Letter of the Day - Extradition saga an act of God

THE EDITOR, Sir:

The Christopher 'Dudus' Coke extradition saga was no mistake. Indeed, it was the hand of God that chose to move the country in a new direction.

For many years, Jamaica has been heading towards a deep precipice from which there could be no return. The level of corruption existing within the leadership levels of both the Government and the Opposition, the levels of dishonesty existing in our police force, as well as the private and public sectors, demonstrated that the top of the stream was polluted. Therefore, the bottom could not help but become contaminated.

So the prime minister's confession about his mistake regarding the sanctioning of a United States law firm to lobby that government regarding the Coke extradition matter had to occur as a wake-up call, that as a nation we had to change directions.

The current political machinery cannot continue to work as it had been doing, sowing seeds of evil which have grown into trees of wickedness. The seeds of garrison politics have created power bases that have now grown into a monster that plagues all. Indeed, as politicians and the Church, we have handed the power to dons by stepping away from these communities in the past. By so doing, we have allowed these dangerous persons to roam free, creating strongholds of power and wealth for themselves while the victims of these communities remain poor and dependent, being led as lambs to the slaughter by those who have little concern for them other than being shields.

Calling for a new day

People, echoing the Church, are calling for a new day; one in which politicians will act as servants for the people, seeking to create a country of peace and blessings not just for one group but for a nation - Jamaica, land we love. Jamaica needs a cleansing. Indeed, the blood of the innocent cries out as it runs like rivers in our streets with more than 600 hundred persons killed since the start of the year. The stench of blood has come up in the nostrils of God and provoked His wrath, and calls for judgement for a sentencing to be made against Jamaica.

As the Church, we can no longer sit back and simply cry at the bloodshed; instead, we must cry out against wickedness that prevails in our country. We must speak up without fear and without favour and call sin sin and corruption corruption.

The Church is, therefore, asking the prime minister to authorise the establishment of a special day when all well-thinking Jamaicans can send a message to the negative influences affecting our nation. Each year, we respectfully have a day to honour our national heroes, those who have died for the freedoms we now enjoy, individuals who are all deceased. However, on the proposed day, we would call for a total lockdown when the voices of those who are alive must he heard.

From Jamaica a cry must arise greater than that which echoed when our Olympians made us proud, when the Reggae Boyz did the seemingly impossible, and when our stadiums herald the stunning achievements of athletes of our many high schools for Boys and Girls' Champs. We should use this opportunity to have our political leaders, the Church, the business community and the entertainment fraternity advocate for reconciliation and a renewal of morals and peace to the shores of Jamaica.

Let the cry for peace and unity echo from Morant Point to Negril Point. May we remember the words of our national pledge ...

I promise to stand up for justice, brotherhood and peace, to work diligently and creatively to think generously and honestly so that Jamaica may under God, increase in beauty, fellowship and prosperity and play her part in the advancement of the welfare of the whole human race.

I am, etc;

Bishop R.J. Edwards

President

Jamaica Association of Full Gospel Churches