PRESS RELEASE – THE Ministry of Equity, Social Justice, Empowerment, Youth Development, Sports, Culture & Local Government yesterday hosted a National Stakeholder Consultation for the Review of the Policy for Faith Based Organisations at the Financial Administrative Centre, Pointe Seraphine.
Leaders of Faith Based Organisations from round the island assembled to discuss matters of importance regarding the said policy document.
The agenda included presentations made by key partner government agencies, which included the Labour Department, the Registry of Companies and the Registry of Civil Status, followed by the election of representatives to serve on the nine-member Policy Advisory Committee.
Cabinet by Conclusion #480 of June 2010 approved the adoption of the Policy for Faith Based Organisations.
The Policy instrument seeks to regulate, support and monitor all aspects of the relationship between Government and Faith Based Organizations. It builds upon the provisions of a precursor Ecclesiastical Policy for governing churches, while at the same time makes the necessary changes and adjustments to embrace non-Christian faiths, non-denominational & para-church organisations.
Section 6.1 on page 31 of the Policy outlines the provisions for the periodic review of the said document. It says:
“An assembly of stakeholders shall be called by the Ministry responsible for Faith-Based Affairs every three years to elect members to sit on the Advisory Committee for the Policy For Faith-Based Organisations. The Ministry responsible for Faith-Based Affairs in collaboration with the Advisory Committee shall review the Policy For Faith-Based Organisations every five years through consultation with key stakeholders.”
The Policy Advisory Committee will have closed session meetings to undertake the revision of the FBO Policy in an effort to produce a first draft of the Revised Policy which will then be presented to faith based stakeholders at a second national consultation slated for November this year.