NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (DECEMBER 06, 2013) — The Nevis Island Administration (NIA) heralded in the Christmas season with its annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Memorial Square in Charlestown with song, dance and poetry on December 04, 2013.

 

The theme for the event which was hosted through the Ministry of Social Development was “Celebrating the Joy and Love of Christmas as One People” while the patron was Ms. Rovita Butler of Bath Village. Mr. Amory encouraged the Nevisian community to unite and use the Christmas season to give to less fortunate individuals.

 

“Tonight as we are here to do this symbolic and physical lighting, I want to encourage those of us who are more fortunate than others…to find some opportunity to show love and to help those who are less fortunate by sharing what we have at this time of the year,” he said.

 

Minister Amory also called for greater harmonisation within the communities throughout the Christmas season and the New Year.

 

“I believe our communities have been well-knit communities, we are all one people even if we have different heritages, even if we have different nationalities we are all God’s people and this island home of ours, we are open to persons of all nationalities and creed but we want out of that difference, out of that diversity; to have a harmonic [community] and unity which will make our country one of peace, joy and love in which all of us can be happy.

 

“So let us begin during the Christmas Season to cultivate that spirit, that attitude of love and joy which will bring peace and unity and harmony for all of us and let us take this into the New Year,” he said.

 

In conclusion, Premier Amory wished season’s greetings and shared his hopes for a prosperous 2014.

 

“As Leader of Government, I am very hopeful that we shall have a much more prosperous 2014 than we’ve had for 2013.

 

“I see the signs of hope and the signs of great expectation already bursting on the horizon and I want all of us to prepare ourselves by being bearers of hope and demonstrators of great expectations, so that we can all share in that as one, that peace, that beauty, that love which we expect from one another and express to one another,” he said. 

 

Mr. Amory later witnessed Patron for the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, Ms. Rovita Butler officially turning on the switch which lit up the Memorial Square in Charlestown.