By ANGELO ARMBRISTER

Freeport News Reporter

An ongoing campaign to save the family and protect the sanctity of marriage has found its way to Grand Bahama thanks to the tireless efforts of organizers of the "Help Save The Family Rally."

Slated for Sunday, March 18, at 6 p.m. at Independence Park, the rally will act as a platform to make Grand Bahamians aware of recommendations made to have the law of marriage between a man and a woman enshrined in the Constitution.

"We're doing it through public rallies plus the signing of a petition which Bahamian citizens 18 years and older will sign to say they stand with the recommendation, they want it to happen," said Rex Major, the event's coordinator.

This is the first time the rally will be held in Grand Bahama. Previous rallies have been held in Long Island, Spanish Wells, Eleuthera, and Harbour Island, Eleuthera.

Major said this event is one in a series dubbed 'Help Save the Family Rally,' geared towards sensitizing Baha-mian citizens to the need to preserve the traditional marriage because "it's under attack."

"Our goal is to see that the present law which describes the nature of marriage as a union between a man and a woman be placed as an amendment in the Constitution itself so that it is protected from any other effort to get it out of the system," said Major.

Rex Major and Associates along with concerned Christian leaders are calling on Bahamians to support the recommendation of the Bahamas Constitutional Review Commission, which advises that the Bahamian law of marriage as a union between a man and a woman should be placed in the Constitution.

Noting that a law is not enough, Major said that is why they are seeking to have the true nature of marriage be constitutionalized.

"We forget sometimes how tricky the business of law making is. In our society we elect persons to make laws on our behalf. They don't have to consult us about any law and they could also take any existing laws off the books without consulting us," he sad. "That is why we're trying to get this one out of the law books and enshrined into the Constitution because once it is there. no parliamentarian by vote, no judge by inclination or no lawyer by clever tricks can change it."

Major explained that once the law is made a part of the Constitution it will then only be changed by referendum with three quarters of the population voting yes or no.

At the rally, a certificate of appreciation will be presented to all couples whose marriages have gone beyond 25 years. Persons whose marriages have gone beyond 50 years will be the honorary patrons of the event.

According to Major, these long-lasting unions will be recognized because "they show to us the glory and grandeur of this wonderful thing called marriage and carrying out God's plan so wonderfully."

There will also be a segment dedicated to those attendees who would seek to renew their marriage vows.

"This is always a very precious ceremony," noted Major.

At the rally, there will also be an opportunity for persons who are struggling with marriage to sign up for marital counselling.

Aware of the significance of the rally, Bishop Leslie Woodside, chairman of the Freeport Committee, said he hopes the Grand Bahama community realize this as well and support the rally.

SAVE US — Rex Major and Associates in cooperation with church leaders of Grand Bahama will be holding a "Help Save the Family Rally" aimed at encouraging Bahamians to support the Bahamas Constitutional Review Commission's recommendation that marriage as a union between a man and a woman should be enshrined in the Constitution. Committee members are pictured at a news conference yesterday, from left are Churchill Tener-Knowles, Sobig Kemp, Coordinator Rex Major, Bishop Leslie Woodside (centre speaking) and Percy Kemp. (Photo by LISA KING)