Dear Editor,

At a very critical and defining time in our country’s history it appears that the People’s National Party (PNP) has sought to capitalise on the coronavirus disease to score political points. If this is so, then I cry shame, shame, shame! This is a time to exercise solidarity, not to play politics.

As a patriotic Jamaican, I felt a thrust of embarrassment, knowing that our people are exposed to a dangerous imported disease that can even claim their lives, yet the PNP could be so myopic in their vision.

Julian Robinson, the general secretary for the party in question, even worsened the situation when he came on television on Sunday, March 16, trying to “pretty up” or salvage the damage by explaining such an act of inhumane behaviour on their part at this critical juncture of a health disaster, by trying to encourage candidates to visit their constituency.

I am happy, however, that the Government, along with the health sector, is making strident effort to curtail the spread of the virus. Other health sources, I learned through British Broadcasting Corporation Radio newscasts, are sending positive information that many people are recovering from or surviving the attack of the virus.

It is a fitting time, I believe, for our Government to refocus on our agronomy effort.

We need to urge our farmers to produce, produce, produce! This initiative will enable us to become self-sustaining in the wake of adversity such as this one facing us.

And I hope the Government will not be slack or laid-back towards this opportunity.

This is an opportune time to point our people back to the supreme God. As a people and nation we have gravely turned our backs on our creator.

But as 2 Chronicles 7:14 puts it, “If my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” God can save this country, and He can save the world from this new coronavirus disease.

We cannot leave God out of the picture now. We need Him now more than ever.

The blood of Jesus Christ is a safe antidote and sanitiser; it cannot fail if we turn from our evils and acknowledge Him as our creator. Alrick Davis, JP alrico_dee@yahoo.com