Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLoughlin
The Cayman Islands government on Wednesday said it would appeal a ruling last week by Chief Justice Anthony Smellie that the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman was unconstitutional and violated multiple rights.
Premier Alden McLoughlin told legislators that the Government believes it is critical that the country has the benefit of clarification on the constitutional issues.
He said while the Government had no intention of causing any harm or hurt to the petitioners, it must ensure that a door is not opened that may impinge on other protections and rights.
Attorney Ben Tonner, who represented Chantelle Day and Vickie Bodden, who last year applied to get married in the islands but were turned down, said his clients were delighted that their relationship has now been recognised.
In his ruling, the Chief Justice ordered that section 2 of the Marriage Law be changed to state that marriage means the union between two people as one another's spouses.
Earlier this week, Governor of Cayman, Martyn Roper, issued a statement saying he recognised there are strongly held and differing views across the islands on the legal ruling on same sex marriage.
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