The declaration by Prime Minister Andrew Holness that Jamaica will be pursuing hate speech legislation, came just mere hours before the European Union (EU) Commission and the High Representative adopted a communication entitled “No place for hate: a Europe united against hatred.”
Europeans were encouraged to stand up against hatred and speak up for tolerance and respect in the communique, which will be implemented through policies in different sectors such as security, education, culture and sports. Financial support will also be given to the Jewish and Muslim communities to assist in the fight against hate.
“Conflicts and disinformation worldwide are sowing the seeds of hatred. All persons must be protected and respected, no matter their religion or belief, nationality, gender, race or any other pretext misused to incite discrimination, hatred, or violence,” High Representative and vice president of the EU Commission, Josep Borrell, appealed on December 7.
“I urge the international community to join us in upholding human rights for everyone, everywhere, and to fight intolerance and prejudice,” he said.
In his address during a virtual Diaspora conference hosted at the Jamaican embassy in Washington DC the day before, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the hate speech law is being considered and urged those in attendance to
“Many of you in the Diaspora live in societies where speech that deliberately targets violence at a group or a person is treated within law; in Jamaica, there is really no such thing. We have to consider that,” he said.
“These are things that we are studying, but, as a democracy, they will have to go through a process of social discourse so that we can treat with it,” the Prime Minister added.
Holness motives have since been questioned by varying sectors of the society, including the church. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade had delayed signing the ACP-EU agreement in Samoa on November 15, following concerns from Christian advocacy groups that the terms of the agreement would facilitate the LGBTQ lifestyle, which is still illegal in Jamaica. Following the announcement of the delay, several gender and gay advocacy groups insisted that Jamaica sign the agreement.
The pressure being placed on Jamaica to sign the agreement has reinforced concerns that the EU and Western countries such as the US and Canada are foisting their more liberal lifestyles on the country, despite pushback. There are those who feel the recent announcement of pending hate speech legislation for Jamaica is a move to get persons in the society to not speak out against the LGBTQ lifestyle. In Europe and more developed countries, negative opinions about homosexuality are often considered a form of discrimination, intolerance, and hatred.
“It is my opinion, that a lot of people agitating for hate speech, are from the homosexual community, and in the end, it will mean the stifling of free speech. In the end, it will mean that you would not be allowed to strongly criticise such things as homosexuality; you would not be able to criticise such organisations and movements such as Islam and various cults,” said Mark Dawes, pastor of the Grace Missionary Church in Kingston.
“I think most Jamaicans would agree that we have far more important things to concern ourselves with rather than that and I have no doubt in my mind, the government is being pressured by forces in Europe and the United States to go down that road and no doubt, they are promising assistance, promising money, loans and those kinds of things. They are dangling a carrot in front of the government to get the government to do what they want them to do,” said Dawes, a former journalist.
The European Union and organisations such as USAID are among the list of donors for the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians and Gays (J-FLAG), which has been re-branded Equality Jamaica. In 2022, 98 percent of the $180 million spent by the gay lobby group was funded by international organisations. The group advocates for the livelihood and well- being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in Jamaica.
“Combating hatred is a global concern and international co-operation is a necessity. Working closely with those responsible for promoting rights at global, regional and country levels reinforces the credibility and the effectiveness of EU action within and outside the Union: the Commission and the High Representative will reinforce their engagement and networks at all levels, leveraging EU diplomatic work and concrete actions, and external partnerships,” the EU stated in its communication on hate speech.
But while the EU intends that its fight against hate speech will be a global agenda, Holness is being called upon to say what such legislation will look like, since Jamaica is not facing the issues being experienced in multi-cultural societies that are grappling with racism and anti-semitism.
“What is the agenda behind it?” asked Dr. Delroy Lingo, who chairs the Diaspora Sub-committee for the Association of Christian Communicators and Media (ACCM).
“He [Holness] needs to say what his intentions are. He hasn’t sent out a statement saying what it is he wants to do. It appears he is testing the waters to see how we are going to react or respond to it. Something is coming and I guess this is just a teaser to see how we are going to respond,” he asserted.
Pastor of the Holiness Christian Church, Dr. Alvin Bailey, said if the intention is to muzzle the press or to muzzle preachers from speaking out against sinful acts which are now being widely endorsed by first-world countries, then the Prime Minister will face some challenges.
“We want to be free to speak out against any practice of the LGBTQ community without fear of being imprisoned or facing lawsuits, because we would be well within our rights to speak out against such practice from the pulpit, from the pews, or from the sidewalk,” said Dr. Bailey, who is president of the Jamaica Evangelical Alliance (JEA) and a member of the Jamaica Umbrella Group of Churches.
Despite calls for clarification, there was no official statement from the Prime Minister’s office on the matter up to press time.