It is with great joy that I greet you my people of the First District and the entire Virgin Islands, including all visitors to our lovely shores, in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior and soon coming King. Despite our challenges in 2015, we the people of these beautiful Virgin Islands have a lot to thank God for.  For sure, if you can hear, see or read this message then it means that you are still alive.  That in itself is a blessing because this past year many of our loved ones have passed away.  Hence at this time I wish to remember all such persons.  I once again express my deepest condolences to each family that experienced such loss in 2015.  This holiday season will be challenging and different for you.  For you, and each member of your family, this time of the year will never be the same again but I strongly encourage you to keep your trust in God because He does ALL things well.  Each of you will be in my thoughts and prayers during this holiday season and during 2016. 

This is a season that for the most part is spent with family and friends renewing family ties and strengthening friendships as we celebrate the real reason for the season while enjoying the dawning of another New Year’s morning.  However there are many persons who are not as fortunate as most of us to have family to enjoy this moment with.  Likewise there are families that are significantly less fortunate than ours and cannot afford a meal or cannot afford to buy their children or any family member a gift.  As a people let us remember the less fortunate during this holiday season and for the New Year.  As Virgin Islanders caring, sharing and love for our fellow man is part of our DNA.  So let us show the power of true love through our actions during this holiday season as well as into 2016 as we remember the less fortunate and the elderly who built a strong Virgin Islands foundation for present and future generations.  Let us do this with the pureness of heart.  Remember only what comes from the heart reaches the heart.

Putting others before ourselves is one of the characteristics of us as Virgin Islanders.  So this holiday season let that type of Virgin Islands spirit saturate the atmosphere.  Let the aforementioned spill over into 2016 so that the unprecedented challenges to be faced in 2016 can be transformed, through prayers and quality decisions, into opportunities for ALL! 

For our body to work to its fullest capacity all parts of the body from the head to the toe, internally and externally, must work together in harmony.  None is more important than the other because each of them have their role to play.  The same holds true for each of you my people that are in the public and private sectors of these beautiful Virgin Islands.  From the teachers to the captains, to the sanitation engineers to the Heavy equipment operators, to the principals and all educators to the police officers to the firemen to the taxi operators, to the doctors, nurses and all medical personnel, to the lawyers to the contractors and construction workers, and the list goes on.  To everyone I say thank you for being an even greater professional in 2015.  Thank you for working hand in glove this year more-so than last year to make these Virgin Islands the lovely place that it is today.  I wish each of you a God filled holiday season and a prosperous 2016. 

My people of the First District you know that you are special to me.  I wish each of you a happy, prosperous and God filled holiday season and for you to experience greater joy in 2016 than any other year in the past.  I thank you for your continued confidence in me to represent you.  I do not take the confidence you continue to place in me lightly.  I love you from the bottom of my heart but for you my people of the First District my heart has no bottom.  My love for all you my people of the Virgin Islands is no less than that for my people of the First District.  During this holiday season and into the New Year 2016, I will continue to be steadfast in purpose and diligent in actions in the carrying out of my duties as First District Representative and as a Member of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition.  I will defend the rights of you the people without becoming defensive.  I will defend what is right because what is right is more important than who is right.

As I look down through the corridors of time it is clear that in 2016 our Virgin Islands will experience some significant challenges that eyes have never seen and ears have never heard.  However once we stay true to what build us as a people we will weather the storm.  Once we stay true to the God of our forefathers who gave us these Virgin Islands as a blessing and not a curse, then we shall overcome!  That is why despite these upcoming challenges I remain optimistic of a brighter tomorrow for these Virgin Islands because success is part of our DNA as Virgin Islanders.

So with great joy I greet you; saying happy holidays, happy New Year!  May our future bring joy because as Virgin Islanders our best days are not our yesterdays.  Rather our best days are yet ahead of us.  May the peace of God cover the people of the First District, my family and you my people of our beloved Virgin Islands.

God’s blessings and remember after the storm comes a calm!

Happy Holidays everyone! Happy New Year!