At its press conference today the PUP said that the government should challenge the section 53 judgment made by Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin. But, like the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition urged a challenge based on the Chief Justice's interpretation of the word "sex" to mean "sexual orientation". He explained why the issue of intercourse against the order of nature was not deemed important to challenge:
Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition - PUP
"When you take a close look at the judgment and there is just one part of the judgment that most people are against or they are concerned, and that is the issue about the new interpretation of sex to mean sexual orientation. And when you have so many citizens demanding clarity on that portion of the ruling then I think it is the responsibility of the government to appeal to get clarity whichever way it will happen, to go to the Court of Appeal and if necessary to the Caribbean Court of Justice."
Jules Vasquez, 7News
"Unfortunately this word "carnal intercourse" against the order of nature, which section 53 previously criminalized. The Prime Minister went to great and quite expository lengths in the house to explain that this type of carnal intercourse is not necessarily to be frown upon, because it happens between men and women and between men and men. What is your position on carnal intercourse against the order of nature AKA anal sex?"
Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition - PUP
"I have spoken to many of the leaders in both Evangelical and other churches about the entire position and basically most of the leaders that I've spoken to, they are saying that when it comes to the actual issue of carnal sex, they are saying that that is something between you and God and that happens in the privacy of the bedroom. They respect the right of the individual in the privacy of their bedroom. Likewise with myself I've always said when it comes to issues like this, it is between you and your God."
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