Church leader’s plea to the Jamaican government

The head of the Holiness Christian Church of Jamaica, Bishop Dr. Alvin Bailey, has openly criticized the Jamaican government and asked for the resignation of some government ministers announcing that he believes the country is on the brink of anarchy.

According to Bishop Alvin Bailey, the present political leaders in Jamaica have acted unfairly to the Jamaican people. The bishop proclaimed they have failed to give priority to the well-being and welfare of their constituents and have instead turned blind eyes and deaf ears to the voices of the Jamaican public.

In expressing his dissatisfaction with the current crisis facing the nation, Bishop Bailey said the cries of the people are going unheeded, “this discontentment is rising among the working class, plus infighting is taking place among agencies of the state and regulated bodies, amid the daily evidences of daily decay,” declared the outspoken bishop. Dr. Bailey also spoke against the selfishness shown by the government and parliamentarians who recently gave themselves a 200 percent plus salary increase.

Bailey noted that Jamaica is facing the greatest leadership crisis since the period of  Universal Adult Suffrage. He continued by saying, “so, the people have lost confidence in their government and there is widespread feeling of mistrust and betrayal for the political leaders,” Bishop Bailey pointed out. In continuing to express the mistrust in the government from the public, the Bishop pointed out that, “in fact — none on either side of the political divide — can claim to command the full respect and moral authority of the Jamaican public at this time,” the Bishop declared.

He called on Prime Minister Andrew Holness, to roll back the recent pay hike for the government ministers and parliamentarians. “This defies democracy and is nothing short of dictatorship… The prime minister needs to show Jamaica that he has the authority to lead,” the church leader stated.

Bishop Bailey called on the Opposition leadership also to officially support a rollback and be prepared to halt the participation of the opposition in the functions of government until it is done,” the bishop insisted. He said that the government should not be oblivious to the protests, and he further called for more national influencers to talk against the injustices in the society.