Rev. Charles Seaton - President of the Antigua Christian Council;
Mr. Stanley Bowen - Director of Ecclesiastical Affairs;
Pastor Mark Azille;
Pastor Worrell Simon;
Bishops, Pastors, Priests, Ministers, Elders and leaders;
Good Afternoon!

It is my greatest pleasure to once again meet with you in dialogue on issues that are affecting our nation today.

Since coming into office, my government attaches great emphasis on the need to dialogue in order to formulate policies that will work for the good of Antigua and Barbuda and every citizen.

I thank God everyday for the wisdom which you as Good Shepherds and friends of the government and the people of this country have imparted to us who have been given the privilege to lead.

I also unceasingly express gratitude and give testament to the power of the prayer you have offered on the government's behalf.

Today I publicly thank you again for doing so.

Today, we are here once again in unity and harmony.

We share the same vision for our nation. We also share the same mission.

Our vision and mission for this nation is highlighted in my government's motto to put people first. "Putting people first," means being responsible for our nation's children, our elderly and the underprivileged.

Putting People First means that we subscribe to First Peter Chapter Three Verse Eight which admonishes all of us to live in harmony with one another, be sympathetic, love as brothers and be compassionate and humble.

Reverend Clergy.

Dear Friends.

Good Shepherds.

There are a number of concerns which I know that you as our religious leaders have at this moment.

Today, I propose that we truly engage in meaningful dialogue designed to reach workable solutions to the various issues that confront us. I therefore will not tire you with a lengthy discourse, but will raise a few issues which I hope will form the basis of our discussions this afternoon.

The issues I wish to raise with you centre on the young people of our nation, the matter of prostitution, and the involvement of the church in the community and schools.

The issue of prostitution brothers and sisters is a clear-cut one.

Prostitution is illegal!

I crave your indulgence to read that section of the Sexual Offences Act 1995 which deals specifically with the issue.

Sections 21 and 22 Reads:

A person who -

• Keeps or manages or acts or assists in the management of a brothel; or
• being the tenant, lessee, occupier or person in charge of any premises, knowingly permits the premises or any part thereof to be used as a brothel or for the purposes of prostitution; or
• being the lessor or landlord of any premises, or the agent of the lessor or landlord, lets the same or any part thereof with the knowledge that the premises or some part thereof are or is to be used as a brothel, or is willfully a party to the continued use of the premises or any part thereof as a brothel, is guilty of an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $10, 000 and to imprisonment for five years.

Section 22 Reads: A person who -

• Knowingly lives wholly or in part on the earnings of prostitution, or
• in any place solicits for immoral purposes,

Is guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for five years.

If it appears to any Magistrate, by complaint of oath, that there is reason to suspect that any premises is used for purposes of prostitution and that any person residing in or frequenting the premises is living wholly or in part on the earnings of prostitution, the Magistrate may issue a warrant authorizing any constable to enter (if need be by force) and search the premises and to arrest that person.

Where a person is proved to live with or to be habitually in the company of a prostitute, or is proved to have exercised control, direction, or influence over the movements of a prostitution, in such a manner as to show that the person is aiding, abetting or compelling the prostitution with any other person or generally; that person shall be deemed to be knowingly living on the earnings of prostitution unless the person proves the contrary.

Brothers and Sisters the law is clear. That is why my administration has no difficulty with the police carrying out their duties as prescribed under the law in this issue.

However, my government recognizes that there are numerous areas within the law that needs strengthening in order to effectively deal with this problem. The government is already committed to review legislation dealing with the issue with the intention of making it effective. It is also recognized that there needs to be a greater level of cooperation between the police and the immigration department. This I can assure will be addressed shortly.

Today we also recognize that although the law effectively deals with the question of the supply, there is a much greater need to address the issue of the demand. I truly believe that the churches have a significant role to play in this regard. Both men and women must be taught by the Church to respect members of the opposite sex. The church must lead the way in communicating God's plan for men and women and for all to recognize that our bodies are indeed the temple of God. The words of Hebrews chapter 13 verse 4, where we are told to honour marriage, and guard the sacredness of sexual intimacy between wife and husband because God draws a firm line against casual and illicit sex, must be expounded.

The Churches must reach out to our young men and women to address their apparent need to patronize houses of prostitution. This I believe will address the problem in whole and not in part.

Brothers and Sisters:

You would have heard me on several occasions address the issue of violence and crime within our nation especially among our young people.

If we truly believe that our children are our nation's future, we must act now.

My government is exploring a number of ways of attacking this destructive element which has the potential to destroy our nation.

The government believes that our young people are this nation's future; they must be physically and mentally prepared for it, in addition to possessing the right values to govern and make sound decisions.

Among the methods being contemplated by my government to arrest the problems facing our young people is making first and second form students enlist as members of the National Cadet Corps of the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force.

I call on the churches today to join with the government in examining this approach and lend your full support.

I repeat here today that contrary to the belief by some that joining the Cadet Corps will train our young people to become expert fighters, the Cadet Corps will equip our young people with requisite skills and inculcate values associated with leadership and interpersonal interaction, thereby molding them to contribute meaningfully in the development of Antigua and Barbuda.

The Cadet Corps will also provide our young people with academic and technical guidance, impart leadership skills, encourage team work toward problem solving, involve them in adventure training, career guidance, teach them lessons in morality and ethics, while promoting national service and patriotism.

This course of direction, I believe, will give our young people an alternative to crime and violence and provide them with the opportunity to be molded into proud, disciplined citizens of Antigua and Barbuda.

I also call on you this afternoon as members of the clergy and laity to devise programmes within your churches specifically designed for the young people of this country. I know many churches have numerous programmes that are working within the church. However I believe that the time has come for your efforts to be stepped up a notch. The government is prepared to lend support in this regard.

As a demonstration of this, the Government will be commissioning very shortly a Task Force on crime and violence among youths in which the church and other members of civil society will be called upon to play a pivotal role.

Finally Reverend Clergy. Good Friends. Good Shepherds.

The time has come for the church to become more visible within the communities. Your flock extends beyond the regular members of your congregation on worship Saturdays and Sundays.

Ask about and seek out that son or daughter who do not attend church with their parents. Ask about the husband or the wife, the sister, the brother the grandmother, and grandchildren. Bring them back to the church.

If we are to truly live as a family facing the future together, each individual must become and be treated as an important element of that family.

The schools too are an important aspect of our communities.

Very shortly, I will call upon you as church leaders to sit down with the government to devise ways of utilizing the churches within our schools. Not to expound on religion but to impart true values to our young men and women.

I am confident that you will answer the call when it is sounded. I strongly believe that you possess adequate influence to make a decisive difference in these matters.

Brothers and Sisters:

I thank you for your desire to make Antigua and Barbuda a more united family and a more compassionate family living by Christian principles.

The government is ready to work with you.

Together with God's blessings, we will succeed as we face the future.

Thank you.