Buoyed by the promise a new year offers, and in an attempt to heal deep division in the island, the National Transformation Programme is embarking upon a campaign to get the nation's leaders to repent.

The programme, dubbed 'Fresh Start', is slated to begin next month and entails challenging national, political, civic and religious leaders to accept responsibility for their contribution to the nation's socio-economic, moral and political demise since Independence.

The initiative is being led by the Reverend Dr Merrick 'Al' Miller, national director of the National Transformation Programme.

According to Miller, the campaign will call on leaders to repent before God and the people of Jamaica as a critical first step for the nation to experience restoration, wholeness, and divine blessings and favour.

Pursue peace

Miller went on to explain that the campaign was with a view to getting Jamaicans to passionately pursue peace and forgiveness in 2009.

Pastors and church leaders are also being asked to promote the idea of peace and forgiveness from their pulpits throughout the year, especially during January.

Miller told The Gleaner that he and a team of clergy would be meeting with each member of Parliament to urge him/her to repent before God and the nation.

After confronting the politicians, he said the clergy group would approach key leaders at various levels of the society.

This effort, he continued, would be complemented with the group calling on the nation to repent of its sins.

Miller expressed the hope that the campaign would spark a national conversation to explore ways of pursuing the achievement of peace and forgiveness.

He expressed the hope that, in time, the campaign would influence the creation of a national truth and reconciliation commission.