Show empathy and love at Christmas

23.DEC.10

Christmas message from Ivan O’Neal, Leader of SVG Green Party

The tight December 13, 2010, general election result of 8 to 7 shows how our people are deeply divided on party political lines. It should not be that way.

Driving through our country, it was so sad to see so many young people cleaning the roadside to earn a dollar for Christmas. It is sad that so many young people have gone through 11 to 13 years of schooling – the ULP regime Education Revolution – yet all they seem qualified for is cutting grass.{{more}} We must show empathy and love to a generation that has been failed.

Socially, environmentally and economically, our country needs to change direction. A new year calls for a new positive direction to bring prosperity to the people. There is no dynamism in the present mass tourism focus. Owing to the weak SVG economy, our society is riddled with crime and poverty. We must show empathy and love to each other and hope for a society of peace and prosperity.

It is the weak economy that divides our nation. Each one of us in SVG needs to work towards building a strong and sustainable economy, so that our society becomes stable again. Having empathy and working with our neighbours will help create safer communities.

Our people are our best resource. As a nation, we have a great potential, but this will only be realised if our people are empowered. True empowerment can only come when our people are educated. Only when our people are given university education and skills to properly support themselves and their family will the potential of the people start to show itself.

On behalf of the executive, supporters and well wishers of SVG Green Party, I wish everyone a merry Christmas and a prosperous and happy new year. May God continue to bless our beloved country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.