Last night, we showed you what Caleb Orozco, the Executive Director of UniBAM, had to say about the local gay community's concerns about Plus TV's Louis Wade Jr. As we told you, he was elected last week as the independent media's representative on the People's Constitution Commission. However, the LGBT activists say that they don't think he can act objectively as the press representative.
That's because he is a spokesperson for the coalition of churches on marijuana legalization. They note that he has been a strong supporter of some of the church's most prominent public stances on matters like the gender policy and Orozco's successful court challenge of Section 53 of the Criminal Code.
This morning, Wade responded in a Facebook post, saying quote, "There has been, over the last few days, a concerted effort to smear my name and reputation due to my legitimate election to the CONSTITUTIONAL COMMISSION as the Media Representative. I do intend to defend my name in every possible way...." End quote.
This evening, Wade granted 7News an interview in Belmopan to explain why he thinks that they have no place criticizing the media's democratic choice:
Louis Wade Jr - Press Representative, PCC
"If the LGBT community had elected me as their representative, I think Caleb and his people had every right to say this man cannot represent us because clearly, I am not from the LGBTQ community. But for him to already be elected by the LGBTQ community to sit on the constitutional commission. So, he's already there, elected or selected by his people. I have not seen a single entity or person say anything about their selection because they have done their process. So, he is already there. Then to come and attack another group of people that have not selected but elected their representative and their alternate. I think it is highly unethical. I think it is fair if there are those in the media who have concerns. I also think that there is a place for that. There is also a time for that. However, I was out of the country. I had nothing to do with it. I think that the good intentions to have a constitutional commission to go through the country and to hear people's voices being contaminated right at the start. And I fear that the process will slow down. My Christianity and who I am is under attack. Listen, I am also an employer. I am also a member of the Chamber of Commerce. So I am an employer, but nobody says I shouldn't be on the commission because I may go there and represent employers. I was a teacher for 14 years. I represented this country as a teacher. But nobody is saying take him off because he may represent teachers or music. So, I believe that we have a fundamental freedom issue that needs to be addressed because those who are claiming exclusion are seeking to exclude."
