Christina Scott
It is a great pleasure once again to extend my warmest greetings at this special Christmas time.
It seems only a few weeks since church services and fireworks welcomed-in 2014, but already we are celebrating Christmas. So it is time again to consider what we have learnt this year, to give thanks, and reflect on how the story of Christmas can give us meaning today, beyond the festive parties and celebrations.
Despite its share of bumps and false starts, I do believe that 2014 has seen a continuation of the gradual but vital work of growing Anguilla’s economy and supporting job creation. The number of people staying on Anguilla looks likely to be at its highest levels since 2008. We have seen the development of enticing new options for our visitors, in particular a revitalised Malliouhana, several new restaurants, and encouraging construction elsewhere. Whilst I know for many this continues to be a difficult time, with job and money concerns, the positive expectations from the tourism sector bodes well for the year ahead.
We also saw this year the determination in our young people to learn and to build a better future for Anguilla. A young Anguillan secured a scholarship from one of the best universities in the world. We have celebrated the first Associate degrees ever awarded in Anguilla, as steps continue towards building new premises for the Anguilla Community College. We have marked Anguilla’s first National Youth Week, and the establishment of a Youth Parliament, demonstrating the commitment of our young people to building a brighter Anguilla.
Culturally, and in sport, Anguilla has continued to make waves beyond its size. Our musicians demonstrated their talents overseas to acclaim, while continuing to entertain us at venues across the Island. Anguilla’s athletes represented Anguilla at international level, setting records. And – along with the increasingly popular Moonsplash, LitFest, Festival Del Mar and Welches festivities – Carnival at 40 arranged the largest party the island has ever seen, at which thousands enjoyed themselves safely, whilst supporting the economy.
We have also seen how people can pull together to deliver what might seem at the outset to have been impossible. After Hurricane Gonzalo, working long hours to ensure that Anguilla was ready to open to visitors at the start of the tourism season. Funding – through hundreds of small donations – a new minibus for the Red Cross which will make life easier for the elderly and isolated in our community. And after months of volunteer work under the leadership of the National Trust, the announcement that Dog Island is rat free, helping to preserve one of the most important seabird colonies in the Caribbean.
And every day, countless people of every age, education and background, acting as leaders, as activists, showing initiative, and giving time and energy, to help others and to help Anguilla.
So again and again, throughout 2014, I’ve seen how much individuals, communities and organisations can achieve when they have a passion, a goal and a determination to be better, and to do better. And we can begin to understand how all of Anguilla benefits, when the interests of others are put before the interests of oneself.
Which of course brings us straight back to the story of Christmas. Christmas tells us a lot about God and about us. By being born, as one of us, in Jesus, God shows us His way of being human. And even more, He re-creates our human nature on a bigger and better scale. He empowers us to do bigger and better things.
Jesus, in his life, always lived for others. He was born in obscurity and poverty. Yet He never acted to enrich or ennoble himself. He always acted for others, and acted with a special bias towards the poor. Even in His death, “He died to save us all.” That’s God’s way of being human.
So, from Christmas onwards, He empowers us also to live for others, and gives us strength to use His gifts for the common good. Therefore, as we reflect and prepare for 2015 – with whatever choices we will make, and mountains we must climb – let us aspire to do as He does, in all we do.
Finally, may I wish you and your loved ones a peaceful Christmas and a prosperous and happy New Year. May God bless us all, and may God bless Anguilla.
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
