– at ERC religious harmony conference
President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday urged religious leaders to have dialogue on discovering means to deal with social ills such as incest and alcoholism in their various communities.
Speaking at the opening of an Ethnic Relations Commis-sion (ERC)-hosted conference for religious leaders at the Guyana International Con-ference Centre at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, President Jagdeo noted that these issues transcend race, religion and status. He added that the discussion of them will forge greater ties among the various leaders thereby contributing to the ERC’s mandate of fostering good relations among the religious groups. The President commended the ERC for bringing the religious leaders together. He also encouraged religious leaders to take what they learn from the discussions yesterday back to their respective organisations and inculcate the new standards.
The forum was held in a bid to create harmony among the various religious groups in our multicultural society, with a keen focus on promoting peace through dialogue. The day-long group interaction was facilitated by volunteers who themselves are religious leaders.
Chairman of the ERC Bishop Juan Edghill who also spoke at the opening of the one-day conference, said it was a forum where areas of conflict and sensitivity among groups could be examined.
The bishop was keen to point out that the ERC was not promoting a “one world religion” which some persons may be thinking but that the emphasis is on the formation of new and lasting relationships among the various religious sects.
The conference was considered the first of its kind as it is the first time that religious groups and denominations have met under one roof to chart a way forward so that religious harmony would prevail.
In recent months the ERC has initiated inter/intra community dialogue meetings in Bartica and surrounding area and in villages on the East Coast Demerara to address race issues, particularly after the Bartica and Lusignan slaughters.
I said in one of my earlier bloggs, that Guyana needs one more holiday. One day of national prayer. “More things are wrought by prayer, than this world ever dreams of.”
“He prayeth best, who loveth best,
All things both great and small:
For the dear God who loveth us,
He made and loveth all.”
Religion has done nothing to help solve these social ills. This country has more places of worship per capita than any other in the world. They just converted the Strand cinema into a church. Utter sacrilege!
A little less god and a little more humanism is what Guyana needs.
rambler you couldn’t have said it any better, and i agree with your statement.
Let’s see where this leads to, and i hope something comes out of this meeting that will benefits all communities.
What can the poor religious leaders do when the government is flooding the community with booze and refuses to control the opening and closing times of booze shops? They even sell the poison to minors. After all, the evil liquid is a big revenue earner in Guyana. People even made Guyana’s biggest rum seller a DOCTOR . Can those tiny religious leaders fight against such “Doctors”?
Come on Bharat, do your job. Don’t pass the buck.
I thought about this too , of course they wouldn’t touch Dr.Booze , cause of the incoming revenues but that’s why the religious leaders need to educate the people not to indulge in booze. We’re not slaves anymore , we have choices now , so we should choose wisely.
The President is right to call them out, he should continue to ride them until they step up to the plate and assume some social responsibility, the churche’s responsibility is to uphold the moral fabric of society, and to give guidance and direction on issues affecting the people of Guyana.
I’ ve said it many times on this site , the religious organizations needs to sit down with the government and create an agenda to deal with the present crisis .
Finally they’re coming around to get this done .
Great move.
Very nice. Also uge church leaders to attend the social ills within churches first also. Some of these churches are as corrupt as the people who are corrupt outside the church.
The president’s call is a good one, but that is usually as far as he
might be willing to go even in the face of reason. I say might, because
he has shown that he can be bold and daring at times to prove me wrong.
His comments is either brilliant, or a sudden awareness that the
grassroots people are sometimes a capable agent for solving grassroots
problems free of political directions.
Will he commit (resources etc.) to expand the ERC’s mandate or to
establish a National inter religious body that works hand in hand with
Government and NGOs for the social ills facing our people today
Religious leaders do not need the presidents urging in this regard.
Pandits, Imam, Pastors and private wealthy citizens have been doing
their bit independently all along. Their contributions go unnoticed
because there is no political gains for the political parties from
these acts of social responsibilities or media excitement for front
page stories.
The facilitation of the ERC is making a remarkable impact on the side
of inter-faith and inter-religious dialogue and possibilities. The time
for the next phase (Inter-faith community building) must be near ready.
Good call though! Mr. President!
Don’t let me down.
Solomn Butt
Church organisations, should use the trememdous human and material resources they have, in giving skills training to economically needy individuals and communities, and help them obtain equipments, loans, landd etc; in starting micro or medium size businesses, particularly agro business, to help lift them out of poverty and economic desperation.
This will enable religious organisations to be more relevant in the lives of those they seek to convert.
Mr President congratulation I agree with you on meeting and address the church leaders on the issuse but it begin from the top to the bottom the (PPP AND THE PNC) need to settle their differences and work together to restore Guyana to our beloved country, parents give and show love to your children so their do not have to look for love in the wrong places and teach then to respect their self.
I believe that because of lack of love in the home, verb abuse in the home parents having disagreement or fighting infront of their kids, parents do not spent time with the children this is causing our country a great down fall.
It is time we wake up stop the blame game the fighting about power and work together to solve the problems the people of Guyana face every day.
We just witness history with the new elect President Barack Obama maybe PPP & PNC PARTIES CAN PUT THEIR DIFFERENCES ASSIDE AND WORK TO REBUILD GUYANA. It will reduce the crimes to name a few drug gangs, domestic violence, sexual abuse, alchol abuse.
I do believe if the two major parties work together we will reduce crime and achieve a lot.
…..let add alittle more …………ithaca village nine church with a handfull of people…….not one of these church growing something eat…..