KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Watchman Church Leaders Alliance (WCLA), says it welcomes the recent statement by Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness for greater attention to be paid to the family, and his call for partnership between government, the Church, and civil society.

The prime minister spoke to the importance of the family during the recent ‘Heal the Family, Heal the Nation’ Day of Prayer at the Power of Faith Ministries in Portmore, St Catherine. 

He said the next phase of government policy will target the family to drive long-term national success. As such, he said there will be a more “concentrated and coordinated” approach to supporting families.

 “WCLA commends and supports the affirmation that sustainable crime reduction, social cohesion, and national development must be rooted in healthy families, moral formation, and community responsibility,” the Alliance said in a statement.

WCLA describes itself as an alliance of church leaders committed to biblical values and national watchfulness. It is in this context that it “affirms that the family is Jamaica’s first and most critical institution for shaping character, transmitting values, and preventing social breakdown”.

WCLA said it “respectfully urges targeted national investment in initiatives that promote marriage stability, responsible fatherhood, conflict resolution, and mental and emotional wellbeing within households, recognising that unresolved family fragmentation fuels crime, violence, and intergenerational trauma”.

“We stand ready to collaborate with the Government of Jamaica and national stakeholders to translate this vision into sustained action that strengthens homes, restores hope, and secures Jamaica’s future,” it said.

The Alliance is encouraging Jamaicans in all sectors and levels of society to join forces in creating a national movement for promoting the family.