TEMPERS flared after Prime Minister Philip "Brave" Davis was questioned during a lecture event last night about taking care of Bahamians who are part of the LGBTQ+ community.

One man, Natino Thompson, who said he was a “gender queer theorist”, asked the question and claimed this administration is one of “the queerest administrations in Bahamian history”.

The question triggered others in the room to also voice their views about the community.

Mr Davis was giving a presentation on the National Development Plan at the University of The Bahamas. Afterwards, audience members were allowed to ask questions.

During this section, Mr Thompson said to Mr Davis: “One of the groups that were not mentioned in the blueprint for change is LGBTQ+ people and the question is like former administrations you often leave out this group of marginalised people, right? We cannot talk about a National Development Plan without the inclusion of LGBTQ + people.

“Considering your administration is one of the queerest administrations in Bahamian history - because there are a bunch of queer people that work within the administration - the question is how are you going to take care of queer Bahamians?”

Mr Davis replied: “I’ll say one thing. When I spoke, I did not speak on female or male - I spoke about Bahamians. I spoke about Bahamians and that is the way I view all. And if you notice, if you’re looking for a specific...”

He was interrupted by Mr Thompson saying: “I am looking for a specific because you named homelessness, you named disabled people. In the blueprint for change... you labeled the disabled community. So if you’re gonna talk about all Bahamians, you need to also name LGBTQ+ people.”

Mr Davis replied: “Point is taken and heard.”

Someone could be heard saying: “That ain’t God wants. God created man and woman.”

The question prompted a strong reaction as a woman came to the defence of Mr Davis while stating queer people are treated like everyone else.

She said: “Mr Prime Minister, I would just love to thank you, take this moment to thank you for the developing plans moving forward. I think it’s an awesome plan and it can work and it will work in this Bahamas. Now like how you had said before in life, the government can only do some things. You cannot expect the government to do everything. In life there are choices we make.

“You may decide to be a man. You decide to be a woman... whatever the situation is I think that’s your choice. Right now, I’m looking at it you’re talking about what we’re gonna do for the queer people - what we gonna do for the normal people? Because right now, the queer person as I see it have all the opportunity. They in Atlanta, they in Georgia - all over the world. When are the normal people going to be taken care of?”

“We don’t have a problem with nobody because we are all one people. We treat everybody whether you queer, you normal whatever we treat all alike in this Bahamas. As a matter of fact, we give them more opportunities than the normal. So my thing is when you decide to make your choice, know how you’re making your choice because the government is not responsible for your choice.”

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