‘We need peace and justice in society’

With close to 30 reported murders in the country so far for the year, this country joined others around the world in celebration of International Day of Peace on Friday, September 21, with a rally at Heritage Square.{{more}}

But while there was the resounding call for tranquility by the performers and other speakers at the event, main speaker Reverend Elton Watson (photo below) called for not only peace but also justice in the society.

The Methodist minister said that if there were truly peace, then justice would prevail. He confessed that since his stint here as a man of the cloth, he had observed that the country was becoming, as he described it, “a little divided” along the party political lines.

Watson preached that although St Vincent and the Grenadines was a lovely place, there were still things such as favoritism being shown to one set of people over the other, and this was causing agitation and division.

He warned that when people practiced injustices such as favoritism, it was often because of greed, superiority complexes, hate, malice, backbiting and envy. Reverend Watson advised that these vices be replaced with love, tolerance, kindness, respect and especially justice for a more peaceful society.



The minister also expressed concern about the drug culture, gangs and violence among young people. He encouraged the youth to imitate reggae artiste “Turbulence”, who sang in his song “Notorious”, how he “could have been one of the most notorious” but sought instead a life of peace and forgiveness.

Watson said that peace was something attainable by all, but people had to see themselves equal to all men and view life as a sacred gift where no one wanted another to suffer.

He emphasized: “If you love, you will be just…we are all one in God’s eyes. There is no one better than the other. Oh, Yes! Some people may be better off than some people because they have food, clothes, education, nice house and car, so they might be better off materially, but no one on earth is better off than anyone else.”

He ended that true peace came from God and encouraged everyone to follow the authentic giver of peace.

Awards were also handed out to winners of various competitions held to mark the special day.

First place in the Pledge Competition went to Saskia Renton of the Girls’

High School, while the winner of the Peace Song competition went to the Bequia Seventh Day Adventist School Choir.