 It's always nice to be at pigeon points. This place holds special memories to thousands of solutions and for me also, for me as well. And it's timely and proper that the solution national trust has decided to host this small but significant ceremony as part of our independent celebrations. There are so many families who have childhood memories of climbing the fort. There are those who remember picnics in the park and join the beach and the fresh air. There are many more who remember swaying to the music or singing along with their favourite artists at St. Lucia Jazz. Pigeon Island is an iconic St. Lucia place. Quite a number of people have come here to tie the knot or very least to have the wedding photos taken and the receptions here. Pigeon Island has been ground zero for the making of thousands of memorable moments. But further to this, it has in many respects the home of the St. Lucia national trust and all the trust represents. However, in as much as these experiences are important, Pigeon Island is principally an historic site. It's a place of national memory. It's a place where the people who came and the people who remained. As the largest offshore island about St. Lucia and been well positioned on the northern side of the island, it has long presented itself to mariners as a full spot of call as they rounded the channel into the Caribbean Sea. Our first inhabitants, our first citizens, the Amoridians, were using the island as a place to enjoy the abundance of sea food, of its coral reefs for at least 500 years prior to it being sighted by European eyes. The famous one-legged French pilot Jean Dubois enjoyed its vantage as a point to launch his attacks during the 16th century. The British settlers of the Montago expedition considered establishing a colony here in 1722. Later that century, became fortified and used as a naval base and was a significant stronghold for controlling the Grosjele Bay, but also monitoring the activity in the channel and our sister island of Martinique. In nearly every battle for St. Lucia, the capture of the island will have been part of the assaults. Later in the 19th century, it was seen as a more hospitable place for soldiers and many of the ruins it did from that period built in part by the forced labour of our St. Lucia ancestors. And then even later, the American presence during World War II, no doubt President Franklin Roosevelt would have cast his eyes into the island of interest when he came into the Grosjele Bay in 1942 aboard the U.S. warship. And so, how do you capture 1,000 years of history in a small room? That is no doubt the challenge of historians and curators who must be able to share that story to the thousands of visitors to Pigeon Island. This was no doubt the dreams of the likes of many found think in men and women from the St. Lucia National Trust back in 1975. I pay homage to them by name today, Sir Julian R. Hunt. And incidentally, the Cabinet of Ministers named the Grosjele, Cassius Grosje Highway after Sir Julian R. Hunt for his contribution to St. Lucia International Trust. To men like Wilfred St. Clay Daniel, Michael Andrews, Eric Branford, and Robert DeVoe, Martin Elvin, Dr. Edson Edmonds, Primrose Bredman, Fitzgerald Graham-Louisey, Thomas Walcott, and Fitzgerald York. Of these men, four are alive today. Branny, Tom, Dr. Edmonds, and Sir Julian. And today, I salute them on behalf of our country. Had these men not played an important role in advocacy for the protection and conservation of Pigeon Island, this might have been an enclave, most likely for high-value condominiums. Today, I also wish to pay special homage to the late Mr. Robert DeVoe. He had an undyne passion for Pigeon Island and placed a great deal of blood, sweat, and tears onto it. Some may even say it was like his home, and so the achievement of his toy and reconstruction building was in a large measure due to his efforts. The challenges of the trust in seeking to consolidate its operations by moving its offices from VG to Pigeon Point meant that the space for the expedition centre was sacrificed for officers. I am aware that the trust has had plans for the past decade for the creation of its new headquarters. And then you came very close to achieving this. But to know of you, other things to President. This independence, I want the people of Senucia to know that the country's heritage is not a liability but an asset. It's not its credit card. It should not be seen as a crutch, but a cradle of new opportunities. I sound the Senucia National Trust and its new director, Mrs. Janne Compton-Antoine, at this initiative to give rebirth to this interpretation centre. It represents a small but important gesture in us we discovering ourselves. It is an important part of ensuring that our youth have a better sense of self, a better sense of country and a greater position of which they are on the ground, on which they walk. A greater love for the landscapes and ski skis that they see and often take for granted. Every solution needs to be a proud ambassador of the country and ambassador to understand the significance of the country however small it may be physically, but it can share it with the world. This independence, I also want to underscore the point that a solution national trust and many other heritage organisations are indispensable stakeholders in our national development. This sector requires us to think creatively while seeing the value that can be had in reusing and restoring our built heritage. We must create landscapes of character and culture not sterile of these spaces. Heritage is indeed a tourism product and should be promoted as such. It is a rich asset that requires development. It is what differentiates us as a country and enriches the visitor experience. This is what creates this only in Senucia memories. We have taken small steps to correct the wrongs of the past. The subvention is back in order but I know that this does not provide for the extensive growth and development that is required at so many of our heritage sites and treasures around the island. I want to promise the national trust that as soon as the fiscal situation improves this subvention will also improve. Only last week I think it was two weeks ago the senior minister and his ministry took a significant step in redressing some of the issues that we would like to use that have been inherited. We ensured that this solution the beaches will continue to remain the property of the people of Senucia to be able to access at any time. Our beaches must be able to be accessed at any time. We are not anti-development we are not anti-tourism but the people of Senucia must never, never be seen as second class citizens in their own country. I want to thank you for inviting me I want to come back to the trust of Mrs. Antoine and I look forward to further engagements and further development of the heritage and patronage of Senucia. I thank you.