PM Urges Church to Partner with Government

Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has called on the church to join in partnership with the Government to create an environment for prosperity in Jamaica.

“The Government has a responsibility to increase the GWB, the general well-being of the population, and not just the GDP (Gross Domestic Product),” he said, noting that this means enabling access to healthcare, education and the pursuit of opportunity in a peaceful environment.

Prime Minister Holness was speaking at the 40th anniversary ceremony of the Deliverance Evangelistic Association, held at the church’s Waltham Park Road location in Kingston yesterday morning (March 20).

He said the church has had and continues to have a significant role to play in achieving general well-being among the population.

The Prime Minister said that given the track record of faith-based institutions in administering outreach programmes and impacting communities, a partnership to pursue such an agenda would be extremely effective.

One area of partnership, he cited, is for the establishment of more parks and recreational areas where children can participate in play as a means of assisting in the development of their social and mental skills, as well as catering to their physical agility.

The Prime Minister said that allowing children to interact with each other and resolve their disputes in a supervised environment such as a playground is one of the most effective ways to address crime.

Prime Minister Holness lauded the outreach efforts of the church and the support provided for the family as a strong pillar of society.

He also commended the leadership and congregation of the Deliverance Evangelistic Association on achieving such a remarkable milestone.