Make it a season of thanksgiving, says Atherley

As thousands of prepare to celebrate the climax of Yuletide festivities, Opposition Leader Bishop Joseph Atherley has declared is a season for Barbadians to give thanks, while reflecting on a range of social ills which continue to result in violence and inequity.

In his Christmas address to Barbadians, Atherley said that despite the many blessings bestowed upon the nation, too many communities continued to be plagued with tensions which, he suggested, results from “a chronic sense of inequity, contention, and conflict”.

He said: “Too high an extent these negative impulses are manifesting themselves in our country at the moment.

“Family friction and stress, youth violence, capital greed, political tribalism, self-serving leadership are all testament to the fact that contention and conflict are too dominant as behavioural drivers in our blessed country today.”

Atherley appealed to the “moneyed class” to show a greater level of understanding toward the poor and appealed to families, youth, and other groups to take a greater level of responsibility for themselves and those around them.

He said: “The poverty-related circumstances of the birth of Jesus signalled the Father’s purpose to uplift the poor. That same purpose should also attend your business considerations.

“To families under stress, I remind you that there were both private and public tensions associated with the family circumstances of Jesus.

“I do implore you to let a higher wisdom guide both your sentiment and your actions.

“For our youth population, I pray that as you increase in stature you will also grow in wisdom and in favour with God and Peers.

“To those among you now guided by the impulses of deviance, I urge you to the understanding that our nation’s future is in your hands. That your future is in your hands. That each premature death to violence diminishes each of us; diminishes you.”

Atherley further sought to remind citizens that Christmas is also a demonstration of the grace embodied in Jesus, which enables citizens to proffer to each other peace, regardless of their circumstances.

The opposition leader declared: “What makes the time one of special sentiment and celebration is the universal joy associated with the season.

“Even moreso is the glad news associated with the birth of Jesus and the grace of Heaven embodied therein.

“It is in that grace that all of us find blessing. It is God’s favour upon us. This is realized in his goodness to each of us and his beneficence upon our land.”

He added that despite the country’s problems with the local economy, there is a lot to be grateful for.

Atherley said: “We give thanks for the measure of success that has attended our national efforts at economic, social and human development, and the level of productivity, progress and prosperity we have achieved in the pursuit of our national well-being.

“We give thanks for stable government; for functional institutions of service; for a good measure of exemplary leadership across society; for peace and relative calm; for unthreatened freedom; for protection from storm; for family and enduring friendships.”