Pastor to tell all

The religious leader whose church in the north has become a COVID-19 cluster, has promised to put his case fully to the public in the coming days.

Lynroy Scantlebury, the Senior Apostle of World Harvest Ministries International in Speightstown, St Peter said Friday he will explain “what this is all about” while contending that “there is nothing conclusive” to justify blaming his church for the outbreak identified by health authorities.

Apostle Scantlebury’s church has been under heavy fire from Government authorities and some members of the general public as being responsible for more than 20 COVID-19 cases in recent weeks.

The outspoken religious leader and his wife are currently in quarantine at a Government-owned facility. Last year, while making an argument for churches to be opened, he noted that the coronavirus would go away when Christians of faith and action tell it to, arguing that instead, they were waiting for it to run its course.

On Thursday evening, Minister of Health and Wellness Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic linked that church to another cluster among security officers at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital where at least 11 positive cases have been identified. Three people connected to a day nursery have also been linked to the church cluster.

Minister Bostic had also said that some church members who may possibly have been infected were refusing to present themselves to be tested thereby putting others in the country at risk.

In fact, he called the behaviour “irresponsible” and “reckless”.

But days after again appealing to the members to come forward and be tested, he thanked them for eventually heeding the call.

Apostle Scantlebury, who has been presiding over the World Harvest Ministries International for the past 24 years, also unsuccessfully contested the 2018 general election in St Peter when his New Barbados Kingdom Party (NBKP) merged with the Barbados Integrity Movement (BIM) of Neil Holder.

In April 2020, Scantlebury was also at the centre of controversy in relation to the COVID restrictions.

As Barbados approached its first Easter without public church services since the first place of worship was erected 392 years ago, he pleaded with Government to permit churches to accommodate a maximum of 20 people on Easter Sunday.

He was adamant that Easter Sunday, which is celebrated by Christians as the resurrection day of Jesus Christ, is the most critical aspect of the church’s faith and ministry.

Apostle Scantlebury’s call came as a national curfew took effect including the closure of all “non-essential services” – including all churches, mosques, synagogues and temples – as health authorities tried to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus which at that time had resulted in 66 confirmed cases and three deaths.

The church leader earlier contended that Christians cannot afford to miss out on coming together at those places consecrated for the purpose of corporate worship in order to reflect and pray bearing in mind the significance of the Scripture which says that if Christ has not risen, preaching and faith are in vain.

But he was quick to point out that his call for church doors to open is directed at those believers whose faith was particularly strong to confront the COVID-19 virus rather than run away from it.
(emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb)