‘All churches committed to fight against crime’
Published:Thursday | January 12, 2023 | 12:42 AMChristopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
REVEREND SAMUEL McCook, the chairman of the National Leadership Prayer Breakfast (NLPB), has said that religious leaders are playing a key role in helping the island tackle social ills, including crime and violence.
McCook expressed the sentiment during Wednesday’s press briefing for the NLPB’s 43rd annual staging, which is set for January 19 at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel.
He expressed support for Justice Minister Delroy Chuck’s recent call for justices of the peace (JPs) to work more closely with the police.
“I think that the minister is affirming something that we all support, and it is a practice for the JPs to support the police, and many ministers are JPs. Beyond the work that ministers do as JPs, all of our churches are committed to this fight to reduce crime and to do whatever we can to make Jamaica a safer place, and from our churches, we preach sermons promoting peace and forgiveness, and we advance that in our interactions in communities,” said McCook.
“Many pastors are involved in dispute resolution and counselling, because the police have identified that a big portion of the crime and violence is due to unresolved conflicts or our tendency to use violence as a means of addressing conflicts. I believe I speak on behalf of our leaders in the churches of various denominations and groupings, that we welcome the invitation to increase our engagement in the fight against crime and the fight to create a safer Jamaica for all of us as Jamaicans, as one community,” McCook added.
Chuck made the appeal last month, suggesting that each custos should assign JPs to every police station in order to strengthen the partnership against crime.
McCook also noted that crime has worn down Jamaica’s former characteristic of community cohesiveness over time, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on social interactivity.
“ ... The sense of community that has been characteristic of Jamaica damaged over time by crime and violence and the polarisation of the society and also in recent times by COVID. COVID introduced terms that were foreign to us, like social isolation ... . Those are not natural to who we are as the warm Jamaican community,” said McCook.
Courtney Campbell, the president of the Victoria Mutual Group, which sponsors the prayer breakfast, said that Jamaica can only get better if there is a change in mindset to adopt peace and forgiveness as key values.
“The focus of this year’s theme, ‘Strengthening Communities Through Peace, Justice, and Forgiveness’, has the power to transform Jamaica, and these are attributes that should characterise our culture,” said Campbell.
“We have a national pledge that says ‘I promise to stand up for justice, brotherhood, and peace’. We cannot build fellowship and brotherhood without forgiveness,” he added.
Contributions arising from this year’s prayer breakfast will go toward supporting the Students Christian Fellowship and Scripture Union. Last year’s contributions, which amounted to over $750,000, went toward supporting the Westmoreland-based Clifton Boys’ Home.