Message by His Excellency Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana:
The First Lady and I and our son Zayd, join in wishing a joyous and holy Easter to all Guyanese but especially to our Christian community. I trust that this year’s Easter observances will usher in greater peace, happiness and goodwill as we each try to be of service to our fellow citizens.
Christians believe that Christ came to be of the highest service to humanity. They believe that he came to redeem humanity from sin. As part of his redemptive mission, he was preordained to suffer and die. However, Christians believe that Christ rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. It is this Resurrection, this conquest of death and sin, which lies at the heart of the Easter Story.
Easter celebrates the certainty of the victory of hope. When everything seemed lost, the Resurrection restored hope and became a source of joy for the early followers of Christ.
The Easter Story reminds us not to succumb easily to despondency and despair. Amid the disappointments which life’s challenges sometimes present, there is always a sliver of hope, one that reminds us that life overcomes death, love surmounts hatred and hope triumphs over hopelessness.
The Easter weekend is a hive of activities in Guyana. Thousands of families will take to fly kites, have picnics and to visit our beaches and other open spaces. The Bartica Regatta and Lethem Rodeo have become staples associated with our extended Easter holiday weekend.
Easter, however, is not just a weekend. It is a season, a season grounded in the hope that the Resurrection brings to all. As we enter this holy season of Easter, let us remind ourselves of the need to be instruments of hope, especially in the lives of others.
Let us all pledge to be torchbearers of hope! Let us become a light to others by being of service to them, and particularly to those who may be encountering unfortunate circumstances! Let us demonstrate that we are caring, considerate and compassionate people by reaching out to them in love, comfort and support!
The One Guyana mission will help bring our people closer together and to be instruments of hope to our fellow brothers and sisters. Let us continue to work each day to make this mission successful in uniting our nation.
A Happy Easter to all!
