Legislators past and present met for the 17th Annual Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman Thursday.
The legislators have traditionally met on the eve of the Legislative Assembly State Opening and Budget Session, which was originally scheduled for today but was postponed until Wednesday next week.
Speaker of the House Edna Moyle opened the programme by talking about the importance of God in the lives of people in the Cayman Islands.
‘Whether or not we diligently practice daily prayer, we are a God-fearing community and we have long instilled this into our children,’ she said. ‘Indeed, they absorb these sentiments from the crib.’
Mrs. Moyle said religion has allowed Cayman to remain rooted and to stay a cohesive community. She spoke about what needs to happen if young people are to continue their connection with Cayman traditions.
‘I think it is our duty as adults, parents, guardians and community leaders to help make religion meaningful to them early in their lives,’ she said. ‘They must, after all, make their way in a complex and even more rapidly evolving world, one that daily places greater emphasis on materialism.’
Guest Speaker Krishan Welcome spoke about how difficult it is for today’s youth in Cayman.
‘As Christians, we believe there are objective truths,’ she said. ‘But we live in a world that is always trying to shift the moral goalposts. If you follow this thinking through, we must end up in a place where just about everything is acceptable.’
Ms Welcome said modern youth culture – especially coming from American television – was promoting an ideology that suggested ‘if it feels good, do it.’ Trying to teach Christian morals in such an environment is difficult, she said.
Giving an analogy, she said it was similar to a farmer wanting to plant pumpkins in a field of weeds.
‘First he must pull out the weeds and then water the seeds,’ she said, adding that in order to promote Christian morals, society must first pull out the bad messages and then water with good ones.
Leader of Government Business Kurt Tibbetts gave a parable reading during the programme.
‘God whispers in your soul and speaks to your heart,’ Mr. Tibbetts said in winding up. ‘Sometimes when you don’t have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at you. It’s your choice: Listen to the whisper or wait for the brick.’
Also taking part in the programme were Governor Stuart Jack; Chief Justice Anthony Smellie; Chief Secretary George McCarthy; Cabinet Ministers Arden McLean and Alden McLaughlin; former Cabinet Minister and Speaker of the House Linford Pierson; and Opposition MLA’s Captain Eugene Ebanks and Rolston Anglin.
Leader of the Opposition McKeeva Bush sung a solo hymn and Rebekah Jefferson sang a solo performance of Flower in the Rain.
Attendees were also led in prayers by Reverend Godfrey Meghoo and Pastor Al Ebanks. Rudy Myles led the singing of the National Anthem and the National Song.
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