The head of a group in St. Vincent and the Grenadines that advocated on behalf of LGBTQIA+ people in the country is calling on the new government to repeal laws that criminalise consensual same sex interactions among adults.
“I continue to call upon the Government of SVG, and in particular, I urge our new Prime Minister, Dr. the Honourable Godwin Friday and cabinet, to do the right, and to repeal the laws under the Criminal Code that criminalise private adult consensual same-sex relations and to enact legislation to explicitly protect LGBTQIA+ persons from discrimination in areas such as employment, education, housing, health, and goods and services,” Jeshua Bardoo, founder, president and executive officer of Equal Rights, Access and Opportunities SVG Inc. (ERAO SVG) said.
The call by Bardoo, a lawyer, came in the form of a press statement celebrating the fourth consecutive year of Pride SVG activities.
“Pride SVG is an opportunity for queer persons and allies to come together, stand in solidarity, and stand up against all forms of violence and discrimination in relation to LGBTQIA+ persons in SVG,” Bardoo said.
“While we wait and fight for various forms of social and legal change, we will continue to celebrate, educate, and advocate for our rights,” he stated before calling on the prime minister to repeal the laws.
An appeal is pending in a case in which the High Court in February 2024 dismissed the case brought by Javin Johnson and Sean Macleish, two gay Vincentian men living overseas, challenging the nation’s buggery and gross indecency law.
Among other things, Justice Esco Henry, who has since been appointed a Court of Appeal judge, held that the men had no legal standing to bring the claims because they live overseas and have not lived in St. Vincent and the Grenadines for some time.
She also dismissed the men’s argument that they had been forced to leave SVG because of their sexual orientation.
The court upheld the government’s argument that the laws are reasonably required for public health and morality.
Meanwhile, Bardoo described Pride SVG 2026 as “amazing”.
“I was happy to see new faces attending our various events,” Bardoo said, adding that he was looking forward to the 2027 events and extending an early invitation to all Vincentians, including straight people, to attend the events.
He said that the 2026 SVG Pride events saw Vincentians and foreigners taking part in various activities.
ERAO SVG, with the support of local, regional, and international donors and sponsors, held five events, namely three in-person events, one TV programme, and one webinar.
At the “Pride SVG 2026 Launch Party: Colours” on June 6, “queer persons and allies came together under a masquerade mask theme to dance and celebrate the launch of Pride SVG 2026,” a press release said.
“The evening was filled with laughter, music, delicious food, and most importantly, love. Apart from partying, attendees were engaged in a number of fun activities, including competing to win cash prizes for ‘Best Dressed’, ‘Best Walk’, ‘Most Confident’, and the top prize of the night, the ‘Winner of the Royal Pride SVG Ball 2026’,” the release said.
The second in-person event was “Mental Health and Wellness Day: Mental Health, Tote Bag Painting and Pilates” held on June 13.
This event consisted of three main segments: a mental health session, a Pilates session, and a tote bag painting session.
“This event provided attendees with an opportunity to learn various strategies for managing stress, get moving through a Pilates session, and express their creative juices through a tote bag painting session,” the press release said.
The third in-person event for Pride SVG 2026 was “Defining, Exploring and Discussing Key Concepts and the Law Surrounding Human Sexuality and Gender in SVG” held on June 20.
Attendees learned about and discussed basic concepts and the law surrounding the rights of gender and sexual minorities in SVG.
On June 10, ERAO SVG engaged in a “Conversation on Sex, Sexuality and Gender in SVG” on local television.
ERAO SVG members sought to educate the Vincentian public on basic concepts of LGBTQIA+ rights and dispel myths and common misconceptions about them in Vincentian society.
Meanwhile, the June 25 webinar delved deeper into “The Economic, Social, Cultural and Environmental Rights of LGBTQIA+ Persons in the Caribbean”.