My Fellow Sint Maarteners,
Marie-Louise and I extend warm Christmas greetings to you. May you experience the joy of the enduring hope and renewing spirit of the birth of Christ.
As we gather with family and friends to celebrate Christmas and close the year, let us pause and reflect on the wellbeing of our country. Let us, as guardians of our nation, individually take time out to reflect on the thoughts and actions which will lift us up as a Sint Maarten people. During this special time of the year, we are reminded that the people of Sint Maarten, from generation to generation, have tapped into and progressed on the Christmas gift of hope and renewal. As we celebrate this Christmas let us be reminded that:
Christmas is God’s gift for every circumstance
A promise for a kinder and brighter world
May we be blessed this Christmas with the gift of Hope
And with grace exchange our gift one to the other
May we be blessed this Christmas with the gift of Renewal
And with kindness share our gift to strengthen others
For Christmas is as much about receiving gifts
As it is about giving of ourselves for the greater good
We must therefore be mindful of and helpful towards the less fortunate among us; towards those of us without a job, towards those whose homes are still not repaired following Hurricane Irma or towards those of us in need. And as we do so it is important to recognize that as a nation we continue to be tested; tested socially, environmentally, financially, economically and politically. We must acknowledge that these are our collective challenges and that we can only overcome them together.
As guardians of our nation, we – you and I – must as a result recommit ourselves to use our Christmas gifts of hope and renewal for the improvement of Sint Maarten. For, in receiving the wonderful gift of Christmas, we have been entrusted with the responsibility to continue to improve and shape a sustainable Sint Maarten society.
As we pursue the fulfillment of our obligation let us be grateful for the progress with which we have been blessed thus far. Let us be inspired to increase our focus on our common interests. Let us, as caring guardians of our nation, embrace the giving of ourselves to advance the wellbeing of our society. Thus, as we celebrate the birth of Christ and come to the close 2018, let us share our gifts, within our families, among our friends, with our neighbors, and for our country.
It is in that spirit of giving that Marie-Louise and I wish you and your family a most blessed, safe, hope-filled and renewing Christmas!
Thank you,
God bless you,
And May God bless Sint Maarten and protect its coast.
The Governor of Sint Maarten
Eugene B. Holiday
