DECEMBER 26, 2005

It is Christmas time again and peace and love will be the words for the Season. We must ask ourselves what is peace and what is love? Is it thinking about family and self? If this is the case, then can we really say we care about the less fortunate in society, when the cameras are brought in to demonstrate how much we care. There is nothing wrong about sharing and caring, but I personally feel that it is not for third parties. This is a time for those less fortunate who would have worked hard to build this country and those whose parents could not afford to attend to them and placed them in a children’s home.

The needy among us are they feted throughout the year or only at Christmas when the cameras are out? Some of us will never be measured because to some we are uncaring and selfish. We should do what we have to do quietly by caring for those who need our help by ensuring that we empower those who depend on us to make them independent.

Christmas must be the Season for celebrating Independence when one considers that in Barbados, it comes about a month after we celebrate Independence. At Christmas, we should be in the spirit of empowerment of those who previously depended on persons for sustenance.

I know that it is not an easy thing to achieve, but I hope next year that those persons who depend on others will be in a position to help others, so that the Santa Claus approach will be continued by persons with genuine hearts and not pretenders.

On Christmas morning, many of us will flock to different churches in our best clothes, posing for the cameras, but how many of us will turn up thinking about bettering the lives of others, or will we be going telling the Lord what he already knows about us, and forgetting he knows about our future plans. We must reflect on the point made previously, where the Master allows us to say and do what we like, even though He has the power to stop us before or after our acts. We as human beings must be careful how we try to take on powers that we do not have. There is nothing wrong in trying to be like Christ, since He is the example we have to follow and there is no better person to pattern our lives after. Actually, He is the only person one should worship, because we have been warned not to follow false gods.

This week, I want to offer two persons who would describe themselves as my friends and who have used the press to imply that I do not know or cannot interpret the contents of Section 50 of the Party’s Constitution and Section 74 of the Country’s, a Christmas present. To the contingent writer, I give one copy of the best written and simplified Constitution ever given to a political party, and to a man who I honestly think believed what he wrote as a letter to the press, a copy of the Constitution of Barbados with special reference to Section 74. If any of these gentlemen have any problems interpreting the above, please check with Sir Henry, Mr. Vernon Smith, Mr. Freundel Stuart, Mr. Taitt and Mr. Hall Gollop, lawyers who would give the best advice.

I sometimes wonder why people try to prove to others to their own down fall, that I speak about things that they feel that I do not know of and why some people believe that I have to turn up with a document saying that I have wisdom and understanding. I have openly said that I have no time for negatives and those persons who go to sleep studying how to destroy me will only end up with stress and hate in their hearts. I will continue with a smile on my face and continue to work hard for what I want out of life for others and self.

We should at this time reflect on the reason why Jesus Christ was born. It is written that He came to save us from our sins and that He gave up His life to complete the Heavenly Mission. What we all need to do is to serve God, not man. God will never forsake us.

Peace. Love, wisdom, understanding, fairness, unity and endurance.

Merry Christmas to one and all.

(Denis Kellman is the Member of Parliament for St. Lucy, Barbados)