The recent remarks by the commissioner of police regarding members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) who are Sabbath keepers is a matter of grave concern, not only to those who are directly affected, but hopefully to all Jamaicans who are mindful of their constitutional right to worship in accordance with the dictates of their conscience.

While serving as the chairman of the Police Strategic Review Panel, from which several of the 124 recommendations that were made are now being implemented, I had the opportunity to interact closely with loyal and committed individuals serving at all levels of the JCF. Many of these individuals happen to be Seventh-day Adventist Christians. These faithful men and women are always mindful of the fact that, in an emergency situation where their service is required on the Sabbath, they would be obliged to rise to serve their country and they have done so from time to time.

But service to the JCF is not the same as writing an examination. Respectable organisations everywhere that from time to time have to administer examinations such as the JCF's qualifying examinations, have, out of deference to individuals who are not willing to write such examinations on Saturday for religious reasons, permitted the writing of such examinations on other days. Why should the JCF be an exception?

not a criminal offence

The commissioner of police needs to be reminded that choosing to keep the Sabbath is not a criminal offence and, as one of the 250,000 members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in this country and one who has been serving this country in various capacities over the years, I expect nothing but utmost respect for all of us who choose to follow the dictates of our conscience by observing the Sabbath.

It is indeed regrettable that at the highest level of the Jamaica Constabulary Force there could be such an apparent flagrant disregard for this basic constitutional right.

At a time when Jamaica needs healing from the current indiscipline and lawlessness, let us not exhibit the paraneoplastic syndrome of turning on ourselves, tearing down and causing the degeneration of the things that are good and healthy about us. People of faith in Jamaica who stand by what they believe are a big part of what is good and honourable and lawful about us.

I am, etc.,

HERBERT J. THOMPSON

President,

president@ncu.edu.jm

Northern Caribbean University

Mandeville, Jamaica