President, Opposition Leader call for “peace”

President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo have called for “peace” in separate messages to mark the birth of Jesus Christ.

“Guyana is our motherland. We have a collective duty to ensure that we keep our homeland free from disaffection and discord. We have an obligation to promote peace and goodwill within our country,” the President said in his statement.

“As day set aside to mark the birth of Jesus Christ, it has become a signal of hope, given the lessons left behind – messages of compassion, peace, charity and goodwill – principles that transcend Christianity, cutting across religion, creed, culture and ethnicity,” the Opposition Leader said.

President Granger appealed called on Guyanese to make a special effort to embrace the universal values of peace and goodwill, which Christmas proclaims.  “The celebration of the birth of Christ reminds us that peace and goodwill do not drop from the sky like manna.

They are shared values, which must find root and flourish in our homes, in our schools,  in our offices, in the fields and factories and in our neighbourhoods and communities,” he said.  He wants everyone to work together for the common good and treat each other with respect. “I appeal to everyone to work towards creating a culture of peace and goodwill – the values of Christmas.”

The President wants the nation to “foster a culture of peace and goodwill by dispelling the evils of envy, hatred and enmity from our lives.”

He wishes that the Guyanese tradition of hospitality and goodwill will prevail at the time of this sacred festival. “I wish that our culture of care and compassion for one another will continue to guide us all and improve our quality of life now and in the future,” he added.

Saying that Christmas is more than just one day, Opposition Leader Jagdeo said Guyanese can reflect on the principles of compassion, peace, charity and goodwill because they have gone through as a people – moments of joy, sadness and struggle.

“We must also acknowledge the fact that Christmas inspires hope, which extends beyond our circumstances. As such, we can use this time to renew our sense of commitment as we look forward to the year and all we hope to achieve together,” he said.