SEVENTH-DAY Adventists are demanding that Commissioner of Police Hardley Lewin withdraw his recent comment that police personnel who believed their jobs conflicted with their religion should resign.

Commissioner Lewin made the statement during the closing session of the 66th Police Federation conference in Trelawny on Friday.

In a statement issued to the press on the weekend, the church said Admiral Lewin's comments amounted to intolerance of religious rights and called on Minister of National Security Senator Dwight Nelson to repudiate the comments made by the commissioner.

Constitutional right

The church stressed that it was opposed to any law, policy or practice that would discriminate against people on the basis of their religious beliefs. It further stated that the right to religious freedom was a right granted to everyone under the Jamaican Constitution and, therefore, they should not be discriminated against.

"Religious freedom is an inalienable right given to every human being by God Himself," president of the West Indies Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Derek Bignall, stated.

"Therefore, those who govern or manage on behalf of the people have a duty to protect them against those who will, deliberately or inadvertently, trample on their rights and discriminate against them because of their beliefs," the church added.

It said it was a shame that the commissioner, who was sworn to protect the life of the Jamaican people, should display such high a level of intolerance for others.

"We are expecting him to publicly withdraw the statement he made, and commit himself to protecting the rights of the men and women under his charge. People's rights must be respected and protected at the workplace and in pursuit of their educational goals," the church said.