| Peace march in St Thomas goes well |
| Elysia Murray Observer St Thomas correspondent Monday, October 14, 2002 |
|
| Ferguson |
Some 350 St Thomas citizens participated in an eight -mile peace march from Port Morant to Morant Bay on Saturday last in support of peaceful elections.
They carried Jamaican flags, banners and wore T-shirts with the inscription "Peace for Jamaica" and "Jesus blood a the remedy". They sang choruses and shouted "Peace, peace, peace for Jamaica".
In an interview with the Jamaica Observer, Rev Errol Scott, pastor of the Wesleyan Holiness Church, which initiated the march said, "this idea of the peace march came through prayer,".
The Wesleyan minister said that the march had two main objectives.
"Firstly, to foster harmony and unity among churches as we should not be divided. Secondly, we hope to change the minds of those who would seek to disrupt the peace throughout this election period with the hope that no more lives will be lost," Rev Scott said.
 |
| Wright |
The closing session, held at the Paul Bogle Square in Morant Bay, was attended by the custos for St Thomas Rev Leonard Saunders; Mayor of Morant Bay, Owen Atkinson and the candidates for eastern St Thomas, Dr Fenton Ferguson and Dennis Wright.
In greeting the large gathering, mayor Atkinson said: "The people of St. Thomas are a peace-loving people and I hope that as a result of this effort, the October 16 elections will be carried out in a peaceful manner."
The candidates congratulated the organisers and supporters of the peace march and called upon their supporters to maintain peace at all costs.
Ferguson further said: "Community development will never happen without peace, and political leaders must accept their role in the maintenance of peace."