Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Caribbean

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines became independent on October, 27,1979 from the British Government. They comprise an island nation in the Lesser Antilles chain of the Caribbean Sea. The country has a French and British colonial history and is now part of the British Commonwealth of Nations and Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Agriculture, dominated by banana production, is the most important sector of this lower-middle-income economy. Sexual relations in private between consenting adults of the same sex are prohibited in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The 1990 Criminal Code of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines states that "any person who 'commits buggery [anal intercourse] with any other person,' and any person who 'permits any person to commit buggery with him or her,' is 'liable to imprisonment for ten years'. Comments from July 2006 report that public statements have been made that promote discrimination against gays and lesbians for religious reasons. However, although homophobia is still widespread in the country, the general public does not appear to be aggressive toward homosexuals. There are no government programs or non-governmental organizations in place that offer services to the homosexual community of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.