Fellow Anguillans,

This is the time of year when we celebrate God’s greatest gift to mankind --- the birth of the baby Jesus. It is a time when many of us emulate that act of giving among our family and friends and spread tidings of great joy and peace to all mankind. Because it is almost at the very the end of the calendar year it must of necessity be a time for reflection as well.

Opposition Leader Evans Rogers

As individuals we tend to look inwardly at our own personal and family situation and assess how we fared during the year and perhaps extend gratitude and express appreciation where such is due. For those of us in Government it is the time when we discuss the budgetary arrangements for delivering services to the people we are elected to serve during the coming year. It is an exercise that requires us to look at performances over the current year and make projections for the period ahead. Those projections may be gloomy and as a consequence cause some apprehensions. But overshadowing all of this is that wonderful spirit of Christmas that manifests itself in so many different ways in our traditional culture of celebration --- both in times of plenty and in times of scarcity.
This year has been a challenging time for all of us but despite those challenges we continue to be beneficiaries of God’s grace and providence. We have survived the passage of Hurricane Earl without much damage, but most of all we have also been spared the ravages of other more dangerous storms that could have devastated our homeland.

Let us not forget to extend our prayers for succor and relief to all those people in our region and our world, particularly those in Haiti, who have experienced great suffering from several kinds of natural disasters. Haiti has been severely affected as these events compound and which, in their aftermath, have brought even more grievous conditions to an already ravaged country and a much beleaguered people. Indeed, we in Anguilla have a great deal to be thankful for.

A recurring theme throughout the year has been the need to be thrifty, given the worldwide recession that has beset us for almost two years. While many theories abound regarding the reasons for our plight --- no one can deny that we are sailing in unchartered waters. The theories abound, the suggested solutions are plentiful --- but the situation persists. It is obvious that many of the causes for this situation are outside of our control, consequently, we must continue to be creative in finding ways and means to survive this period while we prepare ourselves to take advantage of the global turnaround when it arrives.

Our country is in its infant stage of development as far as the modern “safety nets” for mitigating the impact of economic recessions are concerned. There is no system of unemployment assistance for persons who lose their jobs; there are no systems for the support of business in stress; and no bailouts of any significance available for the financial sector. In this context, when people lose their jobs or business opportunities they can only rely on their savings/reserves, if such exist. When all else fails what remains in such circumstances are the family and extended family structures that existed in traditional Anguilla --- but have lost much of their relevance in modern Anguilla.

The transformation of Anguilla into a more modern society has exposed us to the hazards of commercialization. Like the need to pay for everything once part of our traditional family system --- including the care of our loved ones young and old. The pursuit of the wherewithal to meet these needs demands more and more income and as a consequence multiple jobs and two working parents. When we lose that income we have to make adjustments which when they fail can cause serious dysfunctions in the family. In times like these people turn to various actions and forms of relief --- some injurious to themselves some injurious to others. Let’s lend a listening ear this season to those under severe stress crying out for assistance. In doing so we may not only save them but save others, including ourselves.

In this season of Christmas when we speak of goodwill to all mankind we need to remember those among us who are in need. Many persons are directly impacted by the serious effects of this lingering global recession. Everyday we hear stories of hardship and struggle from persons who are victims of this sluggish economy. And even though we may not have much --- we may still have sufficient to share and make someone’s Christmas special. It is a time to demonstrate our kindness, caring and generosity to our neighbors. During this Christmas especially; we in this period of challenge certainly need “to be our brother’s keeper”.

I have said all this not to dampen the Christmas spirit but to make it more rewarding. This is a time when we should be thinking of what we can do for others in gratitude for what we have been blessed to receive. Very often simply saying thanks can be one of the greatest gifts one can offer. The good book says: “It is more blessed to give than to receive”. Let those blessings pile up this Christmas.

On behalf of myself, my family and the Honorable Othlyn Vanterpool, (my colleague in the Opposition in the House of Assembly), let me take this opportunity to wish all of you, Anguillans, residents, visitors and friends all the best for Christmas and the New Year when it comes! Let’s make this Christmas mean something this year!
May God Bless you all!

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