PHILIPSBURG--Severe weather conditions did not stop the Government from hosting the seventeenth annual Thanksgiving and Lighting Ceremony at New Testament Baptist Church on Sunday afternoon. The entire Council of Ministers headed by Prime Minister William Marlin, with the exception of Minister Plenipotentiary Henrietta Doran-York,was in attendance at the service.
The Government, the St. Maarten Christian Council, the St. Maarten United Ministerial Foundation and the Seventh-Day Adventist Church jointly hosted the annual Thanksgiving and Christmas Lighting ceremony at Clem Labega Square, but organisers had to make last minute changes and host the service at the church.
Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Silveria Jacobs said the service was meant to bring the country together, to give thanks for the island being spared during the hurricane season and to usher in the Christmas holidays.
“The tragedies we have faced this year have not been so heavily affected due to the hurricane season, but the social-economic situation for many on this island is very bad, the group of persons living below the poverty line continues to increase, while St. Maarten’s economy continues to grow and a small section of our community continues to thrive,” she said.
“This, I believe, has led to a serious increase in the negative influences on our island and a rise in violent crimes in homes, businesses and in the community as a whole. We cannot continue to point fingers or waste more time trying to patch this growing phenomenon which moves further and further away from our strength historically and culturally as St. Maarten people to always look out for each other, sharing and giving of the little we have, the village raising the children, practicing respect for others, working hard for our bread, relying on education and entrepreneurship to improve our economic standing in society.
“We have to all contribute to the change we want to see in a society. I envision a St. Maarten that is a nation at peace, where each man, woman and child has opportunity for prosperity, where each man, woman and child sees him/herself as an agent for change and a contributor to making St. Maarten what it can be. Be the active, responsible, respectful parent, aunt, uncle or grandparent, teacher, preacher or community activist to each child you encounter in your daily walks of life.
“Live the life we want the youth to emulate. They might rebel, but the Bible clearly says, ‘Teach a child the way he should go and when he is man he will not depart from it.’”
Prime Minister Marlin said in his address at the packed church, “We are just about three weeks from the end of another year and what a year it has been! But we set this day aside to give thanks to the Almighty for keeping us from harm’s way throughout the Atlantic Hurricane Season which officially came to an end on November 30. For us on this island, it has been another uneventful hurricane season. We thank God for that.
“At the same time, we remember our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world who have had to cope with the ravages of heavy storms. In particular, we remember our friends and family in Dominica and ask that the good Lord will continue to be with them through the reconstruction period following the devastation of Tropical Storm Erika that wreaked such havoc that the Prime Minister of that sister island said his country had been set back 20 years.
“Of course, we in St. Maarten know very well what that means because of our own experience with a major hurricane like Luis 20 years ago this year.
“In fact, a whole generation of St. Maarteners has been raised on the back of storms. It is no wonder then that the mere announcement of an approaching tropical system, no matter how far away, triggers a knee-jerk reaction among those whose nerves have been made feeble as a result of having to endure so many hurricanes.”
Marlin also made mention of the recent Christian-based political group that has been registered to contest the next elections: “We are currently experiencing a hurricane of crimes, while we are still dealing with the ravages left by the political hurricane unleashed on our island after September 30.
“This obviously has prompted even some clergy to throw their hats into the political arena. I say welcome. It is a very different arena from the pulpit, as you will no doubt discover, but one in which we are all called to serve the people of our beloved island to the very best of our ability. That we may have fallen short on several occasions in the discharge of this sacred duty testifies to our need for the grace of the Almighty to guide us in all our undertakings.
“Indeed, that grace is what has seen us through all the difficult times. It is through His grace that we are still standing. A wise man once said ‘God is glorified not by our groans, but by our thanksgiving.’”
The theme for this year’s service was “Give thanks at all times.” The service started at 5:00pm and several pastors from churches on the island gave special prayers and some sang to the attendees.
