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THE WEEKLY GLEANER | DECEMBER 13 - DECEMBER 19, 2021 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS 5 THE W EKLY G EAN R | DECEMB R 13, 2021 - JANUARY 12, 202 M Y FELLOW Jamaicans and friends, we have made it through much of 2021! We have lived to usher in another Christmas season! For this we must be truly grateful. CHRISTMAS IS a time for family, community and togetherness. The atmosphere is typically filled with ex- citement and expectancy, mirroring the very first Christmas when God sent his Son to give eternal hope and peace to the world. In these challenging times, as we navigate the vicissitudes of the COVID-19 pandemic, hope and peace have become more essential. All sectors of our society in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) and beyond have experienced wide-ranging impact. The pandemic has also taught us many lessons. Chief among these is that we must work to- gether to resolve the myriad issues that arise. Within this context, the Jamaican spirit has shone brightly. Our Jamaican community and friends in the GTHA have given generously to support our national thrust for sustainable development. Your contributions have strength- ened our primary and secondary educational institutions. Frontline healthcare workers across the is- land were equipped to do their jobs safely with the personal protective equipment you provided. Further, your support of our tourism sector in 2021 was unparalleled, aiding our re- covery efforts immensely. Like never before, your collective outpouring of compassion and generosity inspires hope for the future. On behalf of the Government and people of Jamaica, I extend sincere appreciation to each of you. May you be blessed beyondmeas- ure this Christmas with good health, peace and prosperity. Merry Christmas to you and your family from all of us at the Consulate General of Jamaica, JAMPRO and the Jamaica Tourist Board. LINCOLN G. DOWNER Consul General Renewed hope F ELLOWJAMAICANSand friendsof Jamaica, Christmas, themostwon- derful time of the year, is back! This year, we have somuch for which to be truly grateful. We have survived, and in some instances, even thrived dur- ing another year of pandemic stresses. We have seen significant breakthroughs in dealing with the COVID-19 virus and continued economic recovery. We are deeply grateful for the positive forecast for Jamaica even as we combat the del- eterious impact of the pandemic. These encouraging results have fuelled hope for a return to relative normality. Indeed, there is much anticipation this year that we will be able to celebrate with loved ones. In so doing, we welcome the op- portunity to reminisce on Christmases past and to build special memories with family and friends. Christmas also pro- vides for new beginnings, for healing and reconnection, always with the hope for a better tomorrow even as we ac- knowledge the presence of theOmicron variant of COVID-19. As we celebrate, let us remember the truemeaningof theseason.Thegift of the Christ Child,whosebirthwasheraldedby angels, andwhose sojournon theplanet taught us the importance of loving one another. I encourage you to give love as your premier gift this Christmas and throughout the coming year. I commend you also, my fellow Jamaicans and friends of Jamaica, for your generosity over the year. Your phil- anthropic outreach, especially to the health and education sectors of your homeland and country of residence, is noted. In particular, I convey my grati- tude for the support given to the request for theMinistry of Education, Youth and Information’s ‘A Device for Every Child’ initiative. Once again, you have demon- strated love for country, as well as awill- ingness to commit your time and other resources to improve the well-being of thosewho arenot as blessed.Your efforts are acknowledged by a grateful nation. This year, we commemorated our 59th year of Independence under the theme Stronger Together , a recogni- tion that with unity, we can overcome any adversity. Let us take this mes- sage forward, especially at this time of renewed joy, and offer a prayer, and where required, tangible assistance to the residents of British Columbia, whose Christmas this year may be a little dampened as a result of the severe weather events of the last few weeks. My hope for you is that the joy of Christmas may be your constant com- panion in the coming year. A year when we will be celebrating our 60th anniversary of Independence. Let us strengthen our commitment to serve ‘Jamaica, LandWe Love’. I anticipate and welcome your willingness to work with the high commission as we showcase the best of our island home, making the celebration of Jamaica at 60 shine like a resplendent diamond. Enjoy the season to the fullest within the stated regulations. Merry Christmas to all, and a safe and productive 2022! SHARON J. MILLER High Commissioner Jamaican High Commission Ottawa, Canada Christmas provides for new beginnings [ MESSAGES ]