On behalf of the Government and people of Guyana, I would like to wish all Guyanese, a happy Easter especially our Christian brothers and sisters.

Guyana, in recent times, has been going through a challenging period. As we commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, many will lean on the hope of a saviour who died for the salvation of mankind. The message and meaning of the Easter celebration bring hope. It is a message of self-sacrifice that brought reconciliation and forgiveness for all mankind.

For Christians, the story of the Easter celebration is the foundation of the Christian faith that promises eternal life. Easter represents the most important event on the Christian calendar. The Easter festival demonstrates the power and love of Christ to remove all our sins forever, and to receive us back into his world.

Even as we join with Christians in unity to celebrate this important part of their faith, let’s remember that there are many lessons that we as a nation can embrace, even as we try to come to grips with some of the challenges of our nation.

And if ever our nation and people need the spiritual qualities of reconciliation and forgiveness, it is now. Over the past months, several unsavory events have occurred in our nation. This has resulted in bitterness, rage, and anger among our people. But our people are standing together at a very difficult juncture in our history, and continue to withstand the temptations of our adversaries.

For our nation to enjoy sustained peace and prosperity, these unwholesome trends must be reversed, restrained and restricted. What better time for this process to begin, than during this Easter season.

However, one must know that the forgiveness and reconciliation that the Easter message brings, comes with a price. Christ was willing to pay that price. If the message of forgiveness is to become a reality in our nation, each and every individual must be willing to pay a price. Let’s give ourselves, our time, our energy to achieve this reconciliation and forgiveness.

Easter is traditionally a time for family get-together. We must never underestimate and under-value the importance of the family in the nation’s development as strong families symbolize strong communities, hence a strong nation. It is the family where respect for life and law is first instilled.

And so on this Easter, let us make a commitment as a nation to continue to build strong family units. For not to do this, opens our nation to spiritual and moral decay. And Easter reminds us of the true path to follow.

HAPPY EASTER!

MARCH 22, 2008