By Fr. Richard Ho Lung, Contributor 
Ho Lung
WE WOKE to news Saturday about the tragic shooting deaths of three children in Rema, innocent victims of a prolonged and pointless war. Elections are over and yet in these two following days we continue to witness and hear of widespread violence in the inner city while the barricades are proliferating. When will it end? How many more lives will be taken in this battle without a cause?
For some, the election results are a cause for great rejoicing, and for others, sadness. Despite our personal feelings, however, we must accept the will of the majority in the choice of those who will lead our country.
The ruling party has been given an historic fourth term, and now has a God-given opportunity to focus on those areas which are vital to the life and growth of our country and the good of our people. There needs to be a greater focus on the Christian moral life of our people, justice for the poor and in particular, a good education for our poor children with the awareness that these children of today are the men and women of tomorrow; they are our future, and we must strive to give them a brighter tomorrow by making every effort to give them a proper Christian education.
Our country has suffered much over the last few years. Violence is on the increase, many innocent lives have been lost, drugs and hedonism are rampant, marriage and its sacredness seem to be obsolete and so many other blights on our beloved land.
It is the duty of our present leaders to ensure that Jamaica be a country beautiful not just in its outward appearance but in spirit as well. They should not only concentrate their efforts on the external aspects of a well run country: wonderful beaches, good roads, a thriving tourism industry, but there needs to be an emphasis on promoting the beauty of the inner spirit of the nation as well.
Our leaders need to stand firm in their purpose and goals, that of building a Christian nation; they should shun and abhor everything that is contrary to the Gospel message - flexiweek, hedonism, the promotion of condoms and pills rather than encouraging people in the proper moral values required of every Christian, the secret mafias within our country, and finally the disrespect for life.
It is the responsibility of our leaders to set a standard for our country - a standard which is respectable, honourable, and moral.
There needs to be a greater stress on marriage and its sacredness. There also needs to be more emphasis on promoting a good family structure in our island - mother, father, and children. Today, many of our children don't know their fathers. We need men and women who will commit themselves to each other for life and who will together raise their children as God-fearing Christians. When this happens, then our nation will have a strong foundation. Then there will be love rather than hatred, peace rather than war, good morality rather than lewd conduct, and in the place of godlessness there will be a strong presence of the divine not only within each individual but also throughout our very nation itself.
We are an independent nation with our own strong identity and a unique culture. We do not need to import any other country's culture and values. Development is necessary of course, but we can do it while remaining truly Jamaican.
Our leaders have a duty to safeguard our culture even while adopting the technology and know-how of other countries. We must avoid the wholesale importation of the American culture with its materialistic lifestyle. Take what is beneficial and necessary but reject any values that are contrary to our Christian morals. If we fail to do this then we harm the welfare of our people and our beloved homeland.
Most urgently, we want to see a greater concern for the poor in our island. Too long have they been neglected and cast aside. It is time for all of us as a nation to focus our attention on them. Our leaders, not only political, but leaders of business, industry, and commerce as well, should be concerned with justice for the poor. There have been too many unfulfilled promises, too many words, too little action.
In order for trust to be built up, there needs to be a vital connection between an individual's word and his deeds. Our people yearn to have trust and confidence in their leaders. I urge our newly-elected to take up this challenge to serve our nation through a greater concern for the poor by ensuring good education for our children, more job opportunities for our young people, housing for the homeless, and finally, to go among the poor to show them their leaders are one with them and truly care for them.
Tourism and other industries are vital to the economy of our island but they should not be the only areas of concern for our leaders. They now have an opportunity to make a difference in our country's future, to build a nation marked by peace and justice. In all humility they should offer their time, talents, and their very selves to bring comfort, solace, and most of all hope to our suffering poor and indeed to all the people of this beautiful land. In so doing they will live out the Gospel message, "When I was a stranger you welcomed me, when I was sick you visited me, when I was in prison you came to me, when I was naked you clothed me-when you did it to the least of these brethren, you did it unto me" (Matthew 25: 35,40)
The Very Rev Richard Ho Lung is Founder and Superior General of the Missionaries of the Poor.
