Prime Minister Andrew Holness has launched an appeal to local religious leaders to put a halt to any efforts, beyond preaching on the pulpit, to dissuade members of their flocks from receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

Addressing members of the media at the end of a vaccination tour in North Clarendon on Thursday (October 21), Holness lamented the failure of some religious leaders to respect the right of individuals to make their own decisions about whether receiving a COVID-19 jab is best for them.

“Religious freedom is well respected and honoured and indeed protected in Jamaica,” Holness said.

“There are some religious leaders who are very jealous of their right to preach their doctrine and their perspective but will not respect the right of others to decide otherwise.”

He added: “I think generally in the society we need to ensure that there is a free flow of information and that positions can contend and that there are enough sources that could ensure that the information you get is accurate, credible and verifiable.”

The prime minister’s comments come against the background of numerous reports of pastors and other senior representatives of religious organisations openly expressing hesitancy, at times even disdain, over the prospect of themselves or the individuals they lead receiving the vaccine. In some cases individuals have signalled, knowingly or unknowingly, that they have or might have been psychologically pressured into adopting their religious leaders’ stances in the vaccine debate.

Among the religious organisations which have seen highly placed members express concerns about taking COVID-19 vaccine is the Seventh-day Adventist Church, of which the prime minister and Governor General Sir Patrick Allen are members.

However Pastor Everett Brown, head of the Jamaica Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, has stated categorically that the Church believes in the efficacy of vaccines and encourages compliance among its members. It however does not support mandatory take-up, stressing that the taking of a vaccine is a personal decision.

Said Holness on Thursday: “Religious freedom, along with the freedom of expression, it is protected. But those persons who have the ears of Jamaicans who occupy the pulpits on a Sunday or a Saturday and preach, who are teachers and leaders, they take on a higher level of responsibility for the message that they give to the country.”

He added: “Now, if you are a leader and you mislead your flock, I think there is a greater sin on you for that, for misleading your flock. And I would encourage all leaders, especially those who stand on a religious platform, to ensure that they are genuinely and truly preaching a message that is going to elevate, uplift and give knowledge to your flock so that your flock can survive.”

Said the prime minister: “You can have your religious belief, but it is not fair to impose that religious belief on the people that you are preaching to. Because we are seeing, I am getting reports of persons saying if they take the vaccine they are betraying their pastor. When it should be a conversation that ‘Here is the religious position’. Spirituality and being involved in a religious group often comes down to, always comes down to, a personal choice.”