The Association of Christian Communicators and Media (ACCM) has called on the government to establish a Commission on National and Family Values and to lead communities into prayers of repentance as the nation approaches the season of Lent.
The Christian organisation has also advocated for Jamaica’s parliament and government to immediately implement a plan of action to address the society’s decay in law and moral order.
“Recurring news of the abduction of a university student, the brutal rape and murder of a child, the buggery of our boys, suicides, the wanton theft, and corruption, along with the general breakdown in godliness, point to an abandonment of righteous principles on which the Jamaican society was built,” the group said.
The ACCM comprises professional communicators who are Christians, working in the traditional, secular, and religious media, social media, public and private agencies, and in the Judaeo-Christian Church. It has members locally, regionally, and in the diaspora.
The ACCM believes the current levels of immorality and disregard for decency will only lead to greater destruction of families and communities, which are still the backbone of the nation.
“Despite the welcome reduction in murders and other crimes, the current trajectory does not indicate that this can be sustained unless there is a deliberate and drastic change of minds, hearts, and approaches,” the group said in a media release.
The Association has been vocal on several pressing national and international issues in recent months. It noted previous attempts by administrations across the political divide to implement a values-based transformation programme for society but wants more to be done.
“Although these initiatives have had limited success, we believe the time is right for the Parliament and Government to set up a Commission on National and Family Values reporting to people, through their House of Representatives. This Commission will become the vehicle mandated to promote transformational family values throughout the society. The ACCM is willing to play a key role in this transformational process,” the organisation said