BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, January 23, 2023 (MMS-SKN) — The People’s Action Movement (PAM), which has just celebrated its 58th anniversary as a political party, has vowed to remain united, and guided by the word of God, to develop the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, according to Political Leader, the Hon Shawn Richards.
“We have come this morning to give God thanks for many things,” said the Hon Richards on Sunday, January 22, at the Immaculate Conception Co-Cathedral, East Independence Square, Basseterre, where he had led officers and members of the party for a worship service in celebration of the party’s 58th anniversary which was observed on Thursday, January 19.
According to Hon Richards, who is also the Area Parliamentary Representative for St. Christopher Five, some of the things and reasons that they were giving God thanks included those who had the vision to form the People’s Action Movement (PAM).
“We have come to give God thanks for all of our friends, our supporters, our well-wishers, and our members over the last fifty-eight years, and perhaps even more importantly for giving us the vision to have hope over the years in contribution towards the development of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis,” said the Hon Richards.
Officers and members of the People’s Action Movement had joined the leadership and membership of the Immaculate Conception Co-Cathedral where they were welcomed by Assistant Priest, Father Courage Dogbey, and Deacon Rev Tarlie Francis, for the ‘Eucharistic Celebration for the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time sermon.
Present at the service included PAM’s Deputy Political Leader, Mr. Lindsay Grant, Deputy Chairman Mr. Azard Gumbs, General Secretary Mrs. Natasha Grey-Brookes, Assistant General Secretary Ms. Danielle Warner, Treasurer Mr. Charles Morton, and PAM Caretaker for St. Christopher Seven Mr. Lincoln David-Pelle, among other party members.
Invited by Father Courage Dogbey to give remarks at the end of the service, the Hon Richards said that he would not dwell much on the history and development of the People’s Action Movement, but would rather say thanks to the Church for giving them the blessings that they as a political party can use to go forward, noting that they had indeed been inspired.
“The second lesson in which we heard of basically uniting to serve one God, one Christ, I think it says to us as the People’s Action Movement that as we go forward we need to remember that though we are a political entity we must be united in terms of the development of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis because ultimately that is our goal,” the People’s Action Movement Political Leader told the congregation.
He noted that when they heard the sermon delivered by Father Courage Dogbey, it basically told them that the best award that they would have received was the need to follow the teachings of the Bible in order to bring light to the world.
“Likewise, with the People’s Action Movement going forward without our own individual views as to how we can develop the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, I think that if we continue to seek guidance from the Bible, the Bible ultimately will lead us to be inspired in whatever we do, and whatever we say,” said the Hon Richards. “Whatever policies we develop, if we are guided by the word of God, ultimately those will be for the welfare of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis.”
On behalf of the People’s Action Movement, the Hon Richards presented a token of appreciation to Father Courage Dogbey, as a way of thanking the church for giving them the opportunity to join the leadership and membership of the Immaculate Conception Co-Cathedral to worship.
In delivering the sermon ‘Eucharistic Celebration for the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time’, Assistant Priest, Father Courage Dogbey, advised the congregation that Pope Francis had decided that every ‘Third Thursday in Ordinary Time’ they would speak more of the word of God.
“Can we ever speak of the lawyer who does not know the constitution? Can we ever speak of the farmer who goes to the farm without the working tools? Or can we speak of a Christian who does not read the word of God?” posed Father Dogbey. All your life you say you are a Christian but how often do you read the word of God? Some of us we only take the opportunity to hear the word of God when we come to church.”
Giving the analogy of a deaf person who fails to use their hearing aids, Father Dogbey advised the congregation that it was not enough to hear the word of God only on Sunday, telling them that their working tool as Christians is the word of God. Accordingly, he told them that Jesus says to them that the Bible is the hearing aid that they will need to give them a clearer understanding of the word of God, further noting that as Christians it was not enough to hear the word of God only on Sunday.