ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – Caribbean religious and political figures met here yesterday for a three-hour regional inter-faith service ahead of a forum today that they hope would help formulate a strategic plan for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
They are also hoping that the event would begin a process among Faith Based Organizations (FBOs) within the region aimed at transforming the social fabric of the Community.
Host Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer, who spearheaded the initiative for the regional inter faith conference, told the congregation at the St John’s Pentecostal Church that he was certain that the Lord “has brought us here and forum was an historic occasion (and) we start off by worshipping together”.
He described the one-day forum today as “a very important event” that would place religion at “the future of this region”.
CARICOM chairman and Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves said religion played an important role in the life of Caribbean people.
“The Caribbean nations are founded in the supremacy of God and we are here today to re-affirm the fact that we are founded in the supremacy of God,” he said, adding there was nothing more joyous “to hear our people in the Caribbean in praise of our God and Saviour”.
Gonsalves told the congregation that the Caribbean is awash with several religious persuasions and values “but whatever the bundle of belief, we in our region worship with a Caribbean particularity with a joy.
“There is absolutely no celebration in the world that gives as much joy,” he said, adding “it is easy for us to celebrate inter faith (but) what we have to do is go beyond and celebrate with meaningful love for without it, faith is meaningless”.
Gonsalves said that given the number of religious faiths in the Caribbean it was also important to resolve whatever differences that may arise “and let us not fight one another”.
He also took the opportunity to remember Haitians residing in the Dominican Republic who are likely to be affected by a Constitutional Court ruling last September that could render them stateless.
General Secretary of the Caribbean Conference of Churches (CCC), Gerard Granado said his membership consisting of 33 churches in 32 countries was committed to the forum “because as people of faith we know God is a God of possibilities”.
But he warned that the event would “not be a walk in the park” and urged representatives of all faiths to have respect for each other’s beliefs.
He said the forum should also set the stage for regional countries keeping developmental issues such as human resource and poverty alive, saying it also calls “for a love that is patience and a dialogue humbled with respect for each other”.