CHRISTMAS is indeed a special time of the year. It is a moment that most people look forward to, since it provides an opportunity to reach out to family members, friends and the less fortunate.

This year’s Christmas is particularly significant due to the convergence of a number of developments which has impacted positively on the national mood. This national mood was induced by the exemplary leadership of President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who has been working on overdrive mode to spread the message of love, care, compassion and hope among the Guyanese people.

At the launch of the Christmas Village, President Ali set the tone for the Christmas spirit when he said: “Christmas and this season are reminders that we all have the ability to love and care. We all have the ability to give and lift up. I want us as a people to be united in cause and united in purpose…to use this holiday season as another opportunity to renew ourselves and renew our spirit in lifting each other up, promoting each other in caring and giving.”

This is indeed what Christmas is all about. It is much more than the grandeur and splendor of the festival which is becoming increasingly commercialised and consumer-oriented. As the President correctly noted, it is about our collective aspirations and pains.

The pain of one must be the pain for all; the circumstances of one must be the concern of all of us. If we understand that together we share a singular responsibility to be good to each other, to be good human beings, then I’m sure that all of us will be great Guyanese.”

In all of this, the President has been exemplary. From the first days of his presidency he has displayed a preference for the poor and the underprivileged. The President has been visiting communities throughout the country, meeting and interacting with ordinary people, sharing their pain and offering words of comfort especially during times of adversities such as the recent floods and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Several Christmas parties were hosted by the President and First Lady Arya Ali with people from diverse social backgrounds including children, the elderly and the differently-abled. This is a genuine demonstration of the true spirit of Christmas and has been a defining characteristic of President Ali and his presidency.

We are indeed blessed as a country and as a society to have leaders who really and truly care for the good and well-being of the Guyanese people. In this regard, we owe a debt of gratitude to President Ali, Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo and the entire PPP/C administration for the hard and dedicated work they have been doing to advance this nation of ours to a point where the country is experiencing one of its highest level of economic growth and development.

But it is the President’s One Guyana vision that has taken the national spotlight, one that has resonated with Guyanese all across the ethnic, religious and political spectrum. As far as President Ali is concerned, there is no barrier between him and the Guyanese people and he re-affirmed his commitment and that of the PPP/C administration to build a ”One Guyana” through a community-by-community and people-to-people approach.

This is indeed the way to go especially given the country’s multiculturalism and political pluralism. As the President has demonstrated by his actions and leadership style, we have to, as it were, rise above the fray and reach out to all Guyanese, even to those who may have opposing views.

The only way forward is through dialogue and consultation and in the words of President Ali: “The results will come for the benefit of the Guyanese people and prosperity will come to every home.”

As we celebrate Christmas, let us spare a thought for the poor and the vulnerable, especially at this time when millions of people are experiencing the ravages of wars and conflicts. The situation is particularly dire in Ukraine where millions of people, including women and children are without running water, electricity and heat.

May the teachings of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ prevail, one in which there is love, peace, humility and compassion for the less fortunate.