- Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer
Major Neil Lewis, a director of Operation Save Jamaica, makes a point as he explains the nature of the organisation to The Gleaner.
Mark Dawes, Staff Reporter
AS OPERATION Save Jamaica (OSJ) maps out its strategy to bring meaningful transformation to Jamaica, it has included on its agenda, constitutional changes to secure greater accountability of State officials and a strategy to counter destructive mindsets within the nation.
OSJ is an evangelical para-church organisation formed about five years ago which seeks to tackle the nation's spiritual and socio-economic problems holistically. It seeks to do so without re-inventing the wheel.
Accordingly, the organisation sees itself as marshalling and co-ordinating various ministries that are already in the business of transformation strengthening them, harmonising their efforts, in order to bring maximum impact wherever they are functioning. OSJ is a kind of catalyst. If there is need for a particular ministry somewhere and it does not exist, OSJ will create that ministry and give it a whole lot of autonomy as it maintains harmony with all the other things.
MULTI-SECTORAL APPROACH
The organisation, says director, Major Neil Lewis, has adopted a multi-sectoral approach to influence transformation. In this respect, the organisation is seeking: to influence all persons in Jamaica to become born-again Christians; to facilitate economic empowerment of communities; influence constitutional changes; unite churches; shape the mindset of the nation; and effectively shape the lifestyle and values of young people.
Regarding the constitution, OSJ favours a system of proportional representation for the Lower House. For the Upper House, OSJ wants the creation of a House of Elders - where statesmen, not necessarily drawn from political parties, could oversee the business of the nation. The House of Elders would be charged with seeking the long-term interest of Jamaica and would have the power to veto bills from the Lower House which it believes is not in the best interest of the country.
To fulfil its objective to change the mindset of the nation, OSJ is targeting teens in particular. "Concerning the youth, OSJ is trying to capture that generation before one loses them The mindset change involves working with how a person sees God, his/her relationship with God and how he/she sees society. It involves helping the individual to see society from God's point of view. We are saying that God designed a social structure to support this world. Our business is not to invent a social structure but to find, identify and apply the old one," Major Lewis explained.
CHANGING MINDSETS
To complement the formal classes that are convened with teens towards changing negative or unwholesome mindsets, OSJ has secured the co-operation of a number of formerly secular singers/deejays who have embraced the Christian Gospel. These artistes make themselves available to speak to teens where they tell their life stories and make a case for one to embrace Biblical principles for daily living.
Engaging the media is a major OSJ strategy to change the mindsets. The OSJ has been encouraging Christians to write letters to newspaper editors and otherwise speak out on moral issues. OSJ has been taking steps to influence Christians working in media to use their influence for the promotion of Biblical values.
The organisation acknowledges the strategic importance of Christians owning media houses. Accordingly, the OSJ were heavily involved in helping staffers of the Christian weekly newspaper, the Love Herald, to buy the publication from its parent company. For its part, the OSJ did not seek equity in the paper or to have representation on its board. It was content, Major Lewis said, to be a facilitator in the buyout process.
Securing improvements in how education is delivered to the nation's young forms a major component in the OSJ quest to transform the nation's school-age children. "We believe there are four areas where youngsters can really move sports, music, English and maths. If those four are integrated into our schools, we are ahead of the game," Major Lewis said.
He disclosed that OSJ will be promoting a renowned approach to teaching of mathematics which it will initially be encouraging Christian schools to embrace.
