 Qualifying households are set to start benefiting from a $75 bill credit under the Electricity Assistance Program, EAP, as the Government of St. Lucia continues to implement the nation's Economic and Resilience Plan. The Electricity Assistance Program seeks to provide temporary relief to specific households for six months, starting October 2020 to March 2021. The EAP will benefit recipients of the Public Assistance Program, the Child Disability Grant, persons living with HIV AIDS, and approve beneficiaries of the Income Support Program for non-contributors to the National Insurance Corporation. On Wednesday 14 October 2020, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Government of St. Lucia and St. Lucia Electricity Services Limited, which will govern the implementation of this joint venture and welcome its start. The signing of this MOU is an indication of our care for the vulnerable groups in our midst. Placing them on our priority lease as a Government and Ministry of Equity is no doubt in sync with our proclamations and promises made in the past. The Electricity Assistance Program, known as the EAP, is another indication that in this challenging period where resources are proving to be at its lowest, the Government of St. Lucia will not be moved to abort any of its humanitarian and or outreach programs. According to Minister for Equity, Social Justice, Local Government and Empowerment, Hon. Leonard Montute, the COVID-19 pandemic brought on a health and economic crisis, but the Government of St. Lucia remains committed to strengthening safety nets and safeguarding the vulnerable from these shocks. I can also speak very definitively of the increasing range of needs being articulated to which urgent responses are required. Notwithstanding, I can assure you that amidst such troubling times, the Government of St. Lucia remains committed to protecting the rights and dignity of its population and to strengthening social safety nets that safeguard the vulnerable and at-risk households in our communities. Prime Minister of St. Lucia, Hon. Alan Shastain, his budget address on 23 June 2020 announced a package of recovery and resilience strategies that form part of the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the MOU signing, the Prime Minister gave an overview of the nation's response, including other economic incentives rolled out for citizens like the employee retention program, income support programs and tax weavers for landlords and small business owners. In recognition of the need to provide that support to the most vulnerable groups and segments in our society, while managing the limited revenue of the state, it is imperative that any assistance offered should be targeted in such a way that there is value to those who receive it. Consequently, the electricity assistance program was designed in such a way that it met both these criteria, adding economic value to most vulnerable groups in our society and making prudent use of our limited financial resources. Protecting the poor, marginalized and most vulnerable of the population is a commitment the Government will uphold as it continues to roll out programs such as these. Reporting from the Office of the Prime Minister, I am Danielle Dubois.