Dear Editor,

If our motto is truly “Out Of Many, One People” and this is a plural society, our school curricula must reflect this and government action must exemplify this.

I was extremely disappointed to see the Christian programme at the National Leadership Prayer Breakfast yesterday. The dominant Christian majority and religion, which cut across creed and class in this country, must take into consideration the susceptibilities of the smaller religious denominations. There is no State religion here.

Jamaica is neither a “Christian” nor a “Black” country. An interfaith Leadership Prayer Breakfast would have been so much more appropriate. The salient point is that we cannot continue to be ignorant of ourselves and the society we are attempting to construct. We were brought here and/or have come from all parts of the globe, not to form a civilisation, but rather for the economic and social benefit of the metropole.

Has the trauma of the Middle Passage sufficiently subsided, or has it been adequately conquered to allow groups and the collective to be able to advance from the condition of being brought to a state of being comfortable enough to fashion something out of our existence?

With our Golden Jubilee behind us, and as we look forward to the next 50 years, let us not only acknowledge and take pride in our accomplishments, but let us take this opportunity to look ahead and envision the future where all our peoples find equal place.

Andrew King

Kingston

abking020@gmail.com