Lashley firm on values

Same-sex marriages and virtues just don’t go together.
Minister of Youth, Family and Sports Stephen Lashley indicated this yesterday during a church service to mark the opening of the 2012 national summer camps programme 2012 at The People’s Cathedral.
“In Barbados we believe that we are still a religious society, but we have to uphold the principles,” he said.
“We cannot preach double standards to our young people. We cannot embrace same-sex marriages and then tell our young people about the virtues.”
The minister told the congregation it was the responsibility of the church to uplift young people and show them that in a world of many distractions, negativity and immorality they can work towards maintaining moral values.
He added that politicians should not be “afraid to stand up and tell the country” that they are  committed to “the upholding of strong principles and moral values”.
He said he was pleased by the theme of the camps this year – Creativity And Achieving Meaningful Progress.
He told the congregation that Government was committed to the development and implementation of integrated youth policies that make necessary linkages between all the different priority areas for youth development, being sensitive to the needs of disadvantaged groups. (AH)