 the distinct privilege of serving as Governor-General and Head of State of these beautiful land of ours. It was on the 17th day of September 1997 that I took the oath of allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen accepting to serve as her representative here at home and to exercise the executive authority of St. Lucia on her behalf. On this memorable day I expressed my thanks to the parliament and people of St. Lucia for that singular honor that was bestowed on me. It has indeed been the most singular honor of my life and I will forever hold the most cherished memories of this incredible journey. I still remain awed by the realization that I was called from among so many deserving persons in a land that has borne so many distinguished sons and daughters. I pledged then to serve you with all the zeal, the sensitivity and the objectivity that such an expression of confidence deserved. On my assuming office I chose as my mission statement to truly and faithfully represent the sovereign in St. Lucia in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. To foster national unity and identity at home and abroad. To promote our national economic, cultural and social interests and to encourage excellence in all fields of endeavor. Throughout the course of these past 20 years I have drawn inspiration from Her Majesty's own steadfast and unwavering commitment to duty and service and from my own upbringing which taught me to look beyond the constraints of the moment to the promises of the future. I hope therefore that I have in some small measure been able to deliver on these my pledges and undertakings and that you have been pleased with my efforts. As I leave office I thank everyone most sincerely for the many ways in which you have enriched both my personal and professional life, for your generous and endearing support, for your gracious encouragement and for the tremendous goodwill you have shown me. I want you to know that your joys have been my joys, your pain my pain. To the young people of our country for whom I have an special affection I placed St. Lucia and its future in your capable hands. I know that many of you were not even born when I assumed office and so I am the only Governor General you know. I hope I have served you well. In fact some of our young ladies are convinced that only women can hold that office and I can think of no better accolade. My thanks to all of you. I ask only therefore that you care for our fair Helen, for its sustainability, its peace, its prosperity, for the resurgence of its spirit of community and for a reawakening of our own love for her. I thank the representatives of those countries with which St. Lucia has diplomatic relations who have contributed so generously to our efforts at national development. I thank all the organizations which I have served as patron for embracing me as one of their own. As this chapter of my life comes to a close, I am reminded of Sir Arthur's farewell words to his knights of the round table and I share them with you. The old order changes, yielding place to new and God fulfills himself in many ways lest one good custom should corrupt the world. So ladies and gentlemen, I wish to announce that I will be demitting office as St. Lucia's Governor General on December the 31st, 2017. It has been indeed both a privilege and a pleasant duty to have served you and my country in this capacity. May God richly bless you all. I close with warmest thoughts and very best wishes to all for a wonderful Christmas season and a new year of peace and happiness. I wish to see you all, to support me, to encourage me, to trust me, to embrace me in life, in peace, in my home. It has been a pleasure to be able to represent the Queen Elizabeth as the head of the country. And I wish to serve all the citizens of St. Lucia, the little ones, neither the rich nor the poor. I would like to wish that you all will be able to live in peace and happiness for the next 20 years. May God bless all those who love and support me in this country. Ladies and gentlemen, I have come to wish my country a pleasant time, as the Governor General, and for eight months, definitely, for the occasion of the new year, to make a contribution to develop beautiful and new. Come on December the 31st, I wish you all the best, and the blessing of God for this year to come. I wish you all the best for the occasion of the new year, and for the good of the year. Thank you, thank you, thank you very much. Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you most sincerely. Goodbye.