Some Jamaicans are not convinced that the National Leadership Prayer Breakfast (NLPB) has, for the last two decades, served its purpose.

Eight out of 10 individuals contacted by The Gleaner yesterday said they believed the annual event seemed to be more for pageantry and show than a holy occasion where leaders come together to seek God's guidance on the affairs of the country.

Most persons argued that the event should be revised to focus more on the overall needs of the nation, or cancelled and the money put to better use.

Each year, since 1980, the NLPB has brought together the nation's leaders from the Church, State and civic life for prayer and fellowship, as a means of fostering greater unity, particularly among those at the helm of the country.

Waste of time

However, St Catherine resident Kimberley Morgan said she believed the breakfast was a waste of time.

"They are just a bunch of actors. It's a facade, just a show for Jamaicans to see and it looks good in media," Morgan said. "I don't really think it serves any significant purpose because we are still battling crime, corruption, disunity among our politicians and all the other social and economic problems that we had 20 years ago," Morgan argued.

Dwayne Fagan said that, while he believed the concept of the breakfast was a good idea, as there is always power in corporate prayer, he was not seeing any evidence of its effectiveness.

"I fail to see the fruits of all this praying. I don't see it translating into action or ideas that have impacted the country and its citizens in any significant way," he said.

Be reasonable

However, the Reverend Alston Henry, chairman of the NLPB committee, said it could not be reasonable to count on just this one event, which happens only once a year for an hour and half, to solve all the problems of the nation. He said the NLPB was just one of several events that the Church organises each year as part of its duty to ensure the spiritual nurture of not only the leadership but the people of the country.

Henry said it was clear that the NLPB has been having a significant impact.

"The national leadership has been in attendance for the last 29 years, the sponsors have been unwavering in their support, and that says something," he said.

Henry added that, each year, the breakfast contributes all the money collected during the event to a national charity. This year, donations will be made to the Peace Management Initiative - counselling for children traumatised by violence, and the Mustard Seed Communities - children living with HIV/AIDS.

athaliah.reynolds@gleanerjm.com

Some projects that have benefited from NLPB over the years

2008: $320,000 was donated to the Jamaica Police Convalescent Home in Black River, St Elizabeth

2006: $300,000 was donated to the computer lab at the Rio Cobre Correctional Facility, St. Catherine, for boys 12-17 years.

2004: $180,000 was collected for the establishment of a night shelter for the poor and homeless street people in the Corporate Area.

2003: $150,000 was collected and given to Maleke Palmer, a two-year-old who suffered from gun violence in Jamaica in 2002.

1988: $7,640.29 was collected for the Riverton City Development.