Oh give thanks unto the Lord for His mercy endureth forever, Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord.
I am grateful for this opportunity to extend greetings to all the people, residents and visitors in these Beautiful By Nature Turks and Caicos Islands. It is by God’s grace and mercies that we are alive to see this season yet again and we ought not to take this gift for granted.
I greet you on the occasion of the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who came to earth as a babe to give hope to a lost people. His birth celebrated by the angels on that great day over 2000 years ago ought more so to be celebrated today. At this juncture in our country’s history, we are too often feeling hopeless as individuals and as a people. The hope that we ought to have in God must never be placed in man. As during His birth, He wants to give us a hope that no man can take away but He calls us to return to the hallmarks of who we are: a God fearing, caring, loving, honest and hard working people. It is too often our position to rid ourselves of the old when in fact some traditions keep us grounded and firm in who we are as a people.
As I greet you I urge you to return to the traditions of spending time with our families, giving the gift of love and thoughtfulness by sharing and greeting each other with kindness. Jesus remains the reason for the season and as we celebrate, let us remember Him and do so in a manner that honors Him. I believe that when we return to who we are as a people, hope will reign supreme in our hearts and lands.
As we close a difficult year, we must cling to the hope that we can ride out those storms that we know we may and will face. It is my prayer that you will ground yourself in the hope that Jesus brought to earth and that you will prosper and be in good health as your soul also prospers.
So on behalf of the Peoples’ Democratic Movement, my family and I, it is our wish that you have a joyous holiday season – one that will be filled with lasting memories of family and friends together.
Merry Christmas to you all and a bright and Christ filled New Year.
Derek H Taylor
Party Leader
