On March 3rd, 2022 the Ministry of Equity, Social Justice and Empowerment met with Faith-based Leaders at the Finance Administrative Centre, Castries to dialogue on the subject of Social Issues and crime in Saint Lucia. Today, crime has become a complex problem, similarly necessitating complex solutions that involve every level of society. The Crime and other social issues affects everyone, from the struggling small business owners to the most protected residential neighborhood.
This perennial social issue has become the single biggest threat in Saint Lucia today and therefore cannot be ignored. To curtail this mammoth situation the Government of Saint Lucia (GOSL) through the Ministry of Equity, Social Justice and Empowerment felt it timely to host a One Day Consultation with Faith Based Leaders to discuss the overwhelming crime situation and other social issues, by allowing religious leaders a forum to channel their thoughts at possible recommendations and solutions to the current pressing social issues.
The agenda for the consultation included presentations from the Social Research and Policy Unit and the Human Services Division of the Ministry of Equity on the areas of Governmentās Support to Faith Based Organizations and some of the current social issues being faced in communities.
Welcome Remarks were delivered by the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Equity, Social Justice and Empowerment Mrs. Irene Gaspard who emphasized the need to strengthen partnerships, deepen collaboration and agree on effective strategies to tackle the nations menacing crime, violence and other social issues. āIt is indeed an opportune time to strengthen our partnership, commence effective dialogue and agree on new and effective strategies to further relieve the people of Saint Lucia. Therefore, it is with immense pleasure that I take this opportunity on behalf of the Ministry of Equity, Social Justice and Empowerment to bid you a warm welcome to this One Day Consultation for the year 2021/2022. We have no doubt that the outcomes of this engagement will be of mutual benefits to all parties.ā
In attendance were religious leaders from the various Faith Based Organizations; Seventh Day Adventist Church (SDA), Methodist, Islam, MT Zion Church of God, Pentecostal, Fortress International, Redeemed Christian Fellowship, Streams of Power Ministries Full Gospel Fellowship, Revival International Church, Universal Peace Federation, Gros- Islet Church of Christ, Lance Road Church of Christ, Transformation Prayer and Deliverance, Soka Nichiren Buddhism, Universal Church of the kingdom of GOD and MFT Ministries Inc.
The feedback and participation of religious leaders in the exercise were very rich and stimulating. Leaders brought to the fore the importance of youth involvement at this level of the discussion, who are themselves redefining certain aspects of society. Hence, if strategies to reach them are not so designed to meet them where they are, then they may never be reached in an impacting manner. Also, the present family dynamics have changed with the infiltration of technology which renders access to the children from their very homes.
Therefore, parenting should not be all talk but more action oriented as well, so that the children have actual models to follow. An important point made was that too many times, the youth are left out of various fora held to make decisions for or about the youth. Disarming individuals is usually done by the police, however, the Minister for Equity, Social Justice and Empowerment Hon. Joachim Henry firmly believes that there are individuals that the church can disarm.
The Minister also applauded the participatory efforts of the religious leaders and challenged them to think outside the box in recommending innovative ways of combating the myriad of social issues that aligns with our current era. āI am of firm belief that the roles of the Police and other leaders within our society is important. There are some young men the police can disarm but I am of the firm belief that there are also some young men that the church can also disarm. I am grounded in faith and I believe that as a faithful people we can do much if we put our heads together. I applaud you and call for your intervention during this time to respond to this problem.ā
The Consultation ended on a high note that we must get to the root of the crime and social issues in order to bring effective solutions into play. Hence it was unanimously agreed that the family and effective parenting within homes should be our first place of focus as Church and State.
Never in my life have I ever seen such an assembly of so many Churches in one room. Yet crime has risen to its highest level in the history of St Lucia. Excuse me for saying, but I think all of them have failed. May I say, its time to come down from the Pulpit, set up shop at Street corners, and begin to preach the word of God, face to face with the people. This is what John the Baptist, Jesus and many of His followers did, which turned the world inside out. The four walls does not always make the Church of the Almighty, but on rainy days, you stay indoors.