KINGSTON, Jamaica — Prime Minister Andrew Holness, is urging the church to partner with the Government in reducing Jamaica’s murder rate to align with the regional average.

He noted that the country recorded a 31‑year low of fewer than 700 murders in 2025; however, the Government’s broader aim is to reach the regional benchmark of 15 murders per 100,000 population.

The prime minister added that Jamaica is nearing the target, with the country currently recording fewer than 25 murders per 100,000 population.

In pursuit of this goal, Holness emphasised that partnership is vital in tackling social violence, including intimate partner conflicts, domestic disputes, and petty quarrels between neighbours that too often turn deadly.

“These are the [forms of] social violence that we’re going to need the help of the church [with]… not just in prayers but in action. We must now, as a society, from the pulpit preach the rejection of violence as a means of resolving conflict,” Holness maintained.

He was speaking at the 20th staging of the ‘Heal the Family, Heal the Nation’ Day of Prayer Service, held at Power of Faith Ministries in Portmore, St Catherine, on Wednesday.

Holness argued that the church is uniquely positioned to intervene swiftly in situations that could escalate to violence, by offering counselling and employing diversion measures.

“There are many youngsters in communities [who] could very well be in the church choir as they could be in a gang. It is only because the gangs reach out to them and not the church choir why they are in the gang and not the church choir. So, we are going to now need the army of the church to pull in those youngsters and divert them away from the gangs and the criminal activities,” the prime minister further emphasised.

He maintained that by working in tandem with the police force and the army, the church can help Jamaica attain peace – defined as the ability to resolve conflict without resorting to violence.

Holness appealed to those engaged in criminal activities to “save [themselves]” by turning away from violence and surrendering their guns.

He further urged the church to “pray for them so that their hearts will be touched so they will turn away from criminal activity”.

The service was hosted by Power of Faith Ministries International under the theme ‘Reunite and Build the Family with Love and Forgiveness’, coinciding with the sixth Annual National Day of Prayer.

– JIS