Opposition Leader Lennox Linton presents his Christmas message to the nation today 22nd December

Opposition Leader Lennox Linton presents his Christmas message to the nation today 22nd of December 2015. It reads: “My Fellow Dominicans at home and abroad, Season’s Greetings! We celebrate the birth of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ this year in a society reeling under rising crime and moral decadence. In the season of goodwill to men we are struggling with more unemployment and poverty than we faced last year in an economy battered by a mix of natural and government engineered disasters.
 
The rising debts, weakened incomes and vanishing savings have combined to ensure, that most of us will not have as much this Christmas as we had in years gone by to share with family, friends and loved ones. The 2015 road to this annual blessing of peace on earth has been anything but easy for the God fearing, hardworking people of Dominica. Still, we rise in faith, in hope and in Christian charity.
 
As we keep our faith by honouring the spirit of our ancestors who relentlessly confronted and challenged the sources of our trials and tribulations, let us take responsibility for who we are and where we are and what exactly we must do to secure lives of peace, progress and prosperity. The agenda for concerted action outlined in my independence message this year are particularly relevant as we reflect on the task ahead in this soul searching period of transition from Christmas to the New Year.
 
We need to fix Dominica… we need to fix the governance of Dominica. It is not somebody else’s responsibility. Each and every one of us must accept that joint responsibility and succeed with individual action to advance the common good.
 
Let us therefore accept the responsibility to lead ourselves into the disciplined lives of truth, righteousness and justice that will allow us to demand and secure from those who govern us achievement of the human development goals that characterize meaningful advancement of global civilization.
 
Let us accept the responsibility to ensure that we live in harmony with our natural environment. Let us accept the responsibility to rebuild better our 300 square mile island paradise in the Caribbean Sea.
 
Let us accept the responsibility to make Dominica and exemplary God fearing, rule of law society. Let us rethink and renew health care, education and other social services. Let us care for our elderly with respect and dignity… And let us give our youth the growth and development opportunities they need to compete and win on the international stage. Let us accept the responsibility to use our healthy land to feed our nation and the entire region.
 
Let us export more of what we can produce for others and import less of what we can produce for ourselves. Let us woo the world to our shores for unique and compelling tourism and international business experiences. Let us not drag our feet any further on giving our magnificently green country the support of a model green economy, growing annually at no less than 5% and delivering thousands of sustainable jobs.
 
If we blame others less and take responsibility for doing more to change ourselves, our leadership and our nation, Christmas in 2016 will showcase significant strides in our march towards an ideal society. May the blessings and glad tidings that accompanied the Christ Child to Bethlehem 2014 years ago continue to be with us as we rise with faith in the ability of the sons and daughters of this “Isle of Beauty” to restore it to its rightful place in the glorious Kingdom of God. Happy Holidays in the love and blessing of His marvellous light.