 San Lucia government must prepare the financial statements in accordance with international standards. Over 46 accountants representing all government agencies converge at the Finance Administrative Center in Point Serif in Cass Trees for a four-day seminar spanning May 30th to June 2nd 2023. The seminar, organized by the Accountant Generals Department, seeks to update the knowledge and skills of government accountants to the International Public Service Accounting Standard, or IPSAS. Accountant General Matthew Branford highlighted that the government runs the largest budget within the country for which his department is mandated to produce accurate financial statements. Which means that we have to report a balance sheet, a profiteur law statement, a statement of equity of the government and list down all of the loans and so on, the status of the loans and payables of the government. So we actually move it into this new standard called International Public Sector Accounting Standard, which is the recognized standard of the world when it comes to public accounting. Poman and Secretary in the Department of Finance, Francis Fontenelle welcomed the three facilitators from the World Bank, whilst stressing that public sector financial reporting must consistently seek to keep abreast with international best practices. There's always the need for us to review what we do, because we are not totally diverse or divulge from the private sector. And that is what the reason for us being here today. The International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board have been revising their standards, and it is incumbent on us in the private, in the public sector, sorry, to ensure that we are up to date with the standards. Practice Manager, Governance Financial Management with the World Bank, Joseph Kizito Mubiro noted that high-quality, reliable financial information enabled by international public sector accounting standards is critical to enable the World Bank to achieve its objectives to eliminate extreme poverty and promote shared prosperity. Promoting the adoption of EPSAS for us means that our support to governments to achieve all these objectives is facilitated. Reliable information produced by the Accountant General, and on which the Director of ODIT provides assurance, that is the quality, that is what makes the quality of financial information. And it is such information that helps governments select optimal policy choices to address citizen needs. It helps governments to choose the most sustainable public investment in infrastructure, health and education. It promotes the efficiency of government expenditures and reduces leakages and wastage of public funds. It also helps to hold officials accountable for the management of those public funds. Four years ago, governments' chat of accounts was changed to conform to the new budget requirements and to provide greater transaction details and source coding of the various transactions of government. So the new chat of account has been designed specifically to accommodate the presenting of the financial statement in accordance with the EPSAS standard of reporting financial information. And we have to be accountable and we have to be transparent. International PFM consultant Arnold Ainsley is the main facilitator for the seminar that introduces accountants to topics such as trends in public sector reporting. Strategic overview of EPSAS and transitioning of EPSAS accrual basis among other topics. For the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council, Glenn Simon reporting.