Leaders Gather to Pray for Country

Leaders of state, church, corporate and civil society gathered at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston on Thursday morning, January 16, for the 34^th annual Leadership Prayer Breakfast, where they prayed for unity and God’s guidance in stomping out crime and other social ills affecting the country.

Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Patrick Allen, noted that the theme for this year’s event: ‘Courageous Leadership for Challenging Times’ “prompts us to acknowledge that it takes an enormous amount of courage to lead because of the issues with which leaders have to contend.”

He pointed out that people are looking to the nation’s leaders to take them confidently through the current difficult conditions, as, despite differing positions, “everyone wants Jamaica to achieve its Vision 2030 goals.”

The Governor-General noted however, that crime and other social ills, combined with economic woes, have plunged many into despair and negativity.

“So, it is very critical that we must now garner the collective will of all leaders in all spheres of life, starting with our religious leaders, civil leaders, political leaders, social leaders, business leaders, and entertainment leaders so that we can collaborate in combating this pandemic,” he stated.

The country’s leaders, by taking a united stance, can also “reassure our people that they themselves can be brave and courageous in the fight to combat crime, stamp out corruption and or other social ills.”

The Governor-General expressed the hope that the National Leadership Prayer Breakfast will serve to break down walls of division and foster mutual respect, trust, and a willingness to work together for the common good of the country.

Guest Preacher and Bishop of the Power of Faith Ministries International, Dr. Delford Davis, who prayed for Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, and Leader of the Opposition, Andrew Holness, stated that leadership is needed at all levels of the Jamaican society.

“We need them in the home, we need them in the schools, we need them in the church, we need them in business, in politics, the security forces, the media, and in every aspect of governance, courageous leadership is needed,” he stated.

The Bishop pointed out that whether or not one has been elected to office, “you are a leader because someone watches you on a daily basis. Your life influences others in the things you do, even the places you go.”

He urged the nation to raise the bar in all spheres of leadership “for we are determined to make Jamaica the winner in 2014 and beyond.”

The aim of the National Leadership Prayer Breakfast, which began in 1981, is to foster greater unity in the nation, particularly among the nation’s leaders at all levels.

The beneficiary of offering from this year’s breakfast is the Committee for the Upliftment of the Mentally Ill (CUMI), located in St. James.

Chairman of the NLPB Committee, Rev. Dr. Stevenson Samuels, said the event continues to build on the vision of the inaugural prayer breakfast and on the pillars of reconciliation, inspiration and transformation.