‘Embracing New Opportunities’
It is worth noting that within the last five years, our country’s independence celebrations have been experienced in the midst of three major crises, namely, Tropical Storm Erika in 2015, Hurricane Maria in 2017 and now Covid-19 in 2020. Each with progressively intensive repercussions, have brought our usual festivities to a screeching halt. The latter, although being of pandemic proportions, has been relatively gentle to Dominica, or more precisely, the professional and scientific approach of the Ministry of Health and the largely positive responses of the citizenry to the crisis, have made Dominica one of the countries with the best response to the pandemic.
This is no doubt a great posture with which to enter the country’s 42nd Independence Anniversary celebrations. It tells of the discipline of both Government and people in the face of crises. One would not be wrong in assuming that Erika and Maria prepared us for Covid. Therefore, sincere praise and commendation are due to the Government and the various arms of the Ministry of Health: the doctors and nurses, personnel at the quarantine facility, including the law enforcement agents, and all other front-line workers, who are eternally vigilant in preventing the spread of the terrible virus among us. We are truly grateful for your dedicated service to us.
However, despite the relative success of our approach to the pandemic, we must keep in mind that we are part of a global reality, and that what happens to our associates, friends and neighbours in the international world can adversely affect us. In that regard, therefore, it is imperative that, as a people, we remain constantly vigilant, observing all the necessary protocols and sanitization methods to keep ourselves and others safe.
In the face of the danger of Covid fatigue creeping into our national psyche, it seems necessary, even temporarily, for every citizen to raise the observance of the Covid-19 safety protocols to that of virtue. By this I mean that, at this point in our history, when hundreds of thousands are contracting the virus and thousands are dying on a daily basis around the globe, what better means would there be for a small island state such as ours to ensure that every single citizen is protected from the ravages of this invisible and insidious creature? It requires discipline in virtuous proportions.
As a Christian community, we often bring our concerns without exception to God who journeys with us, listens to our cry for help and responds in good time and in ways that are best for us. Therefore, we pray that God, in his own time will relieve us and our entire world of the scourge of this pandemic. Let us be open to the opportunities this unusual experience affords us. In the meantime, let us remain united with a common purpose to do all we can to keep each other safe.
In this period, while we focus on the value of our nationhood and strive at ‘Embracing New Opportunities’ as this year’s theme suggests, we ask God’s special blessings upon our leaders, civil and religious, our civil servants and professionals, and most especially our health personnel, the private sector, our law enforcement agents, those directly affected by the virus, farmers and fisherfolks, all who contribute to the wellbeing, safety and peace of our beloved Nature Isle.
May we be eternally grateful for the precious gift of our island home and treasure it wholeheartedly.
Happy Birthday Dominica!
After reading the bishop independent message I can only state that his information should be one from the ministry of health in combination of WHO.
As a Christian nothing indicates his message was directed towards guiding Christian and Dominica how we should live dedicated Christian lives and the importance of the churches to direct and model a new way of life for Dominica.
I was hoping his message would be “Let us start rebuilding” which would be fitting as from the scripture: Nehemiah 2:18.
The bishop is very weak, this is why there’s no leadership in the churches today. They have allow false messiahs to come and perform miracles and have now fool God’s chosen ones ( see Mathew 24:24)
Thank you, Mr. Bishop, for a word of encouragement, and hope for a positive resolution from this misery that we have been experiencing for the year of 2021. I join with you, to pray that the Grace of God will continue to remain with us, as He guides us back into the Light. May He continue to show us His compassion and to be our Shelter in this Stormy Blast. Amen!