Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs Spreads Christmas Cheer

Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs Spreads Christmas Cheer

It has become a Christmas tradition every year for the staff of the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs to engage in a group get together at which they exchange gifts and share in a social event such as a luncheon. This time around for the 2020 Yuletide season, the Attorney General Hon. Vincent Byron and staff decided to forego the annual camaraderie exercise and to reach out to needy persons within the community.

Utilizing their personal resources, they (along with other employees at Government Headquarters) were encouraged to contribute to a mass donation of toys and groceries. The initiative was conceived in order to deliver a cheer package to the Department of Community and Social Development for distribution to as many families as possible. It all culminated in a simple (yet important) handing over exercise just outside the offices of the Ministry of Legal Affairs on 24th December 2020.

Permanent Secretary Ms. Diana Francis explained the rationale for the gesture “We are civil servants [who] are being paid our salaries monthly and we thank the government for that, but we must also bear in mind that there are many people who have lost their jobs or working for reduced pay because they are working on reduced hours… We thought that we would contribute and help those who are in need at this time…”

She also made reference to the fact that in many cases the customary remittances from abroad that are received by some families had not materialized this year as a result of the effects of the global pandemic. This has left a void in relation to the ability of many persons to have access to the types of things (including gifts) that are customary at this time of year. P. S. Francis took the opportunity to encourage others to reach out to persons who may not be as fortunate as themselves by sharing in similar ways.
The Cheer Package was handed over to a team of officers from the Department of Community and Social Development led by Mrs. Ann Wigley. P. S. Francis was supported in the presentation by several staff members of the Chambers of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs.

In responding to the presentation of gifts, Mrs. Wigley showered thanks on the Attorney General and his staff. “We are thanking the Attorney General and his staff for giving up of their party and other things. I think it’s a very good gesture. Thank you Attorney General and staff again; and I can assure you that we will do our best to give the persons who are really, really in need…[as we heard] there are many [others] who have given at this time. We’re thanking them too…”

Mrs. Wigley committed to ensure that individual packages of assorted grocery items and toys would be distributed to as many deserving persons as could be shared from the large collection of items. The timely donation is expected to bring good cheer and the experience of a bright Christmas for the recipients, in spite of the challenges currently being experienced from the economic fallout of the global pandemic.