A HIGH COURT judge has urged leaders to not to sacrifice truth and integrity for partisan interest.
His entreaty was made during his Easter sermon at the Gasparillo Presbyterian Church on March 10.
Justice Frank Seepersad used the trial of Jesus Christ to emphasise his message.
He acknowledged that leadership could leave a heavy burden on officeholders who had difficult choices to make, but he said, the "truth should never be compromised."
“We must intercede through prayer and implore all those who hold positions of authority to act courageously and not choose the cowardly way which compromises candour for convenience.”
He said the constant call to choose between positions curated by candour and conscience, as opposed to those crafted by cowardice and convenience, would serve leaders well to examine.
"When the truth stares us in the face, as it did with (Pontius) Pilate, we must be prepared to embrace and acknowledge it and not be dissuaded by the adverse consequences which may flow, if we elect to do that which is right, fair, and just.
"This Easter, may we be strengthened by faith and reject the Pilates among us who sacrifice the truth and positions of integrity for the pursuit of personal, proprietary, or partisan interest.
"We should not conform to the pattern of this world and must allow God’s saving grace to transform our thoughts, our words and our actions," he preached.
"As we look around our world today, whether it is in our homes, at our workplaces, at a national or international level, choices are made, but are those choices fashioned by conscience or by cowardice and convenience?" he asked.
"How often are candour, charity, and credibility compromised at the altar of convenience?"
Just like Pilate could not please both the crowd and Jesus, "neither can we serve two masters," Seepersad said.
"Truth often stares us in the face and very often, in every aspect of life, the right decision may not be convenient as it may lead to consequences which may contradict our insular concerns."
He drew an example using workplaces, where co-workers are sacrificed at the altar of expediency to ensure one’s own career advancement.
"Many times, we want to do the right thing but we are not prepared to take a personal stand and we yield to selfish concerns, private blackmail or public pressure."
On a national level, he said, there were many examples of decisions which defy common sense, where institutional independence and integrity were compromised to bolster and maintain power and control.
"How frequently do leaders deny the truth because it is politically expedient to do so? Have we seen persons who hold positions of authority display moral cowardice in moments of crisis? Have poor effected decisions occasioned irreparable harm?" he asked.
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