THE EDITOR, Sir:
IT IS ironic that in every nook and cranny of Jamaica you can find a church yet the moral fibre of our country seems to unravel further each day.
Our value systems worsen, despite more and more churches being built.
Churches today seem fruitless. We have many supposedly vibrant churches, yet they are ineffective in helping to maintain good morals in our society.
Churches in this country seem to be asleep - concerned only with preaching to their already converted members.
Now is the time for all churches, regardless of religion and denomination, to unite and use their collective influence to effect the moral changes that our society needs to begin along the path of moral recovery.
Churches, you must be heard on issues such as the lack of the basic respect and common courtesy that all members of our society should inherently have for one another. Gone are the days of 'howdy' and 'tenk you' and when women were ladies and men were gentlemen. Gone are the days when younger ones had manners and respect for the older ones and when the older ones set good examples for the younger ones to follow. Our society is beleaguered with people who have no clue of what it is to have any real moral class.
Politicians have forgotten that their first duty is to serve the people of this country before they serve themselves. Instead of commitment to serving the citizens, most are committed only to being in 'power' and nothing more - no matter the cost to the Jamaican people. This is the root of political corruption. The stench of the corruption that is rife within today's political dens threatens to stifle any hope of real economic or social progress. People are throwing their hands up in despair. Churches, it is you who must reinforce the spirit and the will of the people to reject the unacceptable.
Mr. Patterson, before his overdue departure from public office, has shirked his responsibilities and is busy setting up himself to be seen as the consummate Caribbean man by proposing that billions of our tax dollars (fi wi Jamaican people hard earn money weh suppose to a use fi help we yaso inna Jamaica) be used to set up of a Caribbean Court of Justice.
SELFLESSNESS AND DEDICATION
I agree that the CCJ is a wonderful concept. However, Mr. Patterson, you have been blinded by your ambition. Political office requires selflessness and dedication to serving the people even when such service comes at personal disadvantage (an if yu nat into dat sar den jus faget it!). It is unfair to the people of Jamaica to give the setting up of the CCJ priority while you haven't taken tangible steps toward resolving the crisis of cases in your own country taking years to reach finality. It is our money and not yours to do with what you will. Our witness protection programme is laughable and on the issue of judicial reform you are full of rhetoric. Our judicial infrastructure is crumbling. Churches, do you not realise that the judicial system is the legal manifestation of the moral standards a country sets for itself?
Churches, these are the kinds of issues you must speak out against. Do not be fearful like others who are merely impotent and very hearty, politically biased jokes and
who have gravely failed the people of this country.
You must stand together and be resolute in calling for moral reform, regardless of differences in beliefs, and be unafraid to call a spade a spade despite being under political pressure from those who would have you shut up and go back to sleep.
You must unyieldingly sound the battle cry against corruption and immorality and inspire the masses to peacefully demonstrate again and again for their right to live in a morally sound society. You must stir the people to raise their voices (Remember Jericho?) in a deafening and unrelenting clamour against the walls of moral bankruptcy and you must incite the nation to persecute and adamantly demand the swift prosecution of those in our society who are involved in corruption. If necessary you must even instigate moral bangarang!
And if you think this is far too much for you to do then I encourage you to view immorality as a grave risk to your existence. An immoral society does not attend church. Take heed. Wake up and smell the coffee.
I am, etc.,
RICHARD F. CHUNG
shotta@cwjamaica.com
Gilmour Drive
Kingson 20
