Churches commit to helping with hurricane relief efforts

 

Faith-based organisations are joining forces to provide relief to communities reeling from the passage of Hurricane Melissa. 

 

Bishop Herro Blair says the grouping is constrained to act with urgency because of the enormity of the destruction and the level of despair that grips those hardest hit. 

 

He says the relief must be targeted to those who have suffered loss.

 

"Our organisational and procedural arrangements must lead to efficient and timely delivery of the supplies and the services that will meet the existing needs. Secondly, we are of the certain view that no local church, no denomination or umbrella group acting on their own will be able to make a meaningful impact on the task that is ahead. Instead, it will take a collaborative approach to effectively manage the scale of the demands. All levels and layers of the religious community are therefore being called upon to come together and work together with the various arms of government," he declared at Monday's special press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister. 

 

He added that a carefully coordinated machinery is being set up to manage the relief process. 

 

"We envision and are committed to the establishment of national faith-based coordinated operations that are dedicated to providing relief and finally compassionate. The immediate focus and mission of all people of faith must now be to relieve suffering and to bring hope. The people in western Jamaica do not have the time to wait for us to debate our differences nor do they have the option of delay. They need our full attention. They need our energies in this, their hour of dire need," he acknowledged.