Privy Council rules to ban same sex in Bermuda

LONDON, Mar 14, CMC – The London-based Privy Council Monday sided with the Bermuda government in its battle to ban same-sex marriage in the British Overseas Territory.

The ruling by the Privy Council, the island’s highest court, came after two days of hearings more than a year ago on the case between the Attorney-General of Bermuda and Rod Ferguson and others.

“The Board allows the appeal. Lord Hodge and Lady Arden give the judgement of the Board, with which Lord Reed and Dame Victoria Sharp agree. Lord Sales gives a dissenting judgement,” the Privy Council noted.

Bermuda’s Ministry of Home Affairs earlier confirmed that at least US$411,627 from the public purse had been spent on hiring lawyers and law firms involved in the case.

The case in London marked the final chapter in a roller-coaster saga that at one stage saw Bermuda become the first country in the world to approve same-sex marriage and then take away the right, but a series of court decisions meant that gay couples could get married on the island.

(More to follow)

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