With Government encouraging individuals from around the world to work from Barbados for up to a year, one senior partner with a multinational law firm is suggesting that the Mia Mottley administration change laws that criminalise homosexuality.
Managing Partner with Dentons law firm Dustin Delany told Barbados TODAY he welcomed the new “innovative” 12-month Barbados Welcome Stamp, which he believes would be of tremendous benefit to both Government and a wide cross section of sectors.
However, he said Barbados stood to lose out on possibly millions of dollars due to laws that were deemed unfriendly towards the LGBTQ community.
“We need to change our laws on homosexuality,” said Delany.
“I commend the Government for putting this together so quickly with everything else that they have going on right now, but it needs to open up to a wider crowd. And where we are seeing interest, not just in terms of this work remotely permit, but also with the special entry and reside permit and other programmes here on the island, and then just visitors in general, is I think we need to address our laws on homosexuality and be more friendly to the LBGT crowd in terms of welcoming them here to the island,” said Delany.
According to the Sexual Offences Act, any person who commits buggery is guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction on indictment to “imprisonment for life”.
Under the same law, a spouse is defined as “lawful husband or wife as the case may be”.
The Remote Employment Act, which governs the new 12-month Barbados Welcome Stamp, does not address the issue of whether a couple of the same sex would be considered. However, it defines a family as the “applicant, spouse, partner and dependent (s)”.
Delany said according to research “LBGT tourism generates an estimated annual revenue in the US of US$65 million and in Europe an annual amount of € 50 million”, adding that Barbados should not underestimate the benefits it could get from that market segment.
“Those are not insignificant figures. It is something that Barbados could benefit from,” he said.
Delany told Barbados TODAY that immediately following the announcement of the programme his law firm began receiving enquiries from a wide cross section of individuals from various countries.
“We have had a lot of perspective clients globally come to us to enquire about the framework and it has even led to wider discussions of moving to Barbados and even moving their businesses to Barbados, which plays into a wider range of opportunities for the countries because we have an established international business and financial services sector, complemented with a wide network of investment and tax treaties,” he explained.
“There is a lot of opportunity and I think if we can get people here to Barbados, they can see the various programmes we have,” he added.
Singling out the Barbados Special Entry and Reside Permit (SERP), Delany said other programmes that encourage individuals to move to Barbados and contribute to the economy would be supported by the new 12-month Welcome Stamp.
He explained that once individuals were on island it would help fill the void created by the lack of visitors and tourist spend due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in addition to Government raking in significant sums of revenues, various sectors had the opportunity to benefit tremendously including real estate, law firms, accountants and other professional services along with food and beverage.
“I think when we start bringing in visitors to our shores via this permit, a lot of these folks are going be here and see everything that Barbados has to offer,” he said.
“So I think we are going to see property purchases being generated from the programme. I also think we are going to see a lot of people come here and realize it is a great lifestyle and they can do business here on a more permanent basis, albeit remotely or otherwise,” he said.
Even before the new 12-month visa initiative went live last weekend several rental property operators were encouraging people overseas to book their accommodation with them.
In relation to concerns that Barbados could come under greater scrutiny from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) as a result of the new visa, Delany said he was certain that if that organisation tries to create a problem for Barbados, Government will be sufficiently responsive to the OECD’s concerns.
“Unfortunately, the OECD continues to move the goal post on us, not just here in Barbados, but the wider Caribbean,” he said.
marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb
