Paula Mae Weekes: “Covid pandemic did not diminish significance of Divali”

PRESIDENT Paula-Mae Weekes believes the covid19 pandemic has not in any way diminished the vibrancy and significance of Divali .
She says one of the significant lessons of Divali is that it “motivates us to find confidence and strength to face and overcome our challenges with the knowledge that good always triumphs over ill-will.”
In her Divali message to the nation, the President said, “The powerful and enduring imagery of the light of the deyas piercing the surrounding darkness brings us hope and confidence that we, by our actions and attitudes, can uplift and add value to the lives of our friends, relatives, colleagues and even complete strangers.”
She also said “as citizens of every creed and race bask in the glow of thousands of deyas illuminating homes and public spaces, they will once again be reminded of the story at the core of Divali—the triumphant return of Lord Rama and his wife Sita to the village of Ayodhya after 14 years of exile.”
Weekes maintained Divali provides citizens with “a golden opportunity to strive for self-improvement and engage in critical self-analysis and reflection.”