 Residents and environs of crown lands have been placed on firmer footing to not only access their homes but to allow for easier access to medical and other essential services as well as being able to realise their economic ambitions. All that and more is becoming a reality due to the latest community intervention spearheaded by the Basic Needs Trust Fund, BNTF, via the St Lucia Social Development Fund, SSDF, both Community Resilience Building programs under the auspices of the Ministry of Equity, Social Justice and Empowerment to the delight of residents on August 3, 2023. Officials of the SSDF and the assigned contractor affects their signatures to the Road Extension Project, bringing to a completion an initiative that began almost 15 years ago. With the development of the community we are aware there are a number of vehicles and there's great difficulty especially on a Saturday and Sunday when persons need to get out. So we are creating a small turning point at the top of the hill to ease that stress for residents. The Road Extension will see an additional 300 feet of road and accompanying drainage added to the existing road. The Road Extension in the community of crown lands, perched on a hilltop, will significantly improve the precarious pathway residents have had to contend with for years. The reality is once the road is constructed it opens up access to the broader community and with access people will now take the opportunity to construct homes, extend their gardens or establish a farm and that will bring further economic activity to the community. We at the St Lucia Social Development Fund we take great pride in being the agency that funds initiatives of that nature. We provide communities with the opportunity to improve residents of the communities with the opportunity to improve their general quality of life. For the current parliamentary representative for the constituency and Minister for Equity Honourable Joakim Henry, the project's completion holds significant meaning, having begun some 15 years ago and the former parliamentary representative for Castery Southeast Honourable Meneza Rambali when he served as Chief Technical Officer of the Poverty Reduction Fund, the PRF. Today I'm happy that we spend $228,000 to do the road and drains in crown lands again and people of crown lands should take note of this because whereas I saw roads, millions of dollars being done everywhere else I see no reason why this could not have been resolved in my opinion in time past because it's not a million dollars investment. So I'm happy that the Caribbean Development Bank has approved to allow us to implement this project. I think the people of crown lands has a lot of patience because what they have enjoyed over the years to use this road I think it has been really difficult and there are other communities that would have protest and see a lot of things in the media but the people of crown lands have expressed they have shown patience they have waited so today it's really to say thanks to the people of crown lands for waiting so long for something that is needed for anybody in St. Lucia. Along with the many benefits from opening up the community via the new access road the construction project will also provide an opportunity for skilled personnel from within the community to gain employment. The crown lands community forms part of the wider Mark Bexor area within the Castery Southeast constituency.