Kingston, March 22, 2024

Partnership to make a stronger impact
The national partnership to reduce violence in communities was strengthened recently with the March 7 signing of the second MOU between church groups and the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) Community Renewal Programme (CRP). The partnership started on December 6, 2023 in Kingston with the signing of a MOU between churches in Eastern Jamaica and Central Jamaica and the PIOJ CRP. The agreements are providing a common understanding and an agreement for activities that will benefit communities that are experiencing a high level of violent and domestic crime.

To date, the partnership has delivered a training activity, a health fair and a youth essay competition in Savannna-la-Mar, an urban town which has been an ongoing site of a Zone of Operation of the Ministry of National Security.

Programme Director of the CRP, Charles Clayton, said that the partnership establishes a mechanism for cooperation between the churches and the PIOJ in the development and execution of initiatives that are focussed on the holistic development and positive transformation of volatile and vulnerable communities that have been targeted under the CRP.

At the signing in December, Chairperson of the Jamaica Pentecostal Union (Apostolic) & former Chairperson for the Umbrella Group of Churches, Dr Elaine McCarthy said that although scripture advises against self glorification, it may be prudent for the church to publicise its ongoing work in communities.

She said, “Churches have been addressing the issue of the physical person and it is good to know about the help that is available for the projects that are being undertaken. I am glad that this is an open door offering training and other help.”

Director General of the PIOJ, Dr Wayne Henry, in welcoming the churches into the MOU recalled the scripture about the unexpected, miraculous catch of fish. Dr Henry said, “The work was too much for the few persons who were involved had to call for help, so they did as we are doing today, they created a partnership to get the work done. We also understand that the church enjoys trust in communities and we can leverage that to attain the outcomes that are required to reduce volatility in society. The partnership will also provide support to the government’s “Citizen Security Plan”, the Vision 2030 Jamaica – National Development Plan and the relevant Sustainable Development Goals.”

Other church organizations and congregations including the Western Jamaica Conference of the Seventh Day Adventists, Operation Save Jamaica, Street and School Pastors, that were unable to attend both signing ceremonies, are committed to supporting the MOU.

PIOJ Extends Partnership with Church Groups
The national partnership to reduce violence in communities was strengthened recently with the March 7 signing of the second MOU between church groups and the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ). Participants in the March 7 signing at the West Jamaica Conference of Seventh Day adventists are: Left to right: Mr Charles Clayton, Director, The Community Renewal Programme (CRP) of the Planning Institute of Jamaica; Rev. Barbara Messado, Senior Pastor, Green Pond Wesleyan Holiness Church; Vice-chair of the St James Ministries Fraternal & Former Assistant District Superintendent,-Northern Jamaica District for the Wesleyan Holiness Church; Bishop Joyce Bernard, Central Tabernacle Deliverance Center; Pastor Leroy Walker, Harvest Army International; Bishop Oneil Russell, Ark of the Covenant Apostolic Church.