Dear Editor,

Some time ago I attended a panel discussion on human rights at The University of the West Indies in the Law Faculty. The purpose of the discussion was to introduce the idea of the setting up of a National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) in Jamaica. The mandate of this institution would be to ensure that human ‘rights’ are protected based on a set of internationally recognised guidelines known as the Paris Principles.

NHRIs are given the right to petition, lobby and intervene in the policy-making process of any country which does not abide by the Paris Principles.

Now, what should we make of this?

At the forum, the issue of standards eventually became a dominant issue: Which human or institution has the right to set a standard to be used for everyone to follow? Who or what determines ‘rights’? One claim was made that the society determines what is right in accordance with what people practise, or believe. The statement was also made that: “Rights have no limits.”

Using this secular relativistic logic, this would mean that a society in which people believe that AIDS can be cured by having sex with a virgin, no matter what age, could establish this practice as a ‘right! In their own words, there would be no logical limit.

Yet, ironically, in the same breath, the establishment of an NHRI would bind us to their own accepted standard of ‘rights’. In keeping with this point, recently the United States Government declared that public bathrooms could not be limited to female or male bathrooms in the name of the same concept: ‘rights’.

My fellow Jamaicans, this is a very serious spiritual warfare. My brothers and sisters, we must make our voice heard. In Psalm 94: 16, God says: “Who stood up for me against the wicked? Who took My side against the evildoers?” Please, my Jamaicans, be in the know, and help fight the good fight of faith. Daniel 11:32 reads: “By deceit the king will win the support of those who have already abandoned their religion, but those who follow God will fight back.” Christians, we have a duty to carry out. Those who read this letter, please spread the word.

Fay Buckland

fay.buckland@jts.edu.jm