THE EDITOR, Sir:
The writer of the 'Letter of the Day' headlined "What leadership for 'values and attitudes'?" carried in your edition of Tuesday, 4th March 2003, raises a number of questions about Values and Attitudes - the 2003 Phase, introduced by the Honourable Burchell Whiteman, Minister of Information at a function at Northern Caribbean University on Wednesday, 26th February 2003.
A read of the Values and Attitudes - 2003 Phase brochure and the address given by the Minister at the introduction ceremony provides the answers.
Listed in the publication are the core values which are respect, honesty and truthfulness, forgiveness and tolerance, peace and love and fairness. Accompanying the core values are others that we regard as key values - discipline, responsibility, national pride, love/compassion, co-operation, punctuality, progress, work and leadership.
As the Minister stated in his presentation, there has been a series of consultations and meetings to get inputs from a wide cross section of Jamaicans and it was from these consultations that "A National Steering Committee has emerged, and a set of core values for focus has been recommended."
The Values and Attitudes - 2003 Phase slogan, "For a better me, For a better you, For a better Jamaica" as well as a theme song, "What We Need Today" also came from the consultations, Mr. Whiteman told the gathering at NCU.
From the consultations it was also agreed that critical partners in the effort to get acceptance of the values and attitudes and the vital behavioural changes in the population must be the church, the mass media, professional groups and volunteers.
The church was identified because of its reach, nurturing of spiritual bases for our values, its social programmes and its position of respect and authority. The media because of their reach also, influence on behaviour and potential to change attitudes through messages.
Professional groups were considered a must because of their ability to provide researchers, psychologists and teachers to ensure appropriateness of approaches and messages.
Volunteers are already providing leadership within communities and organisations.
Minister Whiteman said there would be timely information on the action plan being developed by the National Steering Committee to cover the next 15 to 18 months. On the matter of the audience that the values and attitudes programme seeks to reach, the Minister's comment was that "No sector is without need of help and we can all learn from others."
And evaluation will be done in 2004 to measure the success of the programme.
And as to "Who in Jamaica will lead this initiative?" Leadership at this time is being drawn from various sectors of society and different geographical locations in the form of the National Steering Committee chaired by the Reverend Marjorie Lewis of the United Church of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. These are volunteers who are identified as having a strong desire to make a difference.
Minister Whiteman wants to make it clear that those who judge the fitness of persons on the basis of their having the "moral authority" to lead can make their evaluation and hopefully offer their support.
I am, etc.,
GRANVILLE NEWELL
1 Devon Road
Kingston
