News February 2006

Georgetown, Guyana: Prime Minister calls Adventists to be more Involved in Community

Thursday, February 2, in the Central church of George Town, Prime Minister of the Cooperative republic of Guyana, Samuel Hinds, called Adventists to more involved in the life of their community. He also express the wish to have in his country a platform including all religions to ensure the preservation and promotion of fundamental human rights, including religious freedom.

Prime Minister Hinds opened the Public affairs and Religious Liberty workshops organized by the Caribbean Union and the Guyana conference. It was the first time Guyana held such an event focuses on religious freedom. Prime minister acknowledges the positive role of Adventist in in Youth, Education and religious freedom. Although Guyana is a pluralist society ethnical tensions are still visible today. Religions use to be associated to the various ethnics. Hindus and Muslims came from India and Christian are essentially descendants of Africans. The first group live in the rural zone and the second in the cities. As the elections approaches tensions are growing. The government hopes religious leaders including Adventists will be peace makers.

On Friday a delegation led by Pastors Clive Dottin, Hubert Jack, Exton Clark and Dr. John Graz met the Prime Minister in his office, the President of the Commission for Ethnics Relations and the Mayor's team. Dr. John Graz received an Award for his ministry in favor of religious freedom.

The climax of the Workshop was the festival of religious freedom which took place at the National Cultural Center in George Town. Over 2500 persons attended. There were 46 delegates from 15 countries of the Caribbean Union. The launching of the Guyana religious Liberty Association received a massive support from the participants to the festival of religious freedom and the first issue it will face will be to find a solution to the Sabbath problems in schools and on the workplace, which affects Adventists. Attorney Emerson Graham, President of the Caribbean Religious Liberty Association, closed the workshop encouraging the new association to a leadership role in the promotion and defense of religious liberty in Guyana. [PARL News]