Prof. Errol MillerCLAREMONT, St. Ann:
RESPECTED EDUCATOR and columnist, Professor Errol Miller, says there is a sense of crisis that exists in Jamaica and a sense of fear gripping its people.
Prof. Miller, director of the Institute of Education at the University of the West Indies, Mona, was speaking Friday at the St. Ann Baptist Association Banquet held at the Renaissance Jamaica Grande.
"I am a Kingstonian, born under the clock and schooled in the park. You may not go to Kingston, but Kingston is coming to you," he declared, having stated that his origin gives him an appreciation of the problem.
He noted that there were many issues being faced in the capital city that were spreading, representing significant and profound social changes. Jamaicans, he added, tend to be parochial in outlook, and that the tendency now is to blame the problems on the performance of the economy, implying that if we fix the economy, we fix everything.
As a counter to this notion, the professor cited the case of The Bahamas whose population is one tenth of Jamaica's -- 250,000 compared to 2.5 million -- and has almost no unemployment. Its per capita income, he said, was US$3,000 compared to Jamaica's US$1,800.
Yet, he noted, up to the end of September, their murder rate was roughly the same as Jamaica's.
He suggested that the local problem required deeper analysis.
The professor urged his audience to have faith in God, love each other, give hope, comfort and assistance as when Christians help out each other, it made a difference.
"It is going to be difficult to be a Christian, living beside the don, if you dis the don you dead, but you can't agree with the don on everything. The don is on your doorstep. The don goes with the Bible and the gun."
Placing himself within the bracket of the working poor, Prof. Miller pointed out that what he could buy in the past he could not buy now, that Jamaica was socially more polarised and the young was more affected than their elders.
He stressed that rebellion was in the air, and young people were not accepting the situation.
"Justice, mercy, humility and creativity is needed and if we engage our time in having faith and hope and maintain love we will survive the times."
"In Jamaica, there is JLP and PNP truth. As Christians we need to put that aside and face up to the challenges so that we can be anchored to the rock, firm to the Lord and make the difference," Prof. Miller said.
The banquet, held under the theme, 'United for Progress' also saw Deacons Hezekiah Whitehorne and Jacob Green being honoured as members of the singing group "The Trumpeters" which performed in the Baptist church for over 50 years.
Three of the five members are deceased.
