Let there
be peace on earth and let it begin with me. Let there be peace on earth, the
peace that was meant to be. With God as our Father, brothers and sisters all
are we. Let us all walk with our brothers and sisters in perfect harmony.
As
we come to the end of another challenging year and enter this festive yuletide
season, I come with a message of peace and a grateful heart. Notwithstanding
our challenges, we are to be ever grateful for the many gifts that Almighty God
has bestowed upon us. The gifts of life, love, family, enduring friendships and
His tender mercies give us all reason to pause and give thanks in spite of our
challenges and shortcomings.
I
am especially thankful to Almighty God for sparing The
Bahamas a natural disaster for two consecutive hurricane seasons. The
measurable reduction in global oil prices is reflected at the retail gas
pumps; for that I am very grateful as energy costs have a way of
negatively
impacting economic growth and fueling inflation.
While I acknowledge that 2014 has been a challenging year
for The Bahamas, especially in the area of serious crimes, I submit to you once
again my brothers and sisters that as a close knit Bahamian society, we have
the power in our hands to be peace makers. I beseech all Bahamians not to
cloak, hide and give comfort to law breakers who seek to destroy our God given
paradise and sully the international reputation of our fair Bahamaland through
selfish and thoughtless acts of violence.
To those whom much has been given, I entreat you to be
your brothers’ and sisters’ keeper and spread a little holiday cheer because as
it is written, it is better to give than to receive and God loves a cheerful
giver. Be mindful of your less fortunate brothers and sisters and cultivate a
spirit of sharing.
As you fellowship and move about this holiday season,
please be ever vigilant and aware of your surroundings and ever mindful of your
personal safety and that of your loved ones and neighbours. As the Apostle Paul
taught us - be careful for nothing.
I however remain confident of a brighter, safer and a
more prosperous New Year as much of the ground work has been laid to propel our
country forward. Our best years are indeed ahead of us so I encourage all
Bahamians to remain hopeful and to be of good cheer.
On behalf of the Office of the Chairman of the
Progressive Liberal Party, my lovely wife Hartlyn and our family, I wish The
Bahamas a Very Merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous new year. As Vince
Gill said, let there be peace in The Bahamas and let it begin with each one of
us who love this great country God gave us.
May Almighty God bless each and every one of you and
bless the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.