In a message to mark the Easter holidays the Prime Minister reflected on the lessons of Jesus Christ, his life and sacrifices for humankind.
"His lessons of love, charity, goodwill, equality and tolerance remind us all that regardless of religion or ethnicity, we are united as a people and a nation by our faith in God," Persad-Bissessar said.
The full message is reproduced below:
My fellow citizens
On this holy Easter weekend, when thousands of citizens in our beloved Trinidad and Tobago join with millions upon millions of others around the world in celebrating the inspiring, sacred observations of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, the barriers between us seem less significant when we reflect on the great life, sacrifice and teachings of the Saviour.
His lessons of love, charity, goodwill, equality and tolerance remind us all that regardless of religion or ethnicity, we are united as a people and a nation by our faith in God.
The observations of Easter link us to that great period in history where, according to Paul’s Epistle in the Book of Ephesians in the Holy Bible, the Lord Jesus “came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. So then you were no longer strangers and aliens, but you were fellow citizens of God’s household."
Easter, therefore, is a time of hope, unity and peace, when our spirits are filled and lifted and when we give thanks for our blessings-chief among them, freedom, harmony, togetherness and the promise of eternal life.
On Good Friday, we will celebrate the triumph of life over death, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, an observance which tells of sacrifice and pain but also of hope and triumph.
As we look around us today, in our nation and around the globe, we still find human pain and suffering, but we also see it answered with individual courage and spirituality, strengthened by faith.
Crime may still be a major problem but it is truly no match for the much greater force of faith that runs so deep among the people of this country, where the majority of our citizens are committed to decent, honest work, strong religious values and goodwill and dedication to each other and to our country.
In this Easter season when some of our fellow citizens find themselves living lives of criminality and violence, I urge us all to reflect on the fact that there are many more people of this great land, the members of the Non Governmental Organisations, the religious groups, the Charity foundations and indeed, the individual men, women and children who demonstrate in their daily lives and activities goodwill and charity and in so doing, provide us all with the living embodiment of the lessons of self sacrifice and love for our fellow human beings that were taught by Jesus Christ.
Every day I receive so many reports and requests from many of these organizations and individuals through the length and breadth of Trinidad and Tobago who love God and their country and they truly demonstrate a message of hope and unity which we celebrate this Easter weekend.
Let us therefore remember and be inspired to continue so by the Son of God who spent his great life travelling so many regions spreading the message of love, tolerance and charity to so many eager believers who welcomed his guidance and blessing in the face of so many obstacles.
Now, 2,000 years after the coming and sacrifice of the Prince of Peace, let us be comforted in the fact that our desire for a nation where all citizens love and respect each other is not far from fulfillment once we truly follow the teachings and example of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And if we live our lives and dedicate ourselves and our country to truth, to love, and to God, we will be a part of something much stronger and much more enduring than any negative force in Trinidad and Tobago.
We will be part of a country and a people whose legacy to our children and grandchildren will emulate Christ’s legacy to the world—a force of goodness, the champion of love, charity, peace and freedom, and the promise of the perfection of the human soul in all its glory.
This is why Easter is a celebration of sacrifice and rebirth and why hope will always pervade in our great land and our globe.
On behalf of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago and my family, I extend wishes for a very Holy and Happy Easter to one and all.
Let me remind all citizens and visitors to our shores to please exercise due care and caution during this holiday weekend. Take all necessary precautions and follow the provided guidelines when visiting our beaches and rivers. Secure your children and observe all the rules of the road safety and all the laws of the land.
I thank you and may God continue to bless our Nation.
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