Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/4201/-1/140/
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Chief Minister Fleming's 2006 Christmas Message
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Fellow Anguillians and Residents I greet you in the spirit of the season. As I reflect upon the past months in this year, I am drawn to reflect on the goodness and faithfulness of God Almighty. Every year brings its own challenges and joys. This year I am numbered among those who have seen his tender mercies but I am not forgetful of those to whom he gave strength to endure their times of bereavement or loss of some kind this year.
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Chief Minister Osbourne Fleming
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Indeed we once again preparing to celebrate Christmas and our individual and collective introspections and retrospections beckons us to be grateful for as a people our lives have been spared from the ravages of any major disasters and massive human calamities this year.
Christmas is a very special occasion where the expressions of goodwill and the gifts that we exchange remind us of the outward manifestation of God’s love. Let us reciprocate Christ’s love by demonstrating love for our fellowmen. In my new year’s message for January this year I emplored you to “walk in the light.” Indeed success was and still is all around us but it was associated with proclamations such as “this light now threatens to blind us … we are victims of our own success.” I have a strong determination that our good in bringing progress and prosperity to Anguilla will not be evil spoken of. This gift of economic redemption must embody the Christmas spirit and go on to provide life eternally for Anguilla and its people. Christmas is an extraordinary time for it is the season for celebration and for renewal. Just as the first Christmas heralded a new beginning let us seize the offer of a new opportunity to build a better Anguilla and strengthen our resolve for the year ahead.
As we reflect on our collective good fortune as a nation, it is also important that we reflect on the true and comprehensive spirit of the season. Indeed Christ did not come to a special sector but he came to be the saviour for all. It is only by striving to make life and the holidays a time of celebration for all, especially those less fortunate than ourselves, that we embody all that Christmas really means. In some tangible and meaningful way then let us share the generosity, the kindness of heart, the mercy, the care and love that is consistent with the message of the Christ Child. Invite the hungry to break bread with you. Visit the sick whether at home or in the hospitals and remember those who are in our prisons for they are still a vital part of our redemption plan. Let our deeds and actions to others become a central component of our lives and mission on earth.
As another year draws to a close, I want to once again thank you the people for the opportunity and the privilege that you have afforded us to serve as your representative in the Parliament of Anguilla. I know that there are many issues that have brought satisfaction to many but displeasure or concern to others. My one pledge to you is that we will continue to provide loyal, committed and dedicated service to you the people of this great nation. We may not always see eyes to eyes but we remain united towards the same goal – a better future for the next generation. I will continue as I have done over the past seven years to protect, defend and promote your interests.
Throughout 2006, as a community we faced and overcame many challenges. We had many notable achievements and also experienced periods of incredible frustrations. Through it all we have remained steadfast in our determination to work together to improve lives and the standard of living for many of the residents. As we look forward to the New Year, I remain hopeful and confident that our commitment to building and developing the community remains undiminished. We must continue to work to extend economic opportunities and prosperity to all. We have worked assiduously with great success to attract foreign investments to the island and now with the same zeal we are working on constraining the issues and overcoming the challenges associated with this success. Crime has been reduced this year, but we must aim to reduce it even further in the New Year. We must recommit ourselves to the ideals of peaceful co-existence, tolerance and respect for life and property. And we must continue to work to alleviate poverty and to lend assistance to the aged and other vulnerable sectors.
In closing, I would like to once again take this opportunity to thank all those whose support and prayers I have enjoyed throughout the year. Your prayers and support have been for me a source of great comfort and encouragement. I wish to extend to each and every one of you a Christmas filled with happiness, good cheer, God’s grace, togetherness, peace and above all love for one another. I also wish you and yours a prosperous and happy New Year.