Father Richard HoLung of the Brothers of the Poor (left) and Father Gregory Ramkissoon of Mustard Seed Communities address church representatives at yesterday's meeting to discuss the response of the church to the hike in petrol prices at the Holy Cross Church in Half-Way Tree. - Norman Grindley

AN ECUMENICAL group embracing clergy and lay persons will join protests against the recent hike in petrol prices with a demonstration in Liguanea Park, New Kingston, today under the leadership of Father Richard HoLung of the Brothers of the Poor and Father Gregory Ramkissoon of the Mustard Seed Communities.

About 30 representatives of the group met at the Holy Cross Church in Half-Way Tree yesterday afternoon to discuss their response to Government's decision to increase petrol prices and the public demonstrations across the island which followed the announcement of that decision last week.

The participants agreed to: prepare a statement calling on the Government to roll back the increase, stage a peaceful demonstration today at 2 p.m. in Liguanea Park, request a meeting with the Prime Minister and offer the church's moral leadership to the country at this time.

"Only the church has a strong enough constituency today and this is an opportunity to show leadership. We must say to the Government "You do not have the integrity enough for the people to trust you to lead and unless you permit a body with the moral authority needed to stand beside you, the Government will be overthrown by the people," Father HoLung declared.

Senior Pastor of Covenant Community Churches, Reverend Dr. Peter Morgan, said he had attended another meeting of churches earlier in the day where the response of church mrmbers to the present crisis had also been discussed. He said the church had planned public demonstrations in Mandeville and Montego Bay today.

While organising their protest action, the ecumenical group called Christian Unity for Peace and Justice made it clear that they deplored the violent demonstrations and the actions of persons who incited demonstrations knowing that they could not control the crowds involved.

During the meeting at Holy Cross, which was chaired by Father HoLung and Father Ramkisoon, participants voiced their determination not to accept the price hike and to bring the government to accept the reality facing many poor Jamaicans.

Father Ramkissoon said the government had placed much of the burden of providing for the poor and underprivileged on the church and on the business sector, and in so doing, has divorced itself from the reality of ordinary Jamaicans.

People were said to be unable to house and feed themselves and their concerns were largely ignored by the Government. They said that while they deplored the violence taking place in the country, these concerns must be brought to the attention of the Government.

"If the situation continues...we will just have one big poorhouse in Jamaica with nobody speaking about it," Father HoLung declared.