Saba Weddings

From Yahoo:
"Popularity of Caribbean island soars after wedding"

A speck of an island in the Dutch Caribbean has become increasingly popular with gay couples after legislators legalized same-sex marriages in a region still openly hostile to gays and lesbians. Two men were recently married in Saba, marking the first ceremony of its kind in the region and setting off a frenzy of calls from gay couples in other Dutch Caribbean islands seeking to marry, said Julietta Woods with Saba's Civil Registry office."People keep calling me every second," she said by telephone this week. As part of the Netherlands Kingdom, the islands of Saba, Bonaire and St. Eustatius have to recognize same-sex marriages. While Bonaire and St. Eustatius have balked at the idea of legalizing such unions, the idea has been embraced in Saba, long considered a gay-friendly destination. "We've seen it as a human rights issue," said Saba council member Carl Buncamper, who is openly gay. "It is important to give the partners equal rights when it comes to inheritance and other benefits." Dozens of gay couples cheered Saba's unprecedented step, noting that gays often face taunts, threats and even death elsewhere in the Caribbean, with many islands enforcing so-called buggery laws implemented in colonial times. Some islands also have tried to amend their constitution to establish that marriage should only be between a man and a woman. While Saba currently stands alone in approving same-sex marriages, Bonaire and St. Eustatius are expected to follow. The Netherlands, which in 2001 became the first country in the world to approve same-sex marriages, is giving those islands more time to adopt the same law amid local opposition. The Netherlands has said local governments should use the time to help communities get used to the idea of gay marriage. The other Dutch Caribbean islands of St. Maarten, Curacao and Aruba have to recognize same-sex marriages but don't have to legalize them because they have a more autonomous relationship with the Netherlands. Meanwhile, the nearby French Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe are expected to soon debate the issue as France prepares to vote early next year on whether to legalize same-sex marriages.

^ I hope that other territories and countries around the world vote to give homosexuals the right to marry and all the other rights that come with that. It is the 2nd decade of the 21st Century and long overdue. Good job Saba for doing what is right despite being a region that restricts it. ^

http://news.yahoo.com/popularity-caribbean-island-soars-wedding-170854006.html-