President Kangaloo: Step Forward With Courage And Optimism

President Christine Kangaloo is suggesting that our lives are very much like the music that is born of the steelpan. In her New Year’s Day message, President Christine Kangaloo said while our lives too are often the product of hardened sticks striking against unpliable steel, capable of absorbing the steady blows struck against us on the outside and turning them on the inside into melodies that can enchant and inspire. The President recalled several challenges the country faced as the year drew to a close, including the declaration of a State of Emergency, the demise of several due to road accidents, the grief of losing a relative to an industrial accident on the seas as a search mission shrunk into a recovery effort, and the despair at the tragic death of a Parliamentarian and her children in a household fire before Christmas. For many citizens, the President said many are called to find meaning in the seeming abundance of grief and sadness and questioned how this can be accomplished in 2025. But she said citizens should take inspiration that despite sadness around us, many chose to light a candle, noting the recent success of young pannist Joshua Regrello in his bid to establish a new world record by playing the national instrument in excess of 30 consecutive hours. President Kangaloo urged citizens, as they take stock of the last 12 months and enter a New Year, to step forward with courage, optimism, and confidence that we have what it takes—resilience and faith in ourselves and our fellow man, and love of our country—to overcome challenges and multiply our blessings.