Hundreds Expected to Take Part in Peace March

Hundreds of persons in the Corporate Area are expected to join in the Peace March on Peace Day, March 4, and the Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA), the group spearheading the activities for Peace Month, is reporting that a number of organizations and government entities are expressing their support.
The Peace March will start at 3:00 p.m. from three points: Mandela Park in Half-Way Tree; the Bob Marley Statue located near the National Stadium and the Portia Simpson Miller Square at Three Miles.
Headlining the list of supporters for the March is the Minister of Health and Environment, Rudyard Spencer, who has given his commitment to march.Chairperson of the VPA Board of Directors, Dr. Elizabeth Ward told JIS News that several agencies under the ambit of the Health and Environment ministry are slated to turn out with Minister Spencer. These include representatives from the Physiotherapy Association, Nurses Association of Jamaica, the Medical Association of Jamaica, National Council on Drug Abuse, the Midwives’ Association, Office of the Children’s Advocate and the Child Development Agency. Public Health Inspectors have also indicated their intention to march.
The youth will be among those adequately represented on the day of the march. Students, in particular from the University of the West Indies and the University of Technology (UTech), Dr. Ward said, are eager to participate.
“The uniformed groups have also been great in terms of support. We are getting the Girl Guides to come out.the Boy Scouts, police youth clubs and the Caribbean Youth Summit are sending representatives. The Jamaican Youth Ambassadors will also be present, along with participants from the National Youth Service,” she revealed.
“Some of the youth arms of service club groups, such as Key Club and Rotaracts are looking at coming out to join us,” Dr. Ward added.
The Church, she also noted, was offering excellent support for the event. Chief among them are the Jamaica Council of Churches, Whole Life Ministries and Emmanuel Apostolic. Individual churches are also expected to join the march.
The Peace Management Initiative (PMI) groups are currently working with communities to ensure the optimum participation of residents in troubled communities. Organisations such as Mission of the Poor and Hands Across Jamaica have also expressed their willingness to be involved.
Commenting on the inclusion of corporate Jamaica on the march, Dr. Ward informed that many were expected to come on board. Jamaica National Building Society, she noted, had already signalled their participation.
“I am sure there are other people and entities that have expressed interest, so they too will come out to support us,” she said. “Many want to be a part of that movement of building a peace process, so that Jamaica can go forward and have a platform for the rest of the year to really make a difference,” Dr. Ward pointed out.