Tyrone Reid, Staff Reporter 
RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER - Lascelles Chin (left), chairman and CEO of the Lasco Group accepts a
T-shirt from Yvonne Coke, founder and international coordinator of Hands Across Jamaica, while Maurice Facey Chairman of Pan Jam looks on. The occasion was the launch of Hands Across Jamaica for Righteousness multimedia campaign for unity, peace and hope yesterday.
THE PEOPLE at Hands Across Jamaica For Righteousness is of the fervent belief that their soft answer can help to turn away the wrath that is being poured out on the nation.
"Some may say that given the serious problems of crime and violence in our country, promoting the MAP (motto, anthem and pledge) is a soft approach to addressing the nation's problems," said Earl Richards,
chairman of Hands Across Jamaica For Righteousness. "We agree, but there is power in our message."
Yesterday, their 12-week multimedia campaign for "unity, peace and hope" received a regal launch by Governor-General, Sir Howard Cooke at King's House. Sir Howard said he could feel in his bones that the nation was on the eve of a mighty revival.
"I can feel it ... Something good is going to happen. I feel the power of God will manifest itself and you and I will be jumping up and down singing hallelujah," he exclaimed.
The peace initiative is being
supported by several print and
electronic media entities.
MULTIMEDIA INITIATIVE
The multimedia initiative includes four 45-second messages for radio, a 90-second music video entitled Let's Join Hands, a flyer on the vision and personal responsibilities of Jamaicans entitled, 'Embrace the Vision' and a plaque bearing the words of the national motto, anthem and pledge.
Two of the radio messages were done by 11-year-old Shavaneese Anderson from Trench Town and Randolph Barrett, 48, a man who served 17 years on death row but
is now out on a pardon by the
governor-general.
Young Anderson's message is in the form of a prayer, which was
originally published in The Gleaner on January 31, 2005.
Mr. Barrett's message is in the form of an appeal from a former murderer turned minister to those who are
committing the crimes that they too can change.
Mr. Richards argued that while better policing, more jobs and better education are necessities, if they were all achieved, that still would fall short of solving the severe issues that plague our nation.
"We need to reach and touch the hearts and minds of our people and help to inculcate good values and attitudes; indeed a lifestyle of righteousness simply put, right living before God and mankind," he said.
