- IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Students from the Pembroke Hall Primary School choir doing a musical selection during PALS Jamaica church service celebrating Peace Day at Church of the Open Bible in St. Andrew, yesterday.
Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter
HUNDREDS OF students joined regular worshippers at the Open Bible Church on Washington Boulevard in St. Andrew yesterday, in an appeal for an end to the bloodletting in Jamaica.
"We may not be able to get the drugs and guns off the streets, but at least we can be a peacemaker," general manager of PALS Jamaica, Janilee Abrikian, told members of the congregation, during her brief greetings.
The church service was held to commemorate the observation of PALS' 10th anniversary of Peace Day in school. This year Peace Day will be observed tomorrow, Tuesday, March 1, 2005. More than 240 persons have already been murdered over the past 59 days in Jamaica. Last year 1,471 were killed, over 119 of the victims were children. The police said another 430 children were shot and injured. So far this year, the lives of over 20 children have been snuffed out.
One of the high points of yesterday's church service was the performance of the Pembroke Hall Primary School choir, as they sang "Put a little more love in your heart and the world/Jamaica would be a better place for you and me."
Michael Forrester, PALS' training manager, told the congregation that peace must start first from within them. The first message was read by 17-year-old Jhodie Ferguson, the headgirl of Penwood High.
Ferguson, who aspires to become a chartered accountant or an actress, said Peace Day is an opportunity for students to promote love in school, "not just on Peace Day, but every day," she said. She noted that at Penwood High, there will be gospel concerts and sporting events to promote peace in school.
In an attempt to reduce violence in school, the police have implemented a number measures including assigning personnel to schools as liaison officers or Safe School Officers, who are supposed to target delinquent students, among other things.
