A court ruling promising same-sex partners of Bermudians the same rights to reside and work as spouses of Bermudians has garnered international attention.

Cayman premier Alden McLaughlin told The Cayman Reporter on Monday that the ruling had bolstered his intentions to change that country’s immigration regulations to allow same-sex partners to be named as dependants.

Mr McLaughlin was quoted as saying: “If we don’t amend our immigration regulations so as not to discriminate, I have no doubt that we will face a similar judgment by the Grand Court here.”

In that country, former law professor Leonardo Raznovich announced his intention to appeal a decision to deny his partner permission to remain in Cayman as a dependant on his partner’s work permit. The couple had been married in Germany but — as in Bermuda — the Cayman Islands do not recognise same-sex marriages.

Mr McLaughlin had said on November 26 that the government was under pressure on the issue, stating that while it was trying to “accommodate basic human rights and rights against discrimination” through the changes to the immigration regulations that does not mean that Cayman would recognise same-sex unions.

He said: “Given the heavy criticism that the government continues to receive in respect to the non-recognition of same-sex marriage, and at the same time recognising the very strongly held views that the status quo regarding this issue should remain, I believe that we must, in keeping with the commitment I have already made, seek to identify a way in which persons such as Dr Raznovich can be granted a legal right to reside in the islands without affording legal recognition to same-sex unions.”

The news was also reported in the Antigua Observer, while another story on the issue of same-sex relationships in Bermuda — the refusal of the Hamilton Princess, Bermuda to allow talks by same-sex marriage opponent — has also placed a spotlight on the Island. That story has been picked up by the Jamaica Observer along with online publications the Daily Signal, Equality on Trial and the Church Militant, with the latter publication using the headline “perversity trumps diversity”.