Marigot:--- The Territorial Council of St. Martin that is led by the RRR Party submitted an undated motion to the Senator of St. Martin Louis Constant Fleming who will be presenting the motion against the law for same sex marriage which will be discussed in the senate next week.
SMN News managed to obtain a copy of the motion which has been highly motivated by the Members of the Territorial Council. However, some of the council members such as Rosette Gumbs-Lake, Maude Ascent Gibbs, Dominque Aubert, and the Deputy of St. Martin Daniel Gibbs did not sign the motion that was sent to Senator Fleming. There is a clear indication that Members of the Territorial Council of St. Martin are not in agreement with the new law that will affect everyone living in France and its overseas territories.
The law on same sex marriage (Mariage pour tous) was proposed by the Minister of Justice, Mme. Christaine Taubira.
The Members of the Territorial Council of St. Martin in their motion which is strongly against the adoption of same sex marriage states several factors which they believe that Senate must consider. The first argument states that the Minister of Justice Mme. Christaine Taubira formulated the law without having any discussion with the Minister of Social Affairs, Minister of Education, Minister representing women's affairs, Minister in charge of reforms, the Minister of Sports, Youths, and Associative life of the population. Furthermore, the Minister of Justice did not discuss the proposed law with the Minister of Overseas Affairs.
The TC of St. Martin also states in their motion that the French civil code already has three types of marriages, one of which they believe should be modified. A copy of the motion can be viewed beneath this article.
The TC said same sex marriages will affect several dimensions of life such as religious, physiologic, ethics, and social morals.
Another argument is that such marriages will affect children who will be raised by the same sex couples. Children raised by such families will have a problem distinguishing who is their mother and who is their father. Another argument brought forward by the TC of St. Martin is that there are social and cultural differences in the Antilles (Overseas Territories). They also mentioned that when the same sex law was presented in the National Assembly on February 12th, 2013 which consists of 26 deputies of the overseas Territories only the 10 deputies from the left that forms part of the majority voted in favor of this law.
The enactment of the same sex marriage was discussed in the Senate, Senator Louis Constant Fleming UMP will submit the motion presented by the Territorial Council St. Martin who strongly opposes to the application of this text to St Martin.
The Motion was filed with the Chairman of the UMP Senator Christian Baudin, the President of the Senate Mr. Jean Pierre Bel, Attorney Ms. Christiane Taubira and rapporteur Senator Jean-Pierre Michel. In his letter accompanying the Motion of the Territorial Council of St. Martin, Senator Louis Constant Fleming stated that "Overseas Territories, although of course, part of the national territory and, as such, subject to the varying degrees to the national legislation, have different customs related to their specific geographical, historical, and cultural attributes." Senator Fleming also referred to the second paragraph of Article 4a of the bill, which plans to allow the Government to take measures by ordinance to make the necessary adjustments regarding the Overseas Collectivities. Senator Louis Constant Fleming requested that it be made a present to St. Martin.
Senator Louis Constant Fleming, intends to vote against this bill from his UMP party but also the co-seven amendments to the 200 presented by the UMP group.
Click here to view the motion Against Same Sex Marriage.