On Christmas Eve night, the President of Guyana, Dr. Irfaan Ali, on behalf of the first family, extended holiday greetings to the nation, stating that love can foster unity and nurture compassion.
The video message played after a State House Christmas Concert against a dazzling lightscape display on Main Street in Georgetown spoke of defeating the division.
“At the heart of Christmas is a love so profound that it transcends time and space,” said the Commander-in-Chief, who spoke of Christmas as the story of the love of God that was incarnated to bring light and hope to the world.
“A love of family and community that is selfless must evolve in society in which people see each other as a part of one family of humanity.”
“Guyanese must look out for each other, uphold each other. Love must be expressed through our generosity and care for one another, especially for the less fortunate.“
“Let us remember the deeper meaning of the season and commit to it by embracing the message of God,“ he said.
“It is only through the demonstration of love that we will have the fullness of what this season means for everyday life. Guyana’s future must be built on the foundation of love for each other, family, and love of our country,“ said President Ali, who was seen embracing his sons as his wife, First Lady Irya Ali, sat next to him in the front row of a packed audience outside of State House.
“In the last year, I was pleased with the numerous initiatives that we pursued and the investments we made. Unifying our people, building prosperity, uplifting the vulnerable, empowering every Guyanese while building a resilient future is our mission.”
“This is a blossom that we must nurture and take care of so that our fruits can be bountiful and the harvest ahead prosperous and high yielding.”
He said this would give all Guyanese the type of life, community, and a “country that would enable us to overcome every hardship, bound together as one people, one nation, one destiny, under the umbrella of One Guyana.“
“Let us remember with humble hearts, all hard-working patriots, service men and women, public servants, miners, builders, and service providers, everyone who have contributed to nation building. We also remember those who were lost and welcome new citizens.“
“My fellow Guyanese, the road ahead is filled with many great opportunities. We must always have a positive mindset. Let us endeavor to erase every thought that take us apart from each other and embrace every idea every mission that brings us together in this beautiful family called the Guyanese family.“
“May the peace and joy of the season fill your hearts and homes, and the light of Christ inspire us to build a nation rooted in compassion and unity,“ said the Head of State.
The Christmas cheer, which featured music, song, and dance, was attended by ministers of the cabinet, including Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, Dr. Frank Anthony, Sonia Parag, Charles Ramson Jr., Oneidge Walrond, Juan Edghill, Kwame McCoy, and others – showcased a superstar cast of performers in cultural harmony.
From crowd pleasers like Charmaine Blackman, whose melodious voice filled the air with Silent Night, to AW Lyrical’s Christmas medley, three-time Calypso Monarch “Young Bill Rogers’, singing a spirited version of Santa’s Looking for a Wife, to Calvin Burnett’s Gee Whiz It’s Christmas, the night was joyous and exciting and enjoyed by celebrants, especially President Ali, who was lively as the music played and artistes revved up the crowd.
Host of The Hang Out on 94.1, Feliz Robertson, and co-host Merrano Isaacs were excellent during the hours-long festive event, bringing to the stage Jesse Shultz, Sonia Singh & Arijit Singh, the Berbice Delights Dancers, Rock/folk artist Gavin Mendonca & Chucky, Edon Singh, the National Dance Company with Soca Monarch Diana Chapman, and many others, for a thrilling, entertaining celebration as part of the Christmas season. The festivities included the first One Guyana Supermarket and Annual Christmas Village that stretched along Main Street in the capital city.
