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 Government Apologizes For Gay Kiss Bust
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: May 6, 2008 - 3:00 pm ET
(George Town, Grand Cayman) A gay couple from
Massachusetts has received an apology after being detained by police after
kissing on the dance floor of a popular club on Grand Cayman.
"On behalf of the entire Department of Tourism, I
apologize for your
upsetting experience and want to assure you that the Cayman Islands is a
welcoming jurisdiction to all people," Director of Tourism Pilar Bush said
in a letter to Aaron Chandler and his boyfriend, a day after the story of their
detention was publicized in the media. (story)
"What
happened to you was an isolated incident, and is not representative of Cayman.
We know that thousands of gay and lesbian visitors travel to the Cayman Islands
every year and enjoy their vacation," the letter said.
Chandler, 23, had demanded an apology from both
the government and police. So far the Royal Cayman Islands Police have not
responded.
Aaron Chandler, 23, and his boyfriend, both from
on Amherst, Massachusetts, were holidaying with the boyfriend's sister and
brother–in–law on the Caribbean island.
The four had gone to the Royal Palms and joined
about a dozen other couples who were dancing.
At one point after Chandler kissed his boyfriend,
a patron approached the men and berated them. When the couple kissed again, an
employee of the club asked an off-duty police officer to intervene.
After Chandler and his boyfriend shared a third
kiss as they left the club, the off-duty officer, and a second officer who had
been summoned from the local police station, pushed the men into a cruiser and
took them to the station.
After several hours in a holding room they were
released without any charges laid.
Following complaints in several British
territories in the Caribbean the UK Parliament passed a law in 2000 requiring
the islands to abide by British law that decriminalized homosexuality.
But a police spokesperson said that two Cayman
laws - the Penal Code and the Towns and Communities Law - could have been used
to lay changes on the grounds that same-sex kissing in public caused distress or
a disturbance to another member of the public.
Chandler and his boyfriend are still on vacation
on the island.
Bush said she hopes to meet personally with the
pair before they leave.
©365Gay.com 2008
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