The Bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) applaud our Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) for their meeting and declaration on Crime and Violence as a Public Health Issue (April 17-18, 2023). We thank them for their leadership in raising crime and violence as a Public Health issue that needs: āa robust regional response that includes a public health approach, which is an all of society strategy including family, church, academia, cultural and sports personalities, minority political parties and wider civil societyā.
We stand ready to work with our leaders to renew our Caribbean peoples. The perspective of and call for all leaders to come together to face this most dangerous social crisis is heartening and encouraging. We ask our governments, in each nation, to initiate a multi-sector team with Government, Opposition, Trade Union, Business and Religious leaders, indeed all civil society, to move the declaration into action. This team should facilitate and engage in a series of conversations in the communities where there is the greatest vulnerability to begin understanding the complexity of the issues and thus charting meaningful solutions to all forms of violence.
The Bishops of the AEC are ready to work with all leaders of society to form our people’s consciences and work tirelessly to build character and values through all our institutions.
We continue to pray that Almighty God will give us both the inspiration and the courage to face this most difficult challenge and to do what is necessary to transform our nations for the sake of the present and future generations.
DELIVERANCE
Asking favors of Almighty God, it should be done with the utmost respect, Almighty God is not there at your beck and call, he sees all, knows all, and is not def or dumb. His might is beyond belief, and his majesty is awesome, only when you face calamity do you invoke the name of the Lord, why?, donāt you know the words of the Almighty, he says when calamity befalls you do not seek him, so why implore that your only solution is to portray the name of the Lord for deliverance.
Come together and serve the Lord God Almighty with truth and reverence, humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord can hear your supplication, it’s not for you to command the Lord, make your request to the Lord and know that it is if the Lord is willing, yes!
There is no complexity to this issue, it is a blatant crisis our people are being murdered, while civil society twiddles its thumbs, speech after speech rendering no action, the remedy is lacking, if I had the power I would send you all packing, if you all are so inclined and ready to work with leaders to curb and nip this crime spree in the bud, open your fat purses, yes your fat purses donate to the Saint Lucia Royal Police Force there is a Moses within this department she knows what to do.
Until you have a more constructive and positive solution to Saint Lucia’s homicide problem, stay back and stand still, let Almighty God Jehovah in his great mercy deliver our people, I assure you that he will in his own time.