NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (December 25, 2017) — The following is a Christmas greeting by Premier of Nevis Hon. Mark Brantley.

Fellow Nevisians, home and abroad, residents and visitors, it is indeed a high honour and privilege for me as your Premier to convey warm Christmas greetings to you and your family.

Today we thank God once again for shepherding our island and giving us the health, strength, wisdom and courage to experience yet another Christmas. As we celebrate this year’s Christmas, let us remember the spiritual value and essence of the season.

It is a season of hope, peace, joy, love and goodwill to all men. It is a celebration of God’s unwavering love and grace for mankind, in that, he gave his only begotten son as a gift to redeem us.

Christmas is a time of national solidarity, when we come together with family and friends in a spirit of sharing and celebration. It is a time when individually and collectively, we put a smile on our faces and give generously with a sense of goodwill and love.

On this Christmas day, I urge you to follow the example that was set on the first Christmas and give generously to those in need as was done by the three wise men.

We may not have money or material possessions to offer as gifts as they did but we can all give of our time and our energies in assisting those who are disaffected.

I also think of the less fortunate among us – the orphans, the disabled, the sick who are hospitalised or at home, those who have lost loved ones and the elderly. Christmas, represents an opportunity for us to display the empowering ethic of hospitality towards such ones and rekindle their spirit of hope and expectation.

Let us open our hearts to them, that through our faith and generosity they may find the peace and resolve they so need and desire.

On this, Christmas Day, I am encouraging all parents and guardians to nurture and guide their children in an upright manner. As a parent myself, I am cognisant that our children today are beset by challenging and perilous times. Like Mary and Joseph who cared for baby Jesus in the Manger, let us also care for our young ones and become a tower of strength and an impenetrable fortress of protection to them.

For Christmas 2017, I am asking all stakeholders and cooperate citizens to act in a responsible manner and by their generosity, contribute to the national development of our country.

In speaking of nation development, my special thoughts for this season are with all those who are working tirelessly on this Christmas holiday. I think of those in the essential and emergency services, those in the hospitality industry and transportation services and of course, our security forces.

May the love of God and that of your family and friends, bring immense joy and gladness to your heart as you, on this day, demonstrate your commitment to the service of our nation.

Fellow Nevisians, my wish for Christmas 2017 is that as a nation, as a people, we will unite in all of our aspirations and actions. I trust that the spirit of goodwill that engulfs us during these precious few days, will extend well beyond the Christmas Season into the year ahead.

In this season of perpetual hope, may our faith overcome fear, hope transcend despair and love triumph over hate. Together, let us shepherd our island forward along a path of prosperity and may our beloved island experience the age old Christmas message of “peace on earth and goodwill to all men.”

Let us, like Jesus, become true peacemakers, bringing the gift of peace and love to our homes, our schools, our community and our nation.

From my family to your family, a Merry Christmas and happy holidays.

Thank you.