Religious leaders pray for the environment

URGENT CALLS for the preservation of the natural environment from the pollutants and desecration that threaten to destroy mankind were made yesterday by representatives of several religious bodies during an inter-faith service held by the Environmental Management Authority, at the Bandstand in front of President’s House, to launch of a week of activities to commemorate World Environment Day. World Environment Day is commemorated annually on June 5. At the inter-faith service, greetings were brought by Aloma Scott-Burgin on behalf of the Christian faith, Bilal Abdullah of the Islamic Resource Society, Joseph Berment-Mc Dowald of the Bahai religion and Pundit Sandanan Ramnarine of the Hindu faith. Abdullah explained that the Quran tells us that “we are responsible for looking after the eco-system that supports our earthly existence.” He said this very serious task must be dealt with effectively, if “we and the future generations are to enjoy the benefits so generously provided by the Creator.”

Abdullah explained that everything on this earth has a purpose. The Quran, he explained, urges us to contemplate the various physical signs of creation to acquire wisdom. He noted that mankind appears to have conquered much of nature without having a correspondingly high degree of respect for nature.  “Modern man seems to think that our knowledge makes us independent of nature, whereas our advances in knowledge should make us much more intimate with the rest of creation and increase our gratitude to the creator,” he explained. Abdullah said greenhouse gases, acid rain and chemicals that deplete the ozone layer are a problem that is being experienced globally. The harm of these pollutants often appears hundreds of thousands of miles away from the source. He cited an incident in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 1997, where the city was covered in smoke from uncontrolled forest fires in Indonesia. “Mankind’s work should be like a beautiful necklace that adorns the earth, rather than like scars that disfigure her,” Abdullah said.

Pundit Ramnarine said the “Vedas,” one of the world’s oldest books, stated that “a man should contribute to improving the environment, in measure to the amount that he has contributed to polluting it.” Ramnarine said nature is polluted by several organisms. The impurities that come from our bodies through our nostrils, our skin and colon are our personal contributions to environmental pollution. The advances we make in technology cause our air, water and food to be toxic and militate against good health. In addition, nuclear waste and acoustic pollution play a part in destroying the environment. Activities will continue on Thursday, with the Green Leaf Award Ceremony at Wild Flower Park, from 5 pm and on Saturday with a fun and family day at Queen’s Park Savannah, Opposite Whitehall, from 2 pm to 6 pm. World Environment Week activities are being hosted by the Environmental Management Authority.