Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Bring the males of our society back to centre stage. - Bolt

Gleaner Editors' Forum:

If Jamaica is to rescue its males and reduce the spiralling crime rate, men will have to take back their leadership position in the society, says Errol Bolt, senior pastor at Kencot Christian Fellowship Church in St. Andrew.

Speaking at a Gleaner Editors' Forum, held yesterday at the newspaper's central Kingston offices, Rev. Bolt said the crime problem could be effectively addressed "if we can reach the males".

"If you were to take all Jamaican males, including the young ones, and lock them away on an island for a week, this country would be crime free," he said.

Rev. Bolt argued that boys were short of role models and called on the older men in the society to mentor them.

"Boys cannot be mentored to be men by women. Women can't teach boys to be what they themselves are not," said Rev. Bolt.

He noted that most homes in Jamaica did not have men in them, so the boys did not have those examples to follow.

Rev. Bolt also claimed the Government was not serious about crime.

"We are still scratching the surface because we are concerned about tourism. But until it becomes about Jamaica and families we are not going to address it properly," he told the forum.

The senior pastor said the Church was highly feminised as 80 out of every 100 members were women.

"And so, when men come to church, they don't feel a part of church, they can't identify with the emotions they see flowing there - it's not a male thing," he said.

He also noted that men were uncomfortable singing some of the choir songs and hymns that were used in the Church.

Citing the hymn Dear Holy Spirit come into my bed chamber, which is a church staple, Rev. Bolt said some men are turned off by this kind of terminology.

Homophobic society

"The Holy Spirit is viewed by men as male. To come into my bed chamber and woo me, in the homophobic society like we have, men don't take very well to that," said Rev. Bolt.

He said sermons needed to cater to the needs of men.

"Bring the males of our society back to centre stage where they can learn who made them and what the designer had in mind for them," said Rev. Bolt.

He urged the media to implement programmes to rescue the male population in Jamaica.

President of the Press Association of Jamaica Desmond Richards questioned why women were not having a significant impact on the lives of boys.

"So, the question is, what is happening; why the women can't influence them or, whatever influence they are exerting where is it, where are the results on the lives of the boys?" asked Mr. Richards.

Professor Barrington Chevannes, a member of the Violence Prevention Alliance, said the socialisation of children was not the primary responsibility of women.

He noted that the home and communities are under serious stress, as they tried to make ends meet. He added that if all the agents of socialisation were to act together, some of the problems, including crime, could be greatly reduced.

petrina.francis@gleanerjm.com

The home and communities are under serious stress. - Chevannes

Women not having a significant impact on the lives of boys. - Richards - photos by Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer