FELLOW Guyanese, I am happy to bring warmest Christmas greetings of love, peace, joy and best wishes for the holiday season.

Even though Christmas is a Christian celebration, it transcends the entire society and touches the lives of all of our citizens, both in its spiritual aspect of peace and goodwill and its commercial significance and value as a time of celebration and intensified spending in relation to decoration, renewal and renovation of our homes and surroundings.

The Guyanese Christmas is like no other anywhere in the world with our deep traditions, religious practices, spirit of camaraderie, and good neighbourliness; and I wish to welcome all of our friends, relatives and guests who have come home from the diaspora and farther afield to celebrate with us.

At this time of goodwill, we must reflect and give due recognition to our citizens for their efforts and contributions to national development and the greater good and welfare of the wider society. In this regard, even though we have all in some way contributed, I wish to make special mention of our workers across Guyana, our public servants; our teachers; our nurses; our private sector workers; and, the members of our disciplined services. I wish to thank you for your efforts, made in many cases under not-so-ideal circumstances and in conditions that are in need of improvement.

As for your government, we have in just over one month passed the mid-term of our Administration and we have spent the first half correcting the political fissures, social anomalies and economic imbalances in our society and to re-position our nation on a legitimate, balanced, viable and sustainable development trajectory on the basis of transparency and international best practices. Our task has not been easy, but with your assistance we have made significant progress.

The second half of our first term in office will see an intensification of our efforts to move this process along on the basis of social cohesion within our national “green” development strategy, even as we continue to nurture and promote a spirit of nationhood.

As we approach the end of the year, it is customary for us to do some measure of stock-taking. As we so do, while things have not always been perfect, I am happy to report that our government has worked assiduously to improve the lot of all of our people, especially our workers and senior citizens with such measures as increasing the minimum wage of public servants by over 50 per cent, or from $39,540 to $60,000, while Old Age Pensions and Public Assistance [have been] increased from $17,000 to $19,500 and $6,500 to $8,000 per month, respectively. We have provided G$31 Billion in financial support to the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO) in order to prevent the total collapse of the sugar industry and to protect the livelihood of our sugar workers. The sugar industry is not being closed, but consolidated and all avenues will be explored to ensure its return to financial viability.

Fellow Guyanese, as we reflect on the past year, we look with great hope and expectation to the new year. As you would have heard in the recent presentation of the 2018 Budget, there will be increases in government spending in the areas of Education, Public Infrastructure, Public Health, Agriculture and Public Security. There is also great expectation with regard to the emerging oil-and-gas sector which promises brighter prospects for our development. Therefore, we should not be distracted but remain focused on the task of nation-building, each of us committed to the task of achieving the “good life.”

Fellow citizens, even as we celebrate in this festive season, let us proceed with a sense of moderation and remember our less fortunate brothers and sisters with a spirit of sharing, giving and goodwill.

A blessed and joyous Christmas to you all!