Much has been written about the Christ child; poems, songs, books.  And movies galore project from screens; All to tell the world that something grand happened those millennia ago in the city of David.

But there are over 8 billion souls on the planet with disparate beliefs and traditions.

The Africans do Kwanza.  The Jews, Hanukkah. The Muslims do Eid al Adha.  The Chinese, The Lantern Festival.  And the Christians, the birth of a saviour.  Of course, other cultures celebrate according to their traditions.

Whatever you do, we wish you the spirit of the holiday season and trust that at this time, families will gather and rekindle their affections and strengthen their bonds.

Many are coping with illness, sadness, depression, the loss of loved ones.  We wish you strength and, especially, peace.

The world we started with in January 2025 looks vastly different in December.  Wars continued and there were the usual environmental catastrophes.   (Our thoughts and prayers are still with the people of Jamaica.)

But we also had wonderful innovations that presented opportunities, although threats and challenges are inherent.

Artificial intelligence is here to stay.  For man wants to create something that reflects the epitome of his achievements as a sentient being.

And, generally, everyone wants their contribution to count.

On the home front, we have for the first time, a budget that exceeds half a billion dollars despite underpinning revenues that are not straight forward.

The budget debate was robust.  We especially appreciated the structured presentation by the Education Minister.  We believe, as H Lavity Stoutt always repeated: “If you think the price of education is high, try ignorance.”

But despite all that continues to occur at home and abroad, the time has come for me to lay down my pen.  

I thank all of you who have been faithful readers of my Friday blogs.  I hope they provoked your thoughts and opened your minds to other ideas.

In them, I attempted to ventilate some of the issues we constantly face in these Virgin Islands.

I was never looking for a kumbaya. Rather, a debate, discussion, critical analysis.  I thank those of you who have taken the time to offer corrections, comments, criticisms.  They were well appreciated.  

2025 is passing in a blur.  Is the world safer than it was in 2024?  Are we better off than in 2023?  Do our children have the possibility of as bright a future as their parents inherited?

And what does 2026 hold?

We go with St. John: “Beloved, above all things, we wish that you will prosper and be in good health even as your soul prospereth.

Happy holidays to you all and the best for 2026.  

May all your Fridays be happy.

Happy Friday!