The Faith-Based Network of Trinidad and Tobago has distanced itself from statements made by the president of the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO), Brother Harrypersad Maharaj, that the entire body supports children under the age of sexual consent in T&T getting married.
President of the network, Pastor Winston Mansingh, a practising minister at the Open Bible Standard of Churches, said yesterday that position does not adequately represent the view of sufficient members of the faith community and therefore should not be taken as its sacred position.
Mansingh called for more consultation on the controversial topic as the issue of child sexual abuse was put on the front burner once more.
Harrypersad, a member of the Hindu faith, and Islamic clerics are defiant in its position to uphold this tradition amidst growing calls to do away with the Marriage Act, which gives consent to underage children to marry. The legal age of consent to penetrative sexual conduct in T&T is 18 years.
Speaking on behalf of the network, Mansingh said: “We wish to raise our voice in this matter. We wish to clear the air and say that it is not the position of the entire faith community and the statement made by the IRO head does not represent the faith-based community which represents Christians, Hindus, Baptist and Islamic groups.”
Although not a member of the IRO, president of the South Caribbean Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist, Pastor Leslie Moses, said yesterday that to have children from 12 to 14 get married and have to deal with married life was an injustice and a disservice to any child.
“Our position is that the age should be standardised to age 18 or thereabouts,” Moses said.
On Monday, Harrypersad told the T&T Guardian that at a meeting of the IRO, at which 17 members were present, an unanimous decision was taken in favour of the Marriage Act not being changed. He advocated that practice to have girls marry from as early as 12 and 14 was a cultural tradition that was handed down from generations and all members had taken the decision to uphold it
But Pastor Mansingh begged to differ.
“We believe much more consultation should go into it for many reasons and also from a perspective of biological development, that should not be encouraged at this present time. “ He said the traditions of which Harrypersad spoke were done in the past and would have had values, some positive and some not so positive.
“But it is something that should not be encouraged, considering the times in which we live, as well as the moral and health issues,” he said.
In a statement yesterday, the Office of the Prime Minister agreed there was a critical need for the age of marriage to be aligned to the age of consent for sexual conduct.
Government said children were entitled to the fullest benefits of childhood and to the enjoyment of their rights as children and committed itself to the protection and fulfilment of these rights.