Government of Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica. As the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) continues to promote peace and harmony by equipping individuals with conflict resolution tools, Minister of Justice, the Hon. Delroy Chuck is urging persons to create a culture of reconciliation.
“We are partnering with schools, churches and even more so with communities. We have an effective conflict resolution mechanism that can really solve a lot of the problems across Jamaica.
Jamaicans must learn how to resolve conflicts without using violence. We who know that the problems can be resolved can stem the problem before it [escalates] to violence.” he said.
Minister Chuck was speaking at the Restoring Relationships through Restorative Justice Community Impact Consultation, an initiative of the Jamaica Union Conference of Seventh Day Adventists in partnership with MoJ, at the Andrews Memorial Seventh Day Adventist Church, in Kingston, on Thursday April 18.
This was the first in an ongoing series of consultations, for 2024 with the Seventh Day Adventist Conferences, aimed at fostering community engagement and restoring relationships through Restorative Justice Principles.
Subsequent to the consultations, the partnership will materialize into the delivery of 2-day Restorative Practices Trainings an Adoption Community Project.
“In 2022 the Memorandum of Understanding was signed with President of the Jamaica Union Pastor Everett Brown, to mobilise churches to engage in two -day Restorative Practices workshops. We want Jamaicans to buy into this programme of healing, restoration, so that all broken relationships can be mended and restored. If we pull together, we can make Jamaica a better place.” Minister Chuck stated.
With a number of pastors across the island trained in Restorative Practices, Director of Restorative Justice, Joanalee Robertson called for a greater collaborative effort to spread the good news of Restorative Justice.
“We have to find creative ways to deliver the message of peace and harmony. Restorative Justice is one of those avenues. We have to ensure as peacemakers, we are doing our due diligence to deliver a message of hope, healing and reconciliation.” she said
Director of Community Services at the Jamaica Union Conference of Seventh Day Adventists, Pastor Adrian Cotterell said as Ministers of reconciliation they remain committed to repairing relationships among individuals.
“The Seventh Day Adventist Church is delighted for the partnership that we have forged between the church and the Ministry of Justice. I believe that the church has a solemn and sacred responsibility to help to make Jamaica a better country and one of the ways to do that is by restoring relationships through restorative justice.” he said.
