Spirit-filled evangelist, Blossom White of the Tower Hill Missionary Church, brought a heated message to members of the church and the nation's families during yesterday's staging of the fourth annual Power of Faith Ministries 'Heal the Family, Heal the Nation' national call at the National Arena.

She charged Jamaican mothers and fathers to take seriously their role as parents, as many were failing to provide their children with proper values and guidance.

She said the effects of slavery, even to this day, had continued to negatively affect the family life of Jamaicans, as many of the country's fathers and mothers continue to turn away from their God-given responsibility.

Generational ties

"If there's going to be a healing in this nation, if there is going to be the breaking of some generational ties, then some men, perhaps from the planter class and some of the clergy, need to apologise to this country because they contributed to the sexual exploitation of women and also to the breakdown of marriage and family," declared White.

She also said that slavery wasn't the only thing to be blamed for the many struggles Jamaica faced but played a significant part in the erosion of the Caribbean family.

She said that although Jamaica has been blessed with many responsible men and dependable fathers, there were still too many men not taking responsibility for their families and for their children.

"Women, too, are to be blamed. Some women don't even know who the fathers of their children are and what we end up with are very angry children," she told the audience of thousands, who packed the National Arena, including Prime Minister Bruce Golding, Governor General Patrick Allen and Political Ombudsman Herro Blair.