Jamaica Union Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists | Religious Liberty Summit
Keynote Address
By
Dr the Most Honourable Andrew Holness ON, PC, MP
Prime Minister of Jamaica
At the
Jamaica Union Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists
Religious Liberty Summit
On
January 30, 2025
_______________________________________
Protocols have been well established, but allow me to acknowledge the leader of the opposition, our cabinet secretary, ministers, members of parliament, senators who are here, Dr Adlai Blythe, Treasurer of the Jamaica Union of Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Bishop Michael Smith, Chairman of the Jamaica Umbrella Group of Churches, specially invited Pastor Nelu Burcea from as far as Romania; welcome, Associate Director of Religious Liberty Department Adventist World Church, members of the media, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, all. Allow me to repeat my earlier wish for you, a happy, peaceful, prosperous, productive and victorious 2025.
Good morning, and thank you for the opportunity to join you at this important gathering dedicated to advancing religious liberty in Jamaica. I extend my warmest greetings to the leadership and membership of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, as well as to representatives from other faith communities, trade unions, businesses and civil society.
It is indeed an honour to address you on this significant occasion as we observe the theme “Fostering Unity: Respecting Beliefs”. It is a theme that challenges us to build bridges, nurture understanding, and protect the rights of every individual to believe or not to believe according to their conscience.
As Prime Minister of Jamaica, a nation with a long-standing tradition of commitment to religious pluralism and commitment to freedom and respect, I am encouraged by this summit and its alignment with our national ethos, out of many, one. The religious harmony we enjoy is no accident. It is a result of decades of deliberate efforts to uphold constitutional rights and foster mutual respect but if you permit me to depart from my script a bit, Jamaica has never been a xenophobic society. We have always embraced people from different races, different cultures, different backgrounds. And what is so special about Jamaica is that we have all co-existed now for over five centuries in peace. We have never had divisions of any significance along racial, social, ethnic or class lines. We’re truly blessed in that regard. It is something that we should value as a national asset.
Yes, there are other countries where you have to pay very close attention to the religious divide, to racial divides. In fact, they make their way into political considerations, that is not the case in Jamaica. And let me be very quick to say that though there have been statements made on political platforms about race and class, be assured that those instances are addressed publicly and privately because we must never allow them to in any way interfere with the unified fabric of our nation. In the same way, that if any statement were to be made on a political platform that would in any way suggest political intolerance or disrespect, they would be dealt with firmly as well because we have a unified society. It’s a national asset.
We gather here today because we recognize that despite our constitutional guarantees, some of our citizens continue to face challenges in freely practicing their faith, particularly in the workplace and educational institutions. We have heard the voices of those who may feel that their religious observances are sometimes misunderstood or disregarded. These concerns are legitimate, and as a society, we must work together to find solutions that uphold both individual rights and institutional responsibilities. Fostering unity: respecting beliefs, speaks directly to the heart of the matter. Religious liberty is about coexistence, not division. It is about finding pathways to mutual respect where no individual is forced to choose between their faith and their livelihood, and where institutions can operate effectively while accommodating the diverse needs of their members.
Faith should never lead to discrimination, but rather to a deeper appreciation of what binds us together, our shared national identity, humanity, our respect for each other, and our collective aspiration for a better society. We are, after all, out of many, one people and must find strength in varied perspectives and work together for the common good. My government remains committed to ensuring that our laws and policies reflect this respect for religious diversity. We recognize the concerns raised by members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and other faith communities regarding Sabbath observance, particularly in employment and education.
This summit provides an excellent opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue, to listen and to explore practical solutions. And obviously, it’s not just about work, it has now become about dress and personal style as it affects the education system or even access to public institutions; these are all issues that this forum will give an opportunity to explore.
I want to commend those businesses and institutions that have already taken steps to accommodate religious observance in their operations. Flexibility in the workplace where feasible, it’s not just an act of goodwill. It is a reflection of sound business and human resource practices. A workforce that feels respected and valued is a more productive and committed workforce and I truly believe that.
I encourage more employers to engage with employees and faith-based organizations to explore solutions that balance operational requirements with religious commitments. There are frameworks, such as the Flexible Workweek Engagement that can be leveraged to provide greater accommodation without disrupting business continuity. And I’m certain, I see Minister Charles here, that he will be taking us through the various legislation and the advanced thinking on some of the issues that arise from the legislation. Similarly, educational institutions should seek to uphold the spirit of inclusion by ensuring that students are not placed at an unfair disadvantage due to their religious observances. Access to education must never come at the cost of one’s faith.
As a government, we believe that dialogue as exemplified by this summit, is the most effective tool in resolving issues rather than resorting to adversarial means, let us embrace partnership and collaboration. Our faith leaders, business executives, educators, and our policymakers all have a role to play in crafting an environment that upholds the fundamental rights of all Jamaicans remembering unity is not uniformity. That’s an error we tend to make in Jamaica, unity doesn’t mean uniformity. We don’t all have to look alike. It is valuing diversity while diversity respects the foundational defining values of the society. That’s what you call a pregnant pause, and I hope the point for that pause will be born in your minds a little later.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church exemplifies this through its focus on education, health, and community development. Your efforts to build bridges and serve others inspire unity, contributing to national progress and setting an example for others to follow. For its part, the government will continue to engage with religious organizations, the private sector and the Ministry of Labour to review existing policies and practices to ensure that religious liberties are upheld in alignment with Jamaica’s laws and international human rights. What I can say this morning without hesitation is this, your government is dedicated to upholding religious freedom ensuring everyone can worship or not, as they choose. This is both a legal and moral duty affirming individual dignity and fostering a society where all can thrive yet safeguarding this liberty is an ongoing effort requiring eternal vigilance, commitment, and collaboration. We must never take that for granted but I also wish to make a balancing statement.
Freedom comes with responsibilities. Oftentimes the conversation is one-sided in this regard. As we continue on our journey to a rights-based society, which we have taken many steps towards, we must also in parallel become a responsible society. The journey to liberty without responsibility arrives at the destination of chaos and anarchy. Events like this are important. Indeed, it’s an important part of the Church’s responsibility to teach, to promote dialogue, and to participate in the civic, social, and economic life of the community. And therefore, I want to commend the Adventist Church and all the other churches and faith-based institutions that are gathered here in unity to discuss this very important issue, that it is not merely an advocacy for liberty. It is also an exercise of your duty and responsibility, an example to the nation that if there are challenges, let us come together under one umbrella. We don’t have to all be the same, but we take shade, we take protection in coming together, discussing, working out, and fulfilling our personal and social duty to maintain the foundational defining values of our society. That is the guarantee of all of our liberties and freedoms.
I urge all stakeholders gathered here today to commit to finding practical and sustainable solutions. Let us use this summit to share experiences, develop best practices, and build a framework for ongoing engagement. I want to take a moment to specifically encourage everyone here and all faith-based groups across the nation to step up to your role in advancing behavioural change within many of our communities. We observe in society an increase in antisocial behaviour which in itself is a threat to our liberty. As I said, freedom doesn’t mean that you can do anything you want and the church has a moral duty higher than all other duties to assist in engendering behaviour that is prosocial, behaviour that promotes the continued freedom, development, and prosperity of our society. So, I use this opportunity to appeal to the church to continue to do the work that you have been doing, but to escalate your efforts because we need you right now to be more active, especially in promoting and upholding values of care, respect, discipline, and a love for knowledge. We need the church right now.
By embedding these values in our hearts and minds of our people, you can help to create a culture that is more caring, that is more ethical, integrous, pro-social, and pro-growth, a culture that is kinder, a culture that is more empathetic, more understanding, a culture that embraces peace. So, as I close, I am reminded of the words of the prophet Micah, “What does the Lord require of you but to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God?” These words capture the essence of our shared mission. They challenge us to act justly, to treat others fairly as you would want to be treated. And where there are injustices, to be proactive in correcting them to seek justice not just for yourself, but for others who are less fortunate and to love mercy, show kindness and compassion to those who are in need, extending grace even when it is undeserved and to walk humbly with your God, to live in humble obedience, acknowledging God’s authority not necessarily to impose it on anyone else, but to acknowledge it and to live it. And by your living, you become an example that others can model. And finally, if it is your personal belief to depend on God and give him the glory.
May this summit be a source of inspiration and renewal for all who attend. May it straighten and resolve our efforts to foster unity and respect to protect the sacred right of religious liberty and to affirm a Jamaica that is truly out of many, one people.
I thank you and may God bless you.