 Thank you very much Mr. Speaker, indeed all of my close friends know that Barris, whenever I hear Barris I go into another dimension, thank you very much Mr. Speaker, let me at this time join the prime minister and to say how pleased I am Mr. Speaker to see this resolution where the minister of finance seeks the authority of parliament to borrow from the Saudi fund for development the sum of approximately 75 million US dollars. Mr. Speaker, greetings to colleagues and it's important to understand Mr. Speaker what we are here to do. We are here Mr. Speaker to seek the authority of parliament to borrow money to complete the St. Jude Hospital rehabilitation project and this money Mr. Speaker will also rehabilitate the George Odlam National Stadium Before I go any further Mr. Speaker, it's important to know who we are here today. We are here today to join the authority of parliament to borrow money from the Saudi fund for development, Saudi Arabia government to finance the St. Jude Hospital rehabilitation project and the people who are here today. Mr. Speaker, it's important because the anniversary of the St. Jude fire was just a few days ago The 14th year since many people suffered some died and this is significant. I stand in solidarity Mr. Speaker with the families who continue to suffer. The families of those who died, the family of Mr. Soudin, the family of Mr. Jabatis and the family of Mounas Vijay these families from Belvi, Vijay and Piero continue to suffer and every time an anniversary comes around I can understand the way they feel. I also Mr. Speaker want to take a moment to pay tribute to all of the first respondents. On that fateful night Mr. Speaker, the staff who want duty, the doctors, the nurses, the ancillary staff sacrificed their lives, the nearby residents of Oje who rushed towards danger without thinking of themselves and the people who came from near and far. While it is unacceptable Mr. Speaker that 14 years have passed by we must never forget the sacrifices of all those involved. We must recall their selflessness every year and pay tribute to the remarkable show of patriotism which St. Louisians showed on that night. 14 years is not a long time. It is a long time because we have not completed the project but it is no time for us to forget. St. Louisians are passionate about the St. Jude Hospital Mr. Speaker. St. Louisians have shown by the actions that St. Jude continues to be high on the list of priorities and St. Louisians continue to indicate very forcefully their wish for the St. Jude Hospital project to be completed. Complete the St. Jude Hospital Mr. Speaker. That is what St. Louisians want so that the patients and staff can be removed from the George Ordham National Stadium as soon as possible Mr. Speaker. But Mr. Speaker before I go into the belly of the resolution it is a very interesting time for me as a parliamentarian. I must tell you Mr. Speaker for the boomerangs of history and the passage of time have taught me so many lessons. Very interesting Mr. Speaker that the debate this morning on this motion to borrow 75 million or EC 200.3 million dollars this debate brings together the member for castries north and former prime minister who was prime minister on that faithful night who found himself in VA for odd hours of the night. It brings together the former prime minister, the member for VA for south. It also brings together another former prime minister, the member for Miku south and the current prime minister the member for castries east. It is very interesting Mr. Speaker that all of these people are in the parliament today. History and the passage of time Mr. Speaker has a way of giving you some very interesting playbacks. What Mr. Speaker you play in your mind and you look at each other in the eye and together you say what a day for all of us together to work in this parliament to deliver the people's hospital Mr. Speaker. What a day Mr. Speaker this motion brings me to 2006 when I became a parliamentarian. Between 2006 and 2011 I was in opposition with the then member for VA for south, the former prime minister. The MP for castries north Mr. Speaker was prime minister. I recalled we mobilized, we campaigned, we held a meeting at the hospital site, we demonstrated against what the people said at the time was a lot of uncertainty. Where would they put the hospital where it's next to the Kakaba stretch or where would they put it, a lot of uncertainty. But the member for castries north Mr. Speaker started the project. We came into government in 2011 and the member for VA for south continued the project. The project was conceptualized but the member for VA for south continued the project. Finding a deficit, a huge deficit and at the same time every budget year allocating money to the project. Until he traveled to Taiwan Mr. Speaker and convinced our friends in Taiwan to give us a helping hand and the member for VA for south as minister for finance secured financing to complete the hospital at the time. The work continued Mr. Speaker. Most of the managers as the member for castries east and prime minister said a while ago, kept the work going. The work accelerated by 2016 however the hospital was not completed before the end of our term in office. The people felt Mr. Speaker that despite what we campaigned on we did not complete the hospital and despite everything we said the hospital was an important project and the improvement of conditions at St Jude took centre stage for them and we were booted out of office. And so Mr. Speaker despite the valiant efforts of the member for VA for south who continued the project and everything was in place. The incoming government of 2016 to 2021 changed course and instead of completing the project they stopped the project for three years. This resolution Mr. Speaker speaks to this history and how this history how we are going to cure the imperfections which preceded this government. Again the people decided Mr. Speaker that the last government headed by the member for microsoft did not deserve to preside over the further construction or breaking down of St Jude anymore. And so Mr. Speaker they ushered in this government to do the work for them. It's very important as I look at this resolution Mr. Speaker to chart out this history so that none of us inside of there and the Prime Minister said it over and over again that nobody inside of there should play politics with the St Jude Hospital reconstruction project. Because the people have demonstrated over and over again that they will not have it. And so who be on to any politician who comes in her and tries to play politics with the completion of the St Jude Hospital project. But there are things you never foresee Mr. Speaker in life each of us each of us have certain very strong views on political positions. Unlike you Mr. Speaker and every single colleague around the table every single one of you has a very strong political view. And Mr. Speaker I hold very I hold some very very strong views. But for me Mr. Speaker there are things I never saw coming. Can you imagine today this this resolution will be debated by the member for Kastri's North and where the member for Kastri's North is sitting today Mr. Speaker. We are debating this resolution and St Jude and he was Prime Minister when the reconstruction started. Can you imagine that Mr. Speaker and for students of history after today today will be a very important very important day in this resolution. This Parliament Mr. Speaker and I never saw this one coming and I have some very strong political views. Can you imagine the boomerangs of history what they do to your mind and to your position sometimes. Sometimes you bend and you twist if you believe Mr. Speaker that certain things at this time are in the best interest of the country. So this resolution Mr. Speaker brings in the member of Parliament for Kastri's North. A member who some years ago I stood at the St Jude Hospital site and if words could do what tools could do Mr. Speaker at the time I would have skinned him. Because Mr. Speaker this St Jude Hospital project is so close to the hearts of so many people. But when you have three constituents who perish in the fire Mr. Speaker people whom you knew, people whom you spoke to. You know the families you have gone to their homes and you eat with them. It's not like you hear of somebody who passed away. You actually know these people Mr. Soudin. He always sat under his bread and a tree he has a big bread and he had a big bread and a tree at his house at Vijay. And a very huge volcanic stone and he was a philosopher of some sorts. Always speaking about philosophy and history of the Labour Party and what he's been through with his old pick up van. I speak like this Mr. Speaker for this resolution because the matter of St Jude is not just about bricks and mortar and galvanize. And that is why the last government Mr. Speaker did not understand the passion of the people where St. Jude is concerned. They felt that you could have taken a backhoe and just mash up a building because they believe that that's not the way to go and they can just do it. There are passions there. It's not just about brick and mortar. So this resolution Mr. Speaker evokes emotions. No respect for our resources. And why didn't history Mr. Speaker tell me about the member for Castry Central. The member for Castry Central again. It's interesting today that the member for Castry Central is sitting on this side. And I have crossed many swords made of words with the member for Castry Central. And I have had certain convictions and certain beliefs in the politics. But it's interesting to see the combination of the parliament for this debate on the St. Jude hospital. It's as if the gods and the spirits met somewhere in the stars and decided that they will find a way to do a compelure. To ensure that we finish the St. Jude hospital reconstruction project. And so no matter where you come from, this resolution speaks to you whether you are yellow, green or blue wave, red, this resolution speaks to you. And today in the parliament Mr. Speaker we will see evidence of this. And so Mr. Speaker people of St. Lucia want us to complete the hospital as soon as possible. All of the debate about St. Jude and there is a lot which will be said. For me personally as the prime minister said Mr. Speaker today is not the day. But today is a day where I stand to support this resolution because the people of St. Lucia want us to remove the staff and the patients, the doctors and the nurses, the ancillary staff from the George Audlum stadium. That is what they want. The people of St. Lucia do not want their relatives to remain in the stadium for much longer. And this government has a responsibility Mr. Speaker to ensure that we fulfill the dreams of the people. This resolution Mr. Speaker has, it brings with it hope. If you look at paragraph 2 Mr. Speaker of the resolution. And whereas it is further provided on the section 64 of the act that money brought by the government must be paid into the consolidated and from part of the consolidated fund. It speaks to this government borrowing money or any government and putting it into the consolidated fund. I look at paragraph 4 Mr. Speaker. And whereas the minister of finance or for finance considers it necessary to borrow from the Saudi fund for development. Consider it and I repeat necessary to borrow. Mr. Speaker of the resolution Mr. Speaker said that the finance minister made a decision that he had to do. Mr. Speaker said that he had to do. And we know the debate about borrowing. But this minister of finance has decided that it is necessary to do this at this time. The member of parliament for V4 South at one point as prime minister decided at the time that it was necessary to borrow to complete the hospital. We lost the government and that was not to be. Although the member of V4 South went to get the money. The reason that was not to be Mr. Speaker I can tell you is for another very long debate. Mr. Speaker if you look at paragraph 5 paragraph 4 sorry let's look at paragraph 4. While ago I spoke about paragraph 3. The loan is repayable in 20 years after the grace period of 5 years. So Mr. Speaker. We will have enough only for VEP of the last 1. We pay the next 5 years. After that we have enough only for VEP of the last 1. Because the minister of finance made a good decision. Because the minister of finance made a good decision. On the next day we will be sad about the coming. And is this the reason. Mr. Speaker, when you look at the repayment, again the repayment as the member for cash is central said, 2%, and it is necessary at this time, we cannot operate at the stadium for much longer, and all of the reasons have been put forward before, When we complete the rehabilitation of the St. Jude Hospital at OJ, there will obviously be greater opportunity to employ advance equipment to improve service to the people of St. Lucia. There will be greater opportunity for collaborations and partnerships with internationally recognized hospitals and universities, Mr. Speaker. We will have an opportunity to return the St. Jude Hospital to an institution of pride and a flagship institution not only for the south or not only in the south but for St. Lucia and for the region. And I have said before Mr. Speaker at this podium and in this parliament that the story of the St. Jude Hospital is a very wonderful and beautiful story. We have had our challenges and the St. Jude Hospital has many challenges today. There are several challenges which we are facing head on. And those challenges have spoken about them before Mr. Speaker and I will continue to speak about them. But these challenges will be overcome. But St. Jude Hospital has a proud history of service and we want to return the hospital to that very proud history. And what is different today Mr. Speaker, based on all the documents, it is very clear that the financing was secured when the last government came in 2016. The financing was secured, it was accessible and the level of construction at the hospital was at a stage where at least for the latest by September 2017 for the latest it could have been done before, they could have completed the hospital because there was a procurement schedule, services had been procured and the commissioning could have happened. This was achievable Mr. Speaker. There was money, services procured, materials and this for the latest could have happened by September 2017. A lot of Papi show happened after that, a lot of Papi show which I have said before is for another debate. When you look at the cost comparisons Mr. Speaker, the St. Jude Hospital reconstruction project at OJ, the original site of phase one, the stage it was at where they found it, the unit rate of construction was about EC 358,000 dollars per square foot, 358 dollars per square foot sorry, 358 dollars per square foot. When they went into the box, when you compare the cost Mr. Speaker, the unit rate for construction was already 766 dollars per square foot at the stage they were at. At the stage they were at, they had not even done the roof yet and why all of this and all the charade and there was no roof as such is again for another show. So Mr. Speaker, you can see the different rates and you can see that this incoming government had to make a decision and this decision was guided not only by the rates but by technical experts who advise that we complete the original buildings. Mr. Speaker, no indication of the future cost of the box of phase two and even when they went into that phase two Mr. Speaker, they had to use part of the phase one again Mr. Speaker, I will save the meat of all of this for the next debate. But just to tell you that when this government looked at everything and the advice of the technical experts, the prime minister made a decision and said we cannot finance this hospital by budgetary allocations every year or else we may not finish. Let me reach out to a friendly government to see how we can get a loan to finance the rest of the construction. Mr. Speaker, the three sources of finance and since we are talking about financing, this resolution is about financing Mr. Speaker. I just want to remind honorable members and the general public of a few things which I'm sure you have heard about already but I think it's important within the context of this debate. The three sources of finance Mr. Speaker, the US $10 million from the Export-Import Bank of the Republic of China Taiwan, the Exim Bank, another US $20 million loan from the Exim Bank in 2020 and the first loan you recall that I have said, the member for VA for South worked very hard to ensure that we had the money at the time. The third source of financing local counterpart funds approved for the project in the annual estimates over the years. And I indicated to you, if you go to Hansard Mr. Speaker, I indicated to you the challenges that the former minister of finance and member for VA for South, former prime minister had. When we got into government in 2011 with the deficit and the decisions which led him to the Export-Import Bank to ensure that there was financing and he never, his government, I was part of the government, the member for Castries East, the member for Denry North, the member for Labry, the member for Souffre. We were part of that government and every single cabinet meeting, the St. Jude Hospital. What are we going to do? We must finish it. He didn't go and break down buildings because it was the member for Castries North who was prime minister. He continued the project and so you see now the financing and now Mr. Speaker, we have loan financing to complete the project. This loan seeks to ensure that the project does not suffer from a lack of financing Mr. Speaker. As we move full speed ahead to complete and to deliver the hospital to the people of St. Lucia. Meanwhile Mr. Speaker, we know that the conditions at the stadium are not ideal. They have never been ideal and they can never be ideal for a hospital. The prime minister and member of parliament for Castries East spoke about it earlier. But then you will say Mr. Speaker, well you are two year old government. Even though you are working on the rehabilitation of the hospital, what have you done? And I will not spend time today Mr. Speaker to tell you everything we have done. But just to say that we are concerned not only about the rehabilitation of the hospital and the completion of the project, but we are also concerned about the conditions at the stadium currently. We have been concerned from the time we came into government and not only concerned. We have expanded resources to ensure that the canopies were removed, these glass canopies removed and replaced. We are ensuring even now, even now if you go to the hospital, to the stadium, you will see an operation which has been in place for a few months to remove all of the metal, the metal pole lines and the joints on the roof of the stadium, all of that is happening now. All the chairs which flew around during hurricanes or storms, we have removed all of these and this work is ongoing. We have made efforts to block some of the joints where water seeps into the rooms and so on. We have done, we have purchased new equipment and esthesiology machines, extreme machines, heart monitors and almost every three months you see it in the media and on Facebook. We work with the hospital to ensure that they get new equipment, new supplies. But there is a lot of work to be done. This place Mr. Speaker needs a lot of attention. But we are doing as much as we can to make the situation better while we work on the rehabilitation of the St. Jude Hospital at OJ. So we are doing all of this. The transitioning of the hospital Mr. Speaker. So while this resolution speaks to the construction and so on, the transitioning is very important. The St. Jude Hospital has a transitioning team and they have activated that. The review team suggested to the government that we get expertise from Pan American Health Organization for other expertise to help us to transition from the stadium to the site at OJ and we have done so. We have an expert from the Pan American Health Organization who is working with us. This expert has come to St. Lucia a number of times and this expert is working with us to transition the hospital from the stadium to the site at OJ. No we are not. We are not at all. We have a project serving committee Mr. Speaker headed by Mr. Michael Williams and they are meeting to ensure that we move things along as we should. Mr. Speaker, I want to say something. I am very thankful to the Minister for Finance, very thankful that the Minister has included the Ministry of Health in the decision making as we move ahead to complete the hospital. The Ministry of Health Mr. Speaker has representatives on the committee and Mr. Speaker we have engaged the doctors and nurses they have done a walkthrough and the issues that were highlighted. The doctors and the nurses Mr. Speaker have indicated what changes they want to see and we have involved them in the process moving forward. So I want to thank the Prime Minister for involving the Ministry and this reconstruction project Mr. Speaker is not a one man know it all project. No one minister or anybody goes down to the site and decides which building to break down and which tractor to use to break down buildings Mr. Speaker. We are doing this together and we are going to achieve our objectives Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to say that the salary that we have invested is important because before the government came to save the Prime Minister, they were going to buy the money to complete the hospital. With all the support we have done, as we have done, the government came to save the Prime Minister. The money that was there was going to Taiwan to save the money to complete the hospital. With the money that was built for equipment, the money that was built for service and the money that was built to complete the hospital. But we lost the election with the other government that was in the way, the government that was in the way. The government came to save the building that was in the way, the government came to save the building that was in the way, the government came to save the building that was in the way, the building that was in the way, the building that was in the way, the building that was in the way, the building that was in the way, the building that was in the way, the building that was in the way, the building that was in the way, the building that was in the way, the building that was in the way, the building that was in the way, the building that was in the way, the building that was in the way, the building that was in the way, the building that was in the way, the building that was in the way, the building that was in the way, the building that was in the way, the building that was in the way, the building that was in the way, the building that was in the way, the building that was in the way, the building that was in the way, the building that was in the osi ewek tu le zane nuk amete l'ajan obigea, ko s'an nuk awe si nuk continuee ka anek mete l'ajan obigea pu fini l'opitala pitek nuk aitobene fahit, ko s'asa premier minis mam paloma kaswi is fe yale puete l'ajan soti Saudi Arabia punu fini l'opitala. Ie portem punu save, misi speaker, ki paritza nuk a fesa nuk a e de situasio a stadium la. Munkia l'opitala ka ewek, l'oteka a tue l'opitala bo imogenci, ebek lot fa sada l'a tenya go bagai, glas, se glas la teka tobe, shakle nuz a ti e sa nuz a mete anef. Lan yasha equipment nuz a gehe by l'opital Senjun, anesthesiology machine, s'avledi la, l'ok a fe l'opoasio nuk a mete bagai, neo bagai pu dormi, nuk gehe sa nef. Extreme machine, hack monitors, e komi lot, komi, komi lot equipment. Nuz si ka hede l'opitala pu anje se te bagai, paritza nuk a fini l'opitala a oge. Osi lan yasha bagai lagle, ok a fe transition plan. S'avledi lan nuk fini, lan yamanie puti e mun dokte nos a dhe l'opital ek mete wadhe lot l'opital nef. Nuz a ka tobe al e sa, nuz a nie export ki soti pahu, pan American Health Organization, ki ka he de nu, ek nuk a pay milion milio dola pu sa. Osi Mrs. Speaker, nuk a pale ewek se munna, ki ni yo.8 milio dola set lisiye. Ek yo pa di katten hot pias guvedma. Ek pome minister do usal e o jweni mete la. Nut a dhe an funksion ko mam pala ma vief o sudde la osi. Ewek yo di nu, lani equipment lan yo pa ratten hodai, yo pa ratten guvedma, yo pa ratten ae. So sa nuk di yo se pale ewek se munna, nuk fe yo jweni ewek, jen se munna, ewek sa yo ka he fe banu. Se equipment ki te nute hoda, boa bweza, se equipment sa abweze vini a nef. Ko sa renu fini lopitala, se equipment nuk a he jweni, yuk a he equipment, state of the art, top class equipment ki nef. Sa munka do Mrs. Speaker, pome minister la za evolver minister sa te. Pomenen secretary minister sa te siye moa ewek lot mun, jen ki ka tovai sen jude, se doktia sen jude, yo tut evolver aza fe sa la. Sa pa a bagai yo nom, ki kweza anek mene trakta ko aze lopital ba e kon sa. Se pa kon sa nuk a tovai. Tut mun evolver ewek nuk ae delive lopitala ba e jen pii seplisi. Mrs. Speaker, me ka seporte resolution sa la. I support this resolution, and Mr. Speaker, I want to say to the families of those who perished in the fire that there is unfinished business with you and government. Bagai ki kumase po wo, kometin passe, ka e vini a da resolution. Nuk a juen maniel igal po angiz za fe sa la. We have unfinished business with you also. So Mr. Speaker, as a member of parliament for VFO South, I stand proud today, but the real day, VFO North. As a member of parliament for VFO North, I love VFO South too, you know. As a member of parliament for VFO North, Mrs. Speaker, I am not only proud, it's really a humbling experience. And I know Mrs. Speaker, the member of parliament for La Brea, and of course the former prime minister, member of parliament for VFO South. I am sure today is critical and important. But you know what Mrs. Speaker, I will take my seat on this note. The glorious moment, this is important today, very important. But the glorious moment will be on this joyous daybreak if the member of parliament will allow me to use some of his words. On this joyous daybreak, when we will go to the St. Jude Hospital, having transition all the patients, the staff, it will be a solemn moment, it will be a day of rejoicing, a day to thank God and the Holy Spirit that finally, finally we have delivered the people's project to the people. I thank you Mrs. Speaker.