed by the University, well then let’s not have it, [on our campus].

Fernander spoke of two fliers for the event, one of which carries the university’s logo and stated, “In celebration of the 4th Annual Pride Week the School of Social Sciences hosts Forward, Upward, Onward, Together, Road to Inclusion”.

The other, does not hold the name of the school or the School of Social Sciences. It was released, according to reports, after the Christian Council advised the media on Friday of its plans to hold a press conference on Sunday to address the matter.

The colors associated with the LGBTQ community were present on the fliers as well as the listed speakers identified as LGBTQ+ activists which only contributed to the anger of the Council as they, without break, rallied against the plans, praying and continuously speaking against the LGBTQ agenda as seen in a video taken by the Magnetic Media team.

The Bishop passionately pointed to concerns about the minds of the younger generation, in relation to the event and events like this.

He said, “This week, I believe there is a sense of anxiety in our country because we are concerned that we are playing not only on the younger minds, but now we are playing on the young leaders of tomorrow that we want to be prepared to lead our country in a better way,” evoking strong waves of agreeing responses from the other members of the council.

Allyson Maynard Gibson KC, who chairs the UB board, in responding to questions regarding the concerns of the Christian Council, according to reports, said, “University of The Bahamas was established by University of The Bahamas Act 2016, which establishes a Board of Trustees ‘ … which shall … be free from undue influence from political, religious or other external bodies and shall protect the institution from such influence.’

“Forums such as this are the places where, as a part of UB’s national development mandate, our national spirit will be enriched and developed, as people with differing views engage in civil discourse and our students and citizens develop a better understanding of different viewpoints,” she added.

The day scheduled for the forum was Thursday October 5th at 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Michael Eldon Building, UB.  The keynote speaker, the flyer said, was Dr. Kreimild Saunders, assistant professor of sociology at UB. Dr. Richard Adderley, chair of Social Sciences was listed to bring welcome remarks.

The event’s moderator, Alexus D’Marco, PRIDE coordinator and human rights defender and the panel members were named as: Alicia Wallace, Tribune journalist and feminist activist; Erin Green, radio host and LGBTQ+ activist; and Helen Klonaris, adjunct UB professor of English Studies, novelist and LGBTQ+ activist.

The University showed no signs that it would cancel or postpone the event and indeed the lecture, billed under the headline:  Forward, Upward, Onward, Together:  Road to Inclusion was held on Thursday October 5.