Governor General calls for honest reflection in 2026 New Year’s message
Governor General Sir Patrick Allen is calling on Jamaicans to reflect honestly on 2025 and move forward with hope in 2026.
In a message to the public on New Year’s Day, he said “We enter this New Year with deep gratitude, thankful for the gift of life, thankful for the care that has surrounded us, and thankful for the compassion and solidarity shown to us over the past year by Almighty God, by Jamaicans at home and abroad, and by friends across the world. 2025 tested our maturity as a nation – We navigated a general election, embraced the democratic process with maturity, and observed as a new administration settled into its responsibilities, plans, and programmes.”
Continued Allen: “Then came Hurricane Melissa, an unprecedented disaster that altered lives, damaged homes, disrupted families, and left deep scars all across the nation, leaving every one of us directly or indirectly affected. And yet, even in that devastation, we saw courage, generosity, and unity rise to meet the moment.”
The governor general called on residents to reflect honestly on where we are, and look forward with determination to where we must go.
“This new year calls for a renewed ethos: one of resilience, responsibility, cooperation, and shared sacrifice. Recovery will not be easy, but it is possible if we dig deep within ourselves and give our very best in all situations,” he said.
Allen maintained that the country is blessed, as 2025 proved, but unity is crucial to Jamaica’s success.
“We are blessed as a nation with faith in Almighty God! Blessed with belief in one another! Blessed with the support of our families, our friends, our diaspora, and our regional and international partners! But above all, our greatest strength lies within us – our willingness to work together, to stay the course, and to build back better for generations to come,” Allen said
Reflecting on the country’s motto, he called on Jamaicans to take courage
“Our motto is ‘Out of many, one people’: Let us live these words not only in speech, but in action, and as one people, let us recover. As one people, let us move forward as we have done since Independence. Jamaica has overcome countless challenges, and we have never given up, and we must not give up now,” he said.
Said Allen in closing, “Let us stay together, work together, and build a stronger nation together, for ourselves, our families, and those who will come after us. May God bless you, and Jamaica land we love.”
