Gays stabbed to death; Juan Edghill’s utterance blamed

Last Updated on Sunday, 20 July 2014, 7:07 by GxMedia

Two gays were stabbed to death early Sunday morning in Georgetown- incidents that have been already attributed to Finance Minister, Juan Edghill’s utterance on homosexuality.

Dead are Justin John Samuels of Lamaha Street and 24-year old Carlyle Sinclair of Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo. Sinclair’s body was found High and Leopold Streets and Samuels’ on Lombard Street.

Several gay sex workers were up to 2:30 Sunday morning gathered at Leopold and High Streets discussing the stabbings.

Otisha said it was too early to discuss the motive or the suspected assailant, but hoped that footage from nearby surveillance cameras would be useful to investigators. Otisha noted that a security company vehicle might have been involved.

An outspoken gay, Otisha contended that the killings amounted to a hate crime that stemmed from Edghill’s remarks about gays.  “His hatred speech caused this and we are going to take drastic action,” said Otihsa.

In the face of calls by the gay rights organization, Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), for him to resign over remarks he had allegedly made on a private radio station, Edghill has denied spouting hate speech against gays.

Edghill, who is a protestant Bishop, has said that he is in favour of gays receiving health care, employment and housing. However, he has maintained that same-sex couples should not be allowed to adopt and raise children because it is unnatural.