CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (December 27, 2006)
Premier of Nevis the Hon. Joseph Parry reminded Nevisians of the need to put the interest of Nevis ahead of personal interests since the island belong to all regardless of age, gender, race, religion or political persuasion.
Mr. Parry made the comment while he delivered his Christmas message on December 25, 2006. The televised speech on NTV Channel 8, was his first as Premier since the Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) took up office five months ago.
According to Mr. Parry, last Christmas the island of Nevis was in the middle of a political campaign and as such the island was divided along party lines but the electorate had since spoken and the time had come for healing.He said the spirit of Christmas included peace though the island had experienced the consequences of the anger and hatred, gangs, indiscipline and other unsociable behaviour of the youth over the years.
Mr. Parry also spoke of the Nevis Island Administration’s (NIA) future plans to revive traditional practices as he spoke with nostalgia about Christmas past on Nevis which he noted held more meaning then than today.
“Come next year, I would like to see a revival of our traditional Christmas practices and village community activities… Throughout next year we [NIA] will be embracing our Nevisian culture in a new and aggressive way. We must not lose our culture and embrace other people’s [culture] which are foreign to us and do not bring out the best in us,” he said.
He appealed to all, to reach out to the less fortunate and the elderly and wished all prosperity during the Christmas season.
The Premier also took the opportunity to remind all Nevisians that the NRP Government would remain true to its mandate and fulfil its commitment to empowering the citizens of Nevis to allow prosperity for all.