Opposition Senator Leonard Santucci has urged the Human Rights Commission to examine legislation concerning gay marriages.

Speaking in the Senate yesterday, Sen. Santucci pointed out that the issue was currently causing controversy in the US and that "when the US sneezes, we catch a cold".

"Things infiltrate over here and they are having a real human rights dilemma being played out in in the US," he said.

"How does the Human Rights Commission plan to proceed in the face of this type of development?"

He said he was approached by a member of a lesbian community support group, who asked him what would be done for same sex couples on the Island.

"With reference to the HRC, certain members of the community feel that the Government has forgotten about them," said Sen. Santucci.

Sen. Santucci, who is also Pastor of Heard Chapel AME Church, said that he did not approve of same sex marriages himself, saying that he "believed in the scriptures".

But he added that the matter had to be addressed and his aim was to re-ignite the discussion.

"Government should not attempt to bring the legislation forward with any degree of haste, but it is incumbent of the Government to have testicular fortitude to lead the people," he said.

Sen. Walwyn Hughes pointed out that there was legislation already in place that supported non-discrimination of a person's sexual orientation, but agreed that "this is something that ought to be addressed and discussed from time to time".

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