Dear Sir,It is needful, I believe, during these extremely heady times, that we the residents of these islands take pause to give thanks to almighty God, and also to reflect upon the manifold blessings that He, in His mercy and long suffering and goodness, continues to shower upon us.All totalled, I offer prayers for the people of Bermuda, for the leaders, and also for the stranger in our land.It is sufficient here, as we forge ahead together, to take to heart the words of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I, a two-times visitor to Bermuda, who counselled in this solemn regard:“It is not necessary to enumerate countries where the people and the entire country having lost unity, spiritual or otherwise, have become playgrounds and laughing stocks of outsiders.” And at another place:“Although great effort is being exerted by our government by way of planning and formulating ways and means of eradicating community problems, it is not sufficient for the people to rely on government support alone. As has already been manifested by your endeavours, the people themselves must come to realise their own difficulties in the development of their community and try to solve them by collective participation, following an order of priority and taking their potentiality into account. It is also well known to you all that recognising one’s problems and striving hard to challenge them is a mark of an attempt at self-sufficiency.“A country belongs to both leaders and people. The mutual co-operation between them is testimony to this fact ... How noble and great a deed is the act of sacrificing one’s wealth, land and money to one’s needy community instead of for selfish purposes. The gratitude remains for ever.” Finally Bermuda, in the days ahead, and essential to our survival, let each and every one of us be guided by the words as expressed in the holy Scriptures, which encourages us on this-wise: “Love thy neighbour as thyself.” Rastafari.EDMUND WESTMORE SMITH JR