After weeks of silence, Prime Minister Bruce Golding has spoken out on the issue of the buggery law.

The government recently came under tremendous pressure from a Canadian human rights group which demanded that the buggery law be repealed. The group also threatened a tourism boycott of the island, as well as a ban on our goods and services. They also threatened to make an international announcement encouraging the ban, if their demands were not met.

Although we have long been identified as a particularly homophobic country, never before have we faced so much international pressure and scrutiny. While some persons believe that our buggery law is holding us back from international integration and more acceptance in an increasingly globalised world, there are as many people who believe that homosexuality is wrong and should remain illegal.

It is good to see that Golding has finally addressed the issue and in a way that many Jamaicans are satisfied with. Of course, there will be those who are not pleased with his announcement, but the man has spoken and all those in disagreement can only plan their next move.

In making his announcement, Golding said he was afraid of what going down the path of same sex marriages could mean for the country. This is essentially what many people are concerned about. To some, allowing same sex marriages and repealing the buggery law, would be like signing a deal with the devil, and an indication that we will stand for nothing if we are under pressure.