Adrian Frater, News Editor

Prime Minister-designate Bruce Golding (left) and his wife Lorna join in the singing of a hymn during yesterday's church service at the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Mt. Salem, St. James.-photo by adrian frater

Western Bureau:

Prime Minister-designate Bruce Golding, whose Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) will form the new Government of Jamaica later this week, yesterday issued a call for unity, noting that without it, the nation would be hard-pressed to handle the challenges facing it.

"We have a nation that is facing many challenges. If we don't unite, then we won't find common ground," said Golding, during a church service at the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Mt. Salem, St. James, yesterday.

"If we can't work together to build thecountry, we are going to spend a lot of energy, and we are going to find that we are getting nowhere fast," added Golding, who is slated to be sworn in as Jamaica's eighth Prime Minister, on Tuesday, at King's House.

Hinting that he would be seeking divine guidance in leading, Golding disclosed that, prior to addressing the nation on Monday night following his party's victory in the country's 15th general election, he invited a number of religious leaders to his home to pray for him.

inspiration

"I invited them to pray with me and to make sure that my head was properl before I ventured out to address the nation," said Golding. "Much of what I said when I addressed the nation was due to the talk I had with them and the inspiration I got."

In emphasising his unity theme, Golding said his team would be seeking to create a platform of unity in which all can appreciate that "there is more that can unite us than the things we allow to divide us".

The Prime Minister-designate also stated that in the upcoming weeks and months, he would be devoting much time and effort in building the unity platform he is hoping for. He asked the church to pray for him, his party and for all Jamaica as the nation ventures into a new era.

"We are going to need guidance. We are going to need inspiration, and much of that is going to come from a consistency of prayer," noted Mr. Golding. "Don't be afraid to call me if you see us doing things that are not quite what we ought to be doing. I will be ready to listen to you because I am not and have never claimed to be a perfect person.

During the service, which was attended by other JLP stalwarts including deputy leader Horace Chang and the veteran Edmund Bartlett, the Reverend Glen Samuels, head of the West Jamaica Conference of SDA, offered a special prayer for Mr. Golding and his wife, Lorna.