My fellow Grenadians at home and in the diaspora, I bring you greetings on this, the 47th anniversary of our nation’s independence, at a time when our country is experiencing unprecedented challenges created by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the difficulties we now face, we have much for which to be thankful.
This year, more than at any other time in our nation’s history, we have been buffeted by strong winds and stormy seas, but have managed, with our characteristic resilience, to stay afloat. Our current challenges offer us the opportunity for deep reflection on our past struggles and how we successfully overcame them through perseverance, determination, and the sheer will to succeed. Indeed, we have always emerged from our struggles stronger, wiser and better positioned to accomplish great things. Time and time again we have demonstrated our ability to serve as a shining example within our region. The hard work done in Grenada to contain Covid-19 has, thus far, been highly commendable, as evidenced by our relatively low infection and mortality rates. By God’s grace and with God’s help, we will succeed in conquering this dreaded virus.
When we celebrated our 46th anniversary of independence last year with festivities, pomp and ceremony, no one could have imagined that news of the outbreak of a virus in a distant land could have impacted the rest of the world in such a dramatic and devastating way, including our own precious Grenada.
Through great leadership, perseverance and dedication, we have soldiered on in our battle against Covid-19. We must continue to support, both by word and by deed, all our frontline workers – doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians, police and fire officers, teachers, ambulance drivers and grocery store employees, among others.
Our frontline workers have steadfastly maintained their commitment to serve and protect the people of our blessed nation. We owe them all a great debt of gratitude for their hard work, willingness to answer the call to serve, and diligence shown from the beginning of this crisis to the present moment.
Without a doubt, living through Covid-19 has been stressful. We have been called upon to curtail the very things that sustain our spirits and nurture our souls. Gatherings, whether to mourn or celebrate, have had to be scaled back or cancelled. We must, however, continue the adjustments to our lifestyles, adapt to our changed way of life, and overcome our present health and economic challenges by complying with the health protocols and creating new opportunities that make optimal use of our God-given creativity and talents that are firmly embedded in the DNA of Grenada’s gifted and resourceful people.
A very different world is on the horizon as we celebrate our 47th anniversary of independence and we must be ready not only to face, but also to embrace, this new world.
Let us now look to the future with hope, optimism and gratitude. Let us be reminded of the words of our National Anthem… “ever conscious of God, being proud of our heritage…aspire, build and advance as one people…” In so doing, we shall become a safer, more resilient and prosperous nation even in these challenging times.
A happy independence to all! May God bless our nation!
