Nevisian Methodist minister lists nepotism, retaliation, victimisation, crime and fear among ills in St Kitts-Nevis
Eloquently stating that it is the duty of the messenger of God to call men and women back to God, Rev Bonnie Byron of the Charlestown Methodist Church said there can be no unity without justice and listed nepotism, lack of opportunity, crime, fear of expressing oneself and victimisation as current ills of the St Kitts and Nevis society.
Reflecting on the theme: “Unify, Transform, Enrich: Uplifting Communities for Independence 36,” the Superintendent of the Methodist Church in the Nevis Circuit told the congregation including Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris, the Federal and Nevis Island Administration Cabinets, parliamentarians, diplomats, civil servants and members of various groups, attending Sunday’s State Service that it is the responsibility of pastors and members of the clergy to be obedient to God first and foremost and to point men, women and children to God and the things of God.
“There can be no true unity, without justice. There can be no transformation of our nation for the better without love, reconciliation, kindness and compassion one for another,” said Byron.
Stating that there must be justice and equal opportunity for all, the Nevisian born cleric pointed out that “too many decisions have been made along party lines in our nation. Persons should be chosen for job positions according to their qualifications and not according to the party that they support. Our partisan practices have caused too much division, too much conflict among our people and that is not right in the eyes of God. Persons are afraid to speak their minds openly and honestly, less their frankness be rewarded with retaliation and victimisation.”
Rev Byron said more and more nations are straying away from God and the things of God and “we see the results all around us – violence, crime. This little island nation of St Kitts and Nevis has too much crime and violence.”
“God wants us to look for the good and the best in our fellowmen and seek to build each other up instead of pulling one another down because of jealousy and revenge and other negative motives,” Byron said.
Byron called on spiritual as well as political leaders to give thanks to God who has given us the wherewithal to be where we are today because it can all be gone in a twinkling of an eye.”