The National Transformation Programme, formerly a church-based initiative under the direction of Rev Dr Al Miller, has joined ranks with the Government, the business sector and civil-society groups to tackle Jamaica's social problems.

Speaking during Wednesday's launch of 'Fresh Start Jamaica' at King's House, Prime Minister Bruce Golding urged citizens to rally around the project with renewed optimism.

"We are so instinctively cynical in Jamaica, that we focus more on the motives, and what we think could possibly be the motives, rather than the value of what is being brought.

"Transformation is not a miracle event. ... We needed to recognise that there is no one organisation, no one collection of people that could move mountains that had refused to move previously. We needed to gather all the players on this," the prime minister appealed.

Social responsibility

'Fresh Start Jamaica' seeks to encourage social responsibility, ranging from values and attitudes to volunteerism and community development.

The Transformation plans can be viewed in detail at the website www.freshstartjamaica.com where persons can submit ideas and volunteer for jobs.

Miller, founder of the movement, called on Jamaicans to renounce wrongdoing and pledge to turn over a new leaf.

"We are launching the Peace and Forgiveness period first. Let all of us acknowledge where we have failed, where we have gone wrong, where we have contributed to the problems that Jamaica now has, recommit ourselves and forgive each other of that past (and) build the prosperity that we want for the future," Miller said Wednesday.

The National Transformation Programme director said the group would concentrate on beautification projects, co-sponsored by government agencies, from August to December.