Christmas message from the leader of Team Unity Carlos Charles
Christmas used to be a time when friends families and communities came together and shared kindness, love, good tidings, and cheer. Today, Christmas appears to be different. It seems as if the love and warmth of Christmas is not shared with everyone. I have met with several people today who do not feel the good old Christmas excitement that some of us now feel. This Christmas, I would like to wish for Unity among people in every community.
This is a Christmas season when we should remember those people who are less fortunate, the disadvantaged, the downtrodden, the sick, infirmed, differently abled, the dispossessed, the homeless, the elderly, children, incrassated Dominicans, and every other person who require special attention. At this time of year when we celebrate and commemorate God’s love, we should practice real love to everyone, including and especially those who we may not have shown love over the years.
Let us mend our broken relationships, rebuild connections, strengthen families, restore community relations, and cut the ties of central dependency. This Christmas season should be one where we learn to care for each other once more. Let this season usher in a new mission of people caring for people, people loving people, people supporting people, people looking out for people, people joining hands with people, people celebrating with people, people praying with people; people respecting people. The seed of Unity needs to be planted this Christmas. If each of us plants a seed, Christmas could be a time when we begin harvesting. I know, because I have begun planting seeds, and this gives me a feeling of satisfaction to see the new shoots grow.
I look forward to being a planter of seeds, a farmer, and a food producer in the new year. I have also been planting literal seeds of Unity; Unity of purpose and goodwill. I urge you to plant a seed of Unity today because Unity is the only way. Unity will work because Christmas appears to have lost its meaning. Instead of celebrating the birth of Christ, and sharing love throughout humanity, we are plunged into a spiral of expressing perpetual support for people who seek to divide the people for their expediencies. Christmas should be a time of people, yet today, on the eve of Christmas, we are waging war in the Holy Land. There are wars and conflicts in Africa and throughout Africa, there are threats of conflicts between Guyana and Venezuela in the Americas, and partisan political tribalism has slammed the door shut on Dominica’s Christmas traditions. Â
Unity can open up that door. Love will bring us back together. Our traditions can help to make our people strong again. Therefore, let us pledge to Unite for progress in 2024. Unity is a tree that grows with the correct nurturing. Let us plant that proverbial tree today! As we come to the end of 2023 and prepare to embrace 2024, I ask that we focus on what matters most. I believe that thriving is key and our people have not done very well in that capacity, So, I declare 2024 as the year for more; more for more of us, more for you and your family, and more for Dominica.
On behalf of Team Unity Dominica and my family, I wish you a Very Merry Christmas and 2024 filled with more of what you longed for: joy, happiness, prosperity, comfort, peace, and yes, Unity!