(Seychelles News Agency) - As Seychelles gets ready to embrace a new year, 2023, President Wavel Ramkalwan expressed his wish that it will bring new and positive energy, and fresh inspiration.

Ramkalawan on Saturday wished all Seychellois and their families a happy new year in a televised broadcast of the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC).

“The year 2022 has already passed into history. Each of us will note certain dates with joy, pain, sadness, a feeling of accomplishment as well as missed opportunities. 2022 is a book already written and 2023 offers us this new page on which to write another year of our personal story, the story of our country and the story of the world,” said Ramkalawan.

The President reminded everyone to say thank you and took the opportunity to thank all who have taken Seychelles to heart and given all their energy to make it progress.

Ramkalwan had particular thoughts at this time to all of the families who have gone through misfortune and who are still walking with eyes filled with the tears of separation.

“I say to you: Courage and strength in each step you take. We will walk in solidarity with you and give you our shoulders to lean on in your difficult moments,” he added.’

He said that every individual will write on each and every page of this new year, from January 1 to December 31 and that “the majority of things will be in our hands, but there will also be also chapters which will be written for us, and outside of our control. And so, I ask that we do as well as is possible with all that is within our control.”

Ramkalwan invited all to reflect on that little extra something which I can do to bring relief to a brother, a sister, and make a compatriot progress, and to make a resolution to give importance to doing little things.

“Attach ourselves to those little things and we will accomplish major transformation where we are. If we make those little gestures, like saying ‘good morning’, our community will be more fraternal, a small ‘thank you’ raises morale, a little smile makes friendship grow, a little help to one who is weak brings relief, and a moment taken to listen to someone can save a life,” said the President.

He invited Seychellois to become more patriotic and said, “Let us love our country even more. Consider her like our mother, forever grateful that when we strengthen our country and put ourselves at her service, she returns so much more to us. The higher we raise our country, the more we, Seychellois, as a nation, will rise.” 

To conclude, he said, “I give all of my energy to work for all of Seychelles’ children and to make us progress as far as is possible. Let us continue along this route together for the love of our beautiful country, Seychelles.”