A month ago, I had the honour of extending to our Muslim brothers and sisters a very warm and peaceful Eid ul Fitr. Sometime before that, I congratulated our Shouter Baptist neighbours for keeping their religious beliefs and their culture alive.Today, I have another privilege in extending my sincerest greetings and good wishes on the occasion of Divali to my Hindu family in Chaguanas West and by extension the nation.
This is the very essence of our dynamic pluralistic society; perhaps the most cosmopolitan, multi-ethnic and multi-religious known to the world.
The celebration of Divali symbolizes the aspiration of all Hindus to vanquish the ignorance that subdues humankind and to drive away the darkness that engulfs the light of knowledge.
It is a message that the entire nation would do well to adopt.
The very nature of the Divali celebration also involves the stunning aesthetics of lighted deeyas which, have evolved into an artistic exhibition of impressive splendor, featuring teamwork and community-wide cooperation which are important tenets of a well-ordered society.
I am extremely proud that Chaguanas is home to some of the most skilful and gifted in the art of deeya making. I am also proud that Felicity boasts the most impressive Divali display in the land.
Whist Divali carries with it deep religious significance, it is important to utilize these teachings in our every day lives. Divali must bring us to an understanding of our past and our quest for a brighter future.
The lights must provide us with the vision to reject that which is wrong and to welcome that which is right. The earthen lamps must encourage purity of purpose. We must live Divali each and every day.
Today or dearly loved nation has fallen into a deep hole of gloom and sin.
Murders continue unabated, children die in our hospitals and dengue and H1N1 plague the land.
As such, the worship of Mother Lakshmi and the message of Divali have an even greater meaning.
Today I join with the Hindu community in asking Mother Lakshmi to bestow us with the courage and the resilience to combat the evils amongst us, and I ask that choicest blessings be showered upon our people.
Once again Shubh Divali!
Jack Warner | MP, Chaguanas West
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