 Hello and welcome to today's live broadcast of the House of Assembly. This is the National Television Network and I am Malisha Ali from the Government Information Service. Thank you for joining us. Here in Downtown Cass Tree is at the House of Parliament on Library Street. For those of you who are unable to catch us via the television on NTN, you can watch us live on www.govt.lc and also on the Government of St. Lucia's Facebook page. Now what do we have today? We have three motions down on the order paper. The first motion is that Parliament authorizes the Minister for Finance to borrow the sum of US $2.8 million from the Caribbean Development Bank's special fund resources to finance the Youth Empowerment Project. The second motion down is for Parliament to authorize the Minister for Finance to guarantee an amount not exceeding US$15.8 million to secure payment of a contract awarded to First Start Construction Company Limited to finance the Miku Road Rehabilitation Project and the Degas to Derriso Road Rehabilitation Works. Now the third motion on our order paper for today does not come from the Government side of the House. It is actually being proposed by the member for Castries South opposition member Dr. Ernest Hiller and it is that Parliament by negative resolution approve Regulation 7-3A and Regulation 7-9 of the Citizen by Investment Act. As you know in December 2016 Prime Minister of St. Lucia Honorable Allen M. Shastney announced changes to the regulation for the CIP program here on Ireland. What he had proposed, well what he did back then in December was to actually lower the amount that an investment and investor can put into our investment fund and according to the Prime Minister it was so that St. Lucia has a more competitive CIP program because as you know both Dominica and St. Kit has a long running CIP program and the Prime Minister said in order to make it viable we had to lower the regulations to be more globally competitive. The CIP program has been going under some modifications since December 2016 and that includes a change of board and a new CEO for a new chairman of the board and also a new CEO. And we see the Speaker of the House of Assembly Honorable Leon Theodore Johnna is making her way into the chamber. She is preceded by the Sergeant at Arms carrying the mace and this signals the start of today's proceedings which promises to be quite interesting. So let's take it now to the chamber floor. Let us pray. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Almighty God, by whom all kings reign and princes decree justice, and from whom alone come all counsel, wisdom and understanding. We dine on worthy servants, hair gathered together in thy name, do most humbly beseech thee to send down thy heavenly wisdom from above to direct and guide us in all our consultations and grant that we, having thy fear, always before our eyes and laying aside all private interests, prejudices and partial affections, the result of all our counsels may be to the glory of thy blessed name, the maintenance of true religion and justice, the safety, honor and happiness of the Queen, the public will, peace and tranquility of St. Lucia and the uniting and knitting together of hearts, of all persons and estates, within the same, in the true Christian love and charity, one towards another, through Jesus Christ our Lord, amen. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us all evermore, amen. Announcing honorable members, I wish for you to join me in the observance of one minute silence as we remember those unfortunate to have lost lives during the devastation passing of Hurricane Irma. Remember also particularly those within the countries or the islands, sister islands within the CPA Caribbean Atlantic and Pacific region and the devastation there. So please honorable members, if you may join me in one minute silence and observation, loss of lives and the effects of Tropical Hurricane Irma. One minute starts now. Thank you. Honorable members, I am in receipt, letters of apologies from the honorable member for Castro's North who unfortunately is out of state on business. He apologizes for his absence. Also, I am also in receipt of communication from the honorable Minister for Agriculture who unfortunately due to the passing of Irma, he has been delayed and was supposed to have been here but cannot be here with us and he is still away. I wish to inform honorable members that I attended together the honorable President of the Senate as well as the Deputy Clerk, the meeting of presiding officers and clerks of the Caribbean Atlantic and America's region in Tobago, which is hosted by Trinidad and Tobago in mid-August. On that note, I will speak further on it when I meet with honorable members and I wish to take the opportunity to remind honorable members that we are to have a less formal meeting of all members immediately after the sitting this afternoon. I have also just recently returned from a meeting in Trinidad. It was by Parlamericas regarding public participation in the governance of country and accountability and you will hear further from me on this as well but basically the meeting was very enlightening and basically serves to seek from parliamentarians how we can engage the public more and the public be more informed in the affairs of the parliament and running of the parliament and the parliament office and legislature in the country. Statements by ministers. Honorable Prime Minister, Leader of Government Business. Madam Speaker, members of the House, I felt it was appropriate at this time given the historic last two weeks that we've encountered in our region to brief members of the House and you, Madam Speaker, and the public of Salucia as to what has been transpiring and what we believe are the next steps moving forward, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, we have seen in our region three hurricanes that were affecting our region in different areas almost simultaneously. Irma, Jose and Katrina, Katia. We also had during the same period of time a magnitude 8.1 earthquake. So let me commence. I think that we can all see the fact that 10 people have died and we see the physical impact that that country has a road to recover. And I just want to again reassure the ambassador to him, to his government and to the people of Cuba, to Salucia's total support and sympathy about transpiring. Madam Speaker, as chairman of the OECS, I had the opportunity to do a recce tour on Sunday. I was accompanied by the Secretary General of the OECS, Dr. Jules, and also by Prime Minister Scarrett. And we visited Anguilla, the BVI, Antigua, and St. Kitts. The devastation in BVI and also in Anguilla is very severe. Literally every single telephone pole and electrical pole that you saw was down. Rooms that had Galvanized moving are all down. In the case of BVI, the work to start reconstructing the country or even simply cleaning up the country had not begun. And also, Sadima was only making it into the BVI for the first time on Sunday. Anguilla, the devastation was equally as harsh. In fact, the vast majority of schools are without roofs. But I found that the people had begun the cleanup process and were awaiting the next call of action. My understanding is that the British government have approved $34 million for their affected countries in this region. I did not have the opportunity, Madam Speaker, to make it to St. Martin. Unfortunately, St. Martin was deemed unsafe to go to. But the reports out of St. Martin and St. Thomas are equally frightening in terms of what has transpired. We are intending to have a meeting of the OECS heads tomorrow, Madam Speaker, with the intent to give a report as to what our findings were and to make recommendations on some things that we should do. Clearly, most of the families here in St. Lucia would recognize and appreciate that September is the beginning of a new school season. And particularly the kids who are in Form 4 and Form 5 in the devastated countries or the affected countries. Clearly, despite their own peril, an own situation would be extremely concerned about what was going to happen with the children. The good news, Madam Speaker, is we do have a precedent that was established when we had Hurricane Ivan in Grenada, in which the OECS in Karakam countries adopted kids from Grenada to assist them during that one term while Grenada was recovering. And I think that we may have to do something very similar in this instance. St. Lucia, as you know, Madam Speaker, has been offering all kinds of assistance to the affected countries. We've offered free landing fees. We've offered to keep our airports open 24 hours because when we initially saw the storm coming, it was expectation that the devastation that you saw in the BVI in St. Martin potentially could have happened in Guadalupe and in Antigua and in St. Kitts. But thankfully, Antigua and St. Kitts were not nearly as affected as badly as the other countries. Obviously, Barbuda, we've seen, has been severely impacted. In fact, I had the opportunity to go and meet with some of the Barbudians that had been extracted from Barbuda that are being currently hosted by the government of Antigua in Antigua. But clearly, the road to recovery is going to be long and arduous and extremely expensive. It is going, it goes without saying, Madam Speaker, that the standards that we have in our countries currently are not sufficient to be able to withstand repeated impacts of hurricanes of this nature. To think that in the case of Houston, a report had been prepared prior to the hurricane last year in which Houston was asked to spend $15 billion in making that country, that city, much more resilient. As a result of not spending that money, Madam Speaker, the bill is estimated today to be $150 billion to be able to recover. And I think the same can be said of our islands. And whereas in absolute terms, the money amount may not be the same, but if we don't find ourselves with the necessary resources, Madam Speaker, to be able to address our infrastructural needs in our countries, we are going to be in trouble. The other thing that was very interesting, Madam Speaker, was that it's the first time I think that we've had a hurricane that would have impacted the countries that would have probably been the ones to give us support. So your St. Martins, your US territories, your Puerto Rico, and then even Miami. So days before Irma had reached Miami, Miami was shut down for all intents and purposes. I mean, I think we had our last flight from American Airlines on Thursday of last week. And we're hoping to hear our announcement that they're going to be opening up very soon. It tells us that we are overly dependent on the North, Madam Speaker. And I think as a country, we have to start looking more aggressively and as a region more aggressively to the South, even in terms of food supplies. So let us assume for a moment that Irma had stayed on its path and had had devastated the Miami area. Where would we be? And again, with the US pouring their resources in there, it means that we have to be able to develop different relationships. The other thing that was very clear, Madam Speaker, and I also say to my colleagues in the House, is that SEDEMA has been a wonderful and incredible organization. But SEDEMA needs to broaden its role past CARACOM. And I think that we have waited long enough to develop a more substantial relationship with those dependent countries. I speak of the St. Martins, the French St. Martin, the Dutch St. Martin, with the BVI and the British Territories, and also with the US Territories. Because what happened was, is the normal protocol that when an emergency happens that SEDEMA takes control, in those countries, they had no status. And I say this, Madam Speaker, because I think that all my colleagues would agree with me, that we have every right to ask and to participate in what is taking place in those countries, given the number of our own nationals that are residing in those countries. And I think that that was something that the heads took very seriously and in the plans that we had that we focused heavily on. In fact, the reason why the OECS came together, coalesced together, was with the clear understanding that our nationals were going to be effective. So, Madam Speaker, I will continue to provide updates to members on the opposite side. In fact, I have done my best to speak to the Leader of the Opposition on several occasions and I want to thank him for his support and his moral support and giving me the ear that we could share some ideas. Not every conversation I've had a chance to be able to speak to the Leader of the Opposition. So, for instance, on the issue of taking in prisoners, I did not have the opportunity to discuss it with the Leader of the Opposition. But I felt very strongly, Madam Speaker, that if in fact our own citizens were in threats, weight, and when I got the initial report, Madam Speaker, that the prison in BVI had been breached. And in fact, up to now, there's over 120 criminals walking freely in the BVI. I don't even know if they're still there or if they're gone. We've obviously heard through our own family members of what's taking place in St. Martin. And I think the fact that we've not gotten more news out of Turks and Caicos tells us the level of devastation that has transpired in Turks and Caicos. So, the Government of San Lucia, Madam Speaker, has agreed at the request of the British Government to take in three prisoners that would be coming in from Turks and Caicos. I have consulted with the Commissioner of Police and the Minister of Security, as well as with the staff at Border League. The initial inventory is that we had the capacity to be able, if needs be, on a temporary basis to be able to house at least 50 prisoners. In this instance, we are only bringing in three prisoners at the first request and those prisoners are going to be coming in from Turks and Caicos. So, let me take this opportunity to say to all solutions that be assured that your security is not being put at risk. But I think that it is the humane thing for us to have done and the time when our brothers and sisters, our friends and family, need us the most is the most important time for us to stand up and be counted. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Papers to be laid. Honorable Prime Minister, Minister for Finance, Economic Growth, Leader of Government Business. I beg to lay the following papers standing in my name. Statutory Instrument No. 56 of 2017, Value Added Tax Amendment Regulations. Statutory Instrument No. 57 of 2017, Aliens License Exemption, St. Lucia Distillers Limited Order. Statutory Instrument No. 60 of 2017, Finance Administrative Act, Administration Act, Resolution of Parliament Authorizing the Minister of Finance to Borrowed by Means of Advances. Statutory Instrument No. 61 of 2017, Legal Profession Eligibility, Lori Nato-Christina Yard Order. Statutory Instrument No. 63 of 2017, Exides Tax Amendment of Schedule 1, No. 2 Order. Statutory Instrument No. 64 of 2017, Finance Administration Act, Resolution of Parliament to Borrow for Capital Expenditure, OECS Regional Tourism Competitiveness Project. Statutory Instrument No. 65 of 2017, Finance Administrative Act, Resolution of Parliament to Borrow for Capital or Recurrent Expenditure. Eighth Order, Denver Water Supply Redevelopment Project. Statutory Instrument No. 66 of 2017, Resolution of Parliament to Approve Draft Value Added Tax Amendment for the Schedule 3 Order. Statutory Instrument No. 67 of 2017, National Savings and Development Bonds Act, Resolution of Parliament to Raise Funds by Issue of Saving Bonds. Statutory Instrument No. 69 of 2017, Fiscal Incentives Raj Products Limited Amendment Order. Statutory Instrument No. 70 of 2017, Special Development Areas Amendment of Schedule 1 Order. Statutory Instrument No. 74 of 2017, Value Added Tax Amendment of Schedule 3 Order. Statutory Instrument No. 77 of 2017, Investment, Invest St. Lucia Labry and Viewport Vesting Order. Statutory Instrument No. 78 of 2017, Special Development Areas Amendment of Schedule 1 Order. Statutory Instrument No. 79 of 2017, Invest St. Lucia Labry Vesting Order. Statutory Instrument No. 81 of 2017, Legal Profession Eligibility, Allegra Gilbert Russell Drummond Codilini Order. Statutory Instrument No. 82 of 2017, International Business Company's Declaration of Head Office Company, Digicel Caribbean Company Limited. Statutory Instrument No. 84 of 2017, Exize Tax Amendment of Schedule 1 Number 4 Order. Statutory Instrument No. 87 of 2017, Fiscal Incentives Fresh Start Construction Company Limited Order. National Insurance Corporation Annual Report 2016. St. Lucia Electoral Department Report of the Chief Elections Officer on the General Election held on June 6th of 2016 and the Government of St. Lucia Report on the Financial Statements of the Government of St. Lucia for the Year Ended March 31st, 2010. If I may, Honourable Prime Minister, I think you missed 68. Can you please? Statutory Instrument No. 68. Statutory Instrument No. 68 of 2017, Legal Profession Eligibility La Shona Rafa La Tosawaya Andrews Order. Statutory Instrument, I read that one but I'm happy to repeat it again Madam Speaker. Statutory Instrument No. 84 of 2017, Exize Tax Amendment of Schedule 1 Number 4 Order. Yeah, thank you. Honourable Minister and the Office of the Prime Minister with Responsibility for Commerce, Industry, Enterprise Development and Consumer Affairs. Madam Speaker, I beg to lay the following papers standing in my name. Statutory Instrument No. 62 of 2017, Price Control Amendment No. 10 Order. Statutory Instrument No. 75 of 2017, Price Control Amendment No. 11 Order. Statutory Instrument No. 83 of 2017, Price Control Amendment No. 12 Order. Statutory Instrument No. 88 of 2017, Price Control Amendment No. 13 Order. St. Lucia Bureau of Standards, Annual Report 2015 to 2016. Honourable Minister and the Office of the Prime Minister with Responsibility for Tourism, Information and Broadcasting. Madam Speaker, I beg to lay the following papers standing in my name. Madam Speaker, Statutory Instrument No. 58 of 2017, Tourism Incentives, Aldante Limited Order. Statutory Instrument No. 59 of 2017, Tourism Incentives, Rodney Bay Marina Limited Order. Statutory Instrument No. 72 of 2017, Tourism Incentives, Lesport St. Lucia Limited Order. Statutory Instrument No. 73 of 2017, Tourism Incentives, Tropical Breeze Order. Statutory Instrument No. 80 of 2017, Tourism Stimulus and Investment, Kalabash Coal Limited Order. Statutory Instrument No. 85 of 2017, Tourism Incentives, Spice of India Order. Statutory Instrument No. 86 of 2017, Tourism Incentives, Bay Gardens Limited Order. Motions. Honourable Prime Minister, Minister for Finance, Leader of Government Business. Madam Speaker, whereas it is provided by Section 39-1 of the Finance Administration Act, Chapter 1501, that the Minister of Finance may, by resolution of parliament, borrow money from a bank or other financial institution for the capital expenditure of government, and whereas it is further provided under Section 42-1 of the SED Act that they shall be charged upon and paid out of the consolidated fund, all debt charges for which the government is liable, and whereas the Minister of Finance considers it necessary to borrow 2.62,860,000 U.S. dollars from the Caribbean Development Bank's Special Fund Resources, SFR, to finance the youth empowerment project, and whereas the interest is payable at a rate of 2.5% per annum on the amount of the loan withdrawn and outstanding, the loan is repayable in 32 equal or approximately equal and consecutive quarterly installments on each due of the date of the first day of January, first day of April, first day of July, and first day of October, commencing on the first due date immediately following the expiration of four years after the date of the loan agreement, or on a latter date due that the Caribbean Development Bank specifies in writing. Be it resolved that Parliament authorizes the Minister for Finance to borrow 2,860,000 U.S. dollars from the Caribbean Development Bank's Special Fund Resources, SFR, to finance the youth empowerment project. Be it further resolved the interest is payable at the rate of 2.5% per annum on the amount of the loan withdrawn and outstanding, the loan is repayable in 32 equal or approximately equal and consecutive quarterly installments on each due date of the first day of January, the first day of April, the first day of July, the first day of October, commencing on the first due date immediately following the expiration of the four years after the date of the loan agreement, or on a latter date that the Caribbean Development Bank specifies in writing. Honorable members, the question is that Parliament authorizes the Minister for Finance to borrow the sum of US 2,860,000 from the Caribbean Development Bank's Special Fund Resources, SFR, to finance the youth empowerment project. Be it further resolved that the interest is payable at a rate of 2.5% per annum on the amount of the loan withdrawn and outstanding and B, the loan is payable in 32 equal or approximately equal and consecutive quarterly installments on each due date of the first day of January, the first day of April, the first day of July, the first day of October, commencing on the first due date immediately following the expiration of four years after the date of the loan agreement, or on a later due date that the Caribbean Development Bank specifies in writing. Honorable Prime Minister, leader of government business. Madam Speaker, first let me emphasize that this project in itself is not going to resolve youth crime, but this project is clearly a beginning of a pilot project and depending on the success and what we learn from this program, the intention of my government is to be able to expand it where it has been successful. The youth empowerment for life project is financed through the loans and grants facilitated as we know by the Caribbean Development Bank. The Caribbean Development Bank approved the loan to the government of San Lucia on October 13th of 2016 in the amount of $2,860,000 from CDB's special funds resource. A grant in the amount of $800,000 is also provided under this project. The youth empowerment for life project is focused on mitigating risk factors that trigger criminal and antisocial behaviors at the individual, family, community, and societal levels with special emphasis on young men and vulnerable groups, especially children, at risk youth and women. This objective will be achieved through A, an integrated youth court diversion program, B, an integrated community-based transformation program, C, a community-based policing initiatives, and D, design options for the George Fifth Park in the city of Castries and then E, the implementation. Overall, the project comprises the following main components, Madam Speaker. The youth court diversion program, this program comprises of two elements and will be delivered in two separate centers. The youth reduction, recidivism reduction, this sub-component will cater to young persons aged 12 to 19, will include pre- and post-court diversion youth who have been recommended to the program, or receive non-custodial sentencing. It will cater to high school dropouts and approximately 20 participants targeted per six-month cycle. This element will be implemented by the Provision and Parole Services Unit. The second part, Madam Speaker, is out of the school suspension program. This element will be implemented by the Department of Education and will accommodate secondary school students who have been suspended for a period greater than five school days on a non-custodial basis. A maximum of 20 students can be accommodated. Two, the integrated community-based transformation program. This element will be implemented by the Department of Equity and will complement some of the work already done. Community after school programs, community summer programs, it will also include workshops and training related to sports and development, creative and expressive arts, and business mentoring and life coaching. The third part is community-based policing. The pilot includes development of a community-based policing strategy and training manual, short-term training and study tours, and community-based policing symposium. The fourth part is design options for the George V Park. A consultancy to undertake and assessment and design options for upgrading the park will be undertaken. This component will be implemented by the Casteries City Council. And the fifth one is the implementation support. The unit will be established in the Department of Equity, Social Justice and Empowerment and Human Resources. Madam Speaker, the project is expected to be implemented over a period of 36 months. The borrower shall repay the amount we've drawn from the SFR loan account in 1832 equal or approximately equal and consecutive quarterly installments on January 1st, April 1st, July 1st and October 1st of each year. The borrower shall pay the interest at the rate of 2.5% per annum on the amount of the SFR promotion we've drawn. Such interest shall be payable on a quarterly basis. So in essence, Madam Speaker, this is a critical project that government thinks it's necessary in order to get implemented to start the road to recovery. Consecative governments have been doing a lot of work in terms of trying to target our youth. And we're trying to create programs now that we know whether they're successful. And the intention is for this to be able to delve a tail into our after-school program that we're going to be working with, as well as our youth programs targeted to being able to get youth back into business. So again, thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Honourable Minister and the Office of the Prime Minister's responsibility for external affairs. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Good morning. I thought I would rise very briefly just to support this motion moved by the Honourable Prime Minister. This project, the Youth Empowerment Project, is going to be piloted in my constituency, being one of the constituencies in St Lucia that will benefit from this pilot. And the Prime Minister pointed out the objectives of this project. And we all too well know that the constituency and the communities within Castries Central and, in fact, in the Castries environs would benefit very much from that kind of intervention, albeit being a pilot. And the lessons learned can be replicated throughout the communities in St Lucia. So I am very heartened that the government has found it necessary to borrow to do this. Sometimes governments feel that when we spend money in the social sector, that's money that's wasted. But I believe that the best investment we can make is in people. If we don't spend money investing in people to make sure our youth are empowered, to make sure our children grow up to be strong, healthy, and good citizens, we would have to spend money fighting crime. And that is what has happened over the years, and that is why we have a situation in this country, and certainly in my constituency, where there is so much gang-related violence. Just this weekend, I understand, we may have had two or three homicides in or around my constituency. And, Madam Speaker, the number of calls I get, the number of WhatsApps I get, every time there is another violent activity in my constituency. And if we have to solve these problems, we have to go deep. We have to deal with them on an individual, family, and community level. And my understanding is that pilot projects seeks to do that. So my rising grief is just to see how heartened I am as a member of parliament, that this pilot project will be undertaken in my constituency, being one of the constituencies. Our youth need hope, they need empowerment, but we need to start very early. We need to start from children where they are very, very young. And it is my hope that this project will seek to do that. I would just like to encourage all the youth organizations, all the community-based organizations in the constituency to take advantage of the opportunities being presented to partner in this program. Because we know the community, we know the needs, and most often the best solution is a homegrown solution. We want the solutions to the problems to come from the community, of course, with help from others from outside who know what the best practices are. So just to say how much I welcome this project and how my office, the office of the member of parliament of country central, we will work very closely with all agencies to ensure that we have the best outcome in this pilot so that this project and projects like these can be rolled out to prevent, to prevent crises, to build individuals, families, and communities so that what we'll do will become sustainable, not just in country central, but can be replicated in St. Lucia. And we can see a reduction in the levels of crime and we can see more productivity coming from our youth and from our citizens in general. So I wish to commend the prime minister and the government for bringing this here today and thank you, Madam Speaker, for giving it the floor. Honourable members, the Honourable Member for Custry's South. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I was actually allowing the minister for youth and sports. After all, this is a youth project or even the minister in whose ministry the project would be located to the public. Well, the speaker is about to close the debate, Madam Speaker, and you had started to state the question. But you will get a chance, Honourable Member, to then speak more because, Madam Speaker, the Honourable Member for Miko North did provide some information on the project, but there's still a lot more we'd want to know about the project and this is an opportunity for the line ministry responsible to give even more detail than what the prime minister said. This was first mentioned in the budget address, Madam Speaker, and one would have hoped in the debate on the estimates, of course, you recall what happened that the minister of responsibility would have taken the opportunity to provide more information on this initiative because, Madam Speaker, I actually rise in support of the initiative. I think, like the member for Custry's Central, who shares a constituency which is similar to mine, that these initiatives are really critical. Madam Speaker, I was born in the youth movement of St. Lucia. I grew up in the youth movement in St. Lucia, and like other members on this side, member for Larbury, member for January North, member for Newport North, we were all in the youth movement together. The member for Custry's North is not a, but he was a prominent youth leader in his days, and we know what it is like for young people to be struggling and trying their best to survive in this country without engaging in any deviance or any acts which are not considered legal. And when an initiative like this is introduced by any government, I think we need to support it, Madam Speaker. We need to support it because it will give an opportunity for young people to be engaged in constructive activity. Madam Speaker, sometimes what our leader says about us tells us what they think of you, and I must say, I was quite happy to hear this morning the member for Miku North indicate that we may be accepting students who are dislocated by the hurricane. We have a fine tradition. Honorable Member, I think you actually mean the Honorable Prime Minister and me, member for Miku South. Miku South, but I was probably promoting somebody, the Prime Minister and member for Miku South. Thank you. And he said that we may be accepting students who are dislocated by the damages of the hurricane. I was very disappointed when I heard the first statement from our Prime Minister and member for Miku South, that the first offer we made was to take prisoners. I'm telling you what I heard, that we're going to be taking prisoners. And I thought to myself then, maybe we should be taking students instead. Why prisoners? And more so, why prisoners from a country that is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom? And I know in a former life as I commissioned, Madam Speaker, one of the reasons we objected to the returning of solution nationals who were in prisons in the Yuki was because it was overcrowding in our prisons. Because of the state of our prisons, we could not accept them to be transferred to Saint Lucia. But we are now sent to the same country, the United Kingdom, that we can actually accept prisoners and we can make space to put the prisoners. I would have said that prisoners from the overseas territories of the United Kingdom, that the United Kingdom should accept responsibility for their prisoners. And I would have offered it. I would have by now, Madam Speaker, supported an appeal for families to accept students who are dislocated. These students will be sitting for an entrance and A-Levels in the next few months. And they should have been the priority. And that would be in keeping in the spirit of this initiative, a focus on the young people, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, beyond this initiative, the ministry and the line ministries responsible for young people and sports have to show even greater responsiveness. And Madam Speaker, I want to take the opportunity to point out to you. And Madam Speaker, you may have seen when you traverse the Bannon Road, there were a number of container trailers parked on the seaside. It was decided by a particular agency that it should not be parked there. And it was and all the trailers were removed. And do you know where they were parked? They were taken to Goodlands playing field and parked on the temporary playing field that exists there. A playing field that the young people in the community of Goodlands found necessary to create because they had no place to recreate in the community. And they had a temporary playing field that they maintained and they played the cricket on. And the trailers are now parked there. And Madam Speaker, I want to use this opportunity in the house today to call on whichever agency is responsible for placing those trailer trucks on the plain area of the young people to please remove them. Because when we speak about young people and creating environment for them to be involved in constructive activity, and Madam Speaker, when we are borrowing money to implement projects that will introduce positivity to our young people, we must ensure that there's a correspondent attitude on the actions of other line ministries. And Madam Speaker, I'm making the appeal and I'm asking you if you can to use your good offices to ask whoever, whichever minister, whichever agency is responsible to please go and remove the trailer trucks from the young people playing area. Madam Speaker, I'm looking forward to this initiative. In Fuashou, we are the Fuashou Dance Academy, headed by a young man who's one of the unspoken heroes of Saint Lucia. And he's doing tremendous work in that community. I want him to be able to benefit from those monies. Madam Speaker, we have throughout the constituency in Basel Joseph, in Marigold, young people who are involved in dance and they too will want to benefit from this initiative. I would have preferred, Madam Speaker, that rather than spend money on upgrading geography fact, that the multi-purpose court could be built in Fuashou, that the community center could be built in Basel Joseph so the young people can be involved in their arts, their culture, they would have training facilities so that they can be involved in employment creation activities. This is a welcome initiative and I hope it gets bigger and it grows and it creates more opportunity for the young people of Goodlands who still have been taken away from them, the young people of Fuashou, the young people of Banan, Cicera, Madam Speaker, and Marigold, and Marigold Madam Speaker. So I'm really pleased that this has finally been announced and it will start, Madam Speaker, because when you learn, Madam Speaker, that for the CPL we just took place in San Lucia, information reaching me is that our government paid 450,000 US dollars to the San Lucia stars, with a commitment to pay another 600,000 US next year for five or six matches, Madam Speaker, at both issues. But our young people in Fuashou, in Banan, in Cicera, in Moncton, they need youth and sports activities and we are borrowing a meager sum of 2.8 million US to assist them. I support it, but I appeal for more for the young people of San Lucia and catch us up in particular. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Honorable Member for January, no. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, let me state from the outset that I support the motion as presented by the Honorable Prime Minister and that any motion brought into this Honorable House geared towards benefiting young people in this country. Madam Speaker, such a motion will always get the support of the parliamentary representative for the constituency of Denry North. Madam Speaker, permit me to preface my contribution by extending condolences as did the Prime Minister to the families and friends of the people who perished during the passage of Hurricane Umar. Madam Speaker, we will sped the ravages of that particular system, but sometimes when you look at what happens around you, you ask yourself, are we not creating systems of our own? But that is for another show. Madam Speaker, youth development, as we know it, is something that has been on the front burner of every administration for the past two, three decades. And so when the Prime Minister comes in here this morning, Madam Speaker, we've yet another initiative funded by the Caribbean Development Bank to provide avenues for young people to express themselves. It is something I believe we have a collective responsibility to support, not just the people in cabinet, but even the members of parliament on the opposition side. Madam Speaker, today we are here to borrow again. And in my five to six years in this honorable house, there is no other or no activity, no proposal has generated more debate and conjecture than when it comes to borrowing. I remember when I was on the other side of the parliamentary divide, Madam Speaker, and we came here to do these procedural things to borrow money to fund projects and to fund the budget. We were chided, we were castigated for doing so. And Madam Speaker, at the time, people who are ministers today saw it as acts of irresponsibility that we had to borrow. But if as an opposition parliamentarian, you have a responsibility to keep abreast of what is happening in your country, you ought to concern yourself with the things that happen in constituency, yes. But you have a greater responsibility to country to know what is happening with the fiscal situation of our country. And so during the times when we came here to borrow, Madam Speaker, we had very little choice but to borrow. But at the time we were chided, we were criticized for borrowing. And today, Madam Speaker, the proverbial shoe is on the other foot and here we are borrowing. So, Madam Speaker, where as I support the initiative, I thought it was necessary to make that point. And I suspect given what is happening in this country today, we have only now started to borrow and there's a lot more borrowing to be done thereby worsening the fiscal and debt situation of our country. And so, Madam Speaker, as a responsible opposition, an opposition that has a responsibility to the people who elected us, we are going to watch the situation very closely and when needs be, Madam Speaker, we will provide alternatives as we see fit. Madam Speaker, youth development cannot happen in a vacuum. And the Prime Minister made the point that this one project funded by the CDB will not solve all the youth development issues we have in the country. And I agree with that, Madam Speaker. And what I would hate to see, Madam Speaker, is that we approach youth development in a piecemeal fashion, where we come with one particular project, notwithstanding the untold benefits that can be derived from that particular project, but that we will link it with other initiatives and that the government will come because the government is yet to do this, Madam Speaker, after 14 months in office to come with a plan for youth development that is holistic and that incorporates all the different projects that will be executed. Madam Speaker, prior to the meeting office in 2016, as Minister for Youth Development and Sports, at the time working with a permanent secretary who today is a minister in the Cabinet, we, Madam Speaker, commissioned a review, a comprehensive review of the national youth policy. And by the time elections came, Madam Speaker, there was a draft report because we believe that the draft national youth policy of 2000, Madam Speaker, that had outlived its usefulness and that there were certain aspects of that policy that were not aligned with the prevailing realities of today's St. Lucia. But 14 months into office, Madam Speaker, not a word has been said about the draft youth policy, which we thought so hard, Madam Speaker, to commission. And we did receive support from the Commonwealth who provided a youth policy expert. But all we've heard coming from the other side with respect to that particular policy was when on social media, there was an attempt to make St. Lucia's believe that I, as Minister, had appointed an assistant to the youth policy expert provided by the Commonwealth and that I had appointed the individual and pay her a salary and to use the exact words on social media that was done to record siphon national authorities' authority money to fund my campaign. That is all we've heard about the national youth policy that is in draft form, the revised policy. And Madam Speaker, yes, there's a heavy crime prevention component, policing component to it, but we have to do a lot more. Youth development is a lot more encompassing than just those two areas. And so education is an issue. Sport is going to be an issue. And prior to living home this morning, Madam Speaker, on my constituency, there were a number of school-aged children loitering the streets of the Mabuya Valley and then renown. And most of them, Madam Speaker, or good bit of them, Madam Speaker, are students of the Mikud Secondary School. And I heard the Minister for Education in the news trying to provide justification for the situation that arose at the Mikud Secondary School. Madam Speaker, as a parliamentary representative, as a trained educator, and as somebody who has occupied the corridors of government for some time, I found that particular excuse to be lame and unacceptable, Madam Speaker. And my reasons for this is very simple. My reasons are very simple. The Minister for Education is a parliamentary representative for the constituency of Mikuno, two-term parliamentarian. In opposition, she was the Shadow Minister for Education, meaning that she was supposed to have been the chief custodian of all educational developments in the country on behalf of her party. She's into her second year, Madam Speaker, as the Minister for Education. And as I said earlier on, she's the parliamentary rep. It should not take the reopening of school for that Minister, Madam Speaker, to have been made aware of the gravity of the situation at the Mikud Secondary School, so that today, Madam Speaker, as I speak in this Parliament, there are children at Olio and at Ridgeford who cannot go to school. And I was told that, as recent as yesterday, something is being done. And then we come here, Madam Speaker, and we talk about youth development. It cannot be youth development in a vacuum. We have to look at all the facets, all the tentacles of youth development and bring them together and approach youth development in a holistic way. But as I said before, Madam Speaker, I am an advocate of youth development, and any amount of resources put towards youth development in this country will always receive my support. So once again, Madam Speaker, I support the motion. I believe it is money that will be well spent. And I think it is a wise investment on the part of the government to put money in the direction of young people. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Honourable Minister for Transformation Equity, Social Transformation. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I rise not only in support of this motion, but to welcome the move to provide the financing that is required for this motion. You would recall that in my presentation during the budget this year, I did mention this program, which will be, of course, implemented by the Ministry of Equity, Social Justice and Empowerment. And then I said it would be $3.2 million. Of course, what we are borrowing here today is slightly less. Nevertheless, I think it is welcome. And given what it is intended to do, we know that it is money that is going to be well spent. As a matter of fact, I consider it to be an investment. Madam Speaker, this program, the Youth Empowerment for Life Project, targets a number of communities. And while the main focus will be the Cassry's Basin, there are a number of other communities that are earmarked for interventions through this program. And these communities are Canary's, Maycourt, Dennery, and Ancillary. Now, Madam Speaker, those communities were not arbitrarily chosen. Those communities were chosen by virtue of the situation that exists there, whether it be the incidents of crime or poverty and unemployment among our youth. Madam Speaker, as has been mentioned by the Honorable Prime Minister, there are a number of components that would be included in this program, namely a youth diversion program. And we are hoping that through that program, we could do some skills training and empowerment. We have an integrated community-based program. And through that integrated community-based program, we are hoping that this initiative can dovetail into some of the other initiatives that we have earmarked for youth interventions. And of course, strengthening of community-based policing is another aspect. And that is also geared towards crime reduction, as well as the design options for George the Fifth back. Without, I mean, not having to say that what is already obvious, this program is geared mainly to at-risk youth and youth already in the juvenile justice system. We are hoping that while some communities are targeted, that some institutions can be brought on board because I would love to see a coordinated approach taken, not just this program in isolation, but this program working in tandem with the other programs that we have earmarked for youth intervention, such as the after-school program, such as what obtains at the Boys Trading Center, an institution for juveniles who have gone astray and who have violated the law. I also want to suggest that this pro-project will be implemented, again, not arbitrarily, but based on decisions that are made based on evidence. It will also be creating alternative pathways to youth crime and violence, as well as providing measures that will assist youth who have already run afoul of the law. As indicated in our effort to alleviate crime and violence in the affected communities, we are hoping that we will have a great measure of community involvement, and by that I mean other agencies outside of government, such as NGOs, would be asked to partner with government and with the agencies implementing the program to ensure that that program is properly implemented. I think of programs, Madam Speaker, such as the establishment of a Center of Excellence for Sports, which is earmarked to take place at the Grossely Secondary School, as while it is in the Grossely Community, it is a national program that is good and can contribute towards the aims and objectives of this program. I say so because given what obtained in the past where we had a curriculum that was specifically bent to academics, we can now target young people who are inclined and talented in the area of sports. We also have earmarked another institution in Asia that will be transformed to a Center of Excellence for the Arts. And so we have young people with varying talents where we have a program, a curriculum that is not sufficiently diverse to accommodate them. And what happens very often is that those people fall through the cracks. They are considered to be failures. They are considered to be rejects and they find themselves in the pool of young people who are adherents with the law, who engage in criminal activity and find themselves caught up with the juvenile justice system. So we're hoping that all of those programs working in tandem will go a long way, Madam Speaker, in ensuring that we alleviate the current situation as exists. It is not a case where we will have many infrastructural projects coming out of this program. But I'm hoping that what already exists, like the many community centers, human resource development centers, schools and other public buildings that are underutilized, especially in the case of schools after school hours, will be put into better use to facilitate those programs. Madam Speaker, the after school program I believe will go a long way in contributing towards the goal of this program. We have other centers that we are looking at, like the ICT centers, where not only will young people have access to computers and the internet, but by virtue of access to those equipment and services, those young people can find themselves into areas that will facilitate entrepreneurship. I'm mentioning all of this, Madam Speaker, to satisfy those who may assume that this is in isolation. It is certainly not. It is going to be working in conjunction, in collaboration, a coordinated effort, geared at a holistic approach to tackling the situation of youth crime. As you know, Madam Speaker, this is very important to us as a young nation, given the fact that the majority of our population fall in the category of youth, given the fact that when youth find themselves in difficulty, especially when it entails crime and violence, we do not only have the victims, but even the perpetrators themselves are victims. And so if we can stem the incidents of such occurrences, Madam Speaker, I think we will go a long way in ensuring that we not only have a better society, but that we plan and develop and cultivate a better future, given the fact that whatever our society becomes tomorrow will be determined by what our young people are to be. I thank you. Honorable Member for Newport North. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I wish to contribute to this motion, to this debate, by simply reading the first paragraph of the motion. We resolved that Parliament authorizes the Minister for Finance to borrow US $2.86 million from the Caribbean Development Bank's special fund resources, SFR, to finance the Youth Empowerment Project. I wish to reiterate, Madam Speaker, the last three words, Youth Empowerment Project, or the title, so to speak. I want to spend a few minutes, Madam Speaker, to talk about this. What is Youth Empowerment and why, although I support financing of youth activities, why I continue to believe that the actions of this government do not indicate that they are interested in empowering youth in St. Lucia. It is very instructive, Madam Speaker, that my colleague, the member of Parliament for Castery South, had to bring to the attention of the House the fact that the actions of the Speaker seem to be that no one would rise, and therefore she was about to pose the question that my colleague had to call on the Minister with Responsibility for Youth. It is interesting, Madam Speaker, it would seem that debates on youth issues do not evoke the standing up and the plowing of faces that other debates evoke, and I can tell you, Madam Speaker, very soon you will see a lot of it. Youth really, Madam Speaker, the cliché that the youth are the future is cliché, but it's very important. And I will take a lot of time, Madam Speaker, this morning to talk about this motion. And I can hear the comments over there. It's not the usual thing that they like to quarrel about. It's about youth. And therefore, let's finish with it. Let's do it quickly. Let's just do a little thing fast because it's about youth. But no, I will not do it fast, Madam Speaker, I will take my time. Because every day and every month in my constituency of Newport North and in St. Lucia, we experience the frustrations of young people. We see what they go through, and although government after government, every government has tried something different, we still continue to battle with the problems of youth, the frustrations, the disappointments, you know, with politicians and leaders in the country, and the fact that their situations seem not to be given the kind of attention that is necessary. Before I continue, Madam Speaker, I wish to say that this YEP is nothing new. And the processes that got us here today started a long time ago, while we were in government. And this is not to say that we are saying who started it and who didn't start it. It's simply to say that over the years, we have been doing things, and the member for Denry Norf said it, different governments have been doing things they say to address the problems of youth. So this here is not new. And I listened to the member for Gorsilly and the member for Castries Central. And this is not new. I mean, we, and maybe that's why they're not excited about it. If you go to the webpage or the website of the Caribbean Development Bank, you will see a list of all the projects, all the processes when they started, the negotiations. I mean, all of it is there. And I want to say to you, Madam Speaker, that the actions in there are common actions. We're going to try to solve crime. And I have not heard from this government any revolutionary or any new idea that will cause me to believe that they want to empower youth. I can tell you, Madam Speaker, in the year 1999, when the St. Lucia Labor Party government was in office under the leadership of the member for Newport South and the then youth minister, the now Justice Michelle, there was a revolutionary idea to take a common skills training program, a regular skills training program and turn it into a national vibe, a national policy, a national movement to train and to develop youth in this country. And I speak of the establishment of the NSDC. That was revolutionary. The studies were done in 1999, and the NSDC was launched in 2001. And collaboration, and you saw the processes, and over the years, Madam Speaker, NSDC has expanded skills training, retraining, all kinds of ideas to change and revolutionize the development and empowerment of youth in this country. That was revolutionary. Today, I heard them trying to emasculate the NSDC, remove its strength, but we're coming to that later. Madam Speaker, the NSDC has trained thousands of young people in this country. And as I said before, that was an action to empower youth in our country. Youth, Madam Speaker, if you go to the United Nations documents, you will see youth being referred to as people between the ages of 14 to 24. In some other countries, they tell you 15 to 35. Some countries tell you 16 to 37. So there are different interpretations. And if we were talking about youth empowerment, one would have thought that the Prime Minister or the Minister for Youth would have taken us through and explained to the young people of this country what exactly the government wants to do for youth. What actions have the Government of St. Lucia signal or taken to give us this encouragement and to say to us that they're really going to empower youth. And if we are going to empower youth, Madam Speaker, what is really youth empowerment? And though members opposite may think we're taking too much time or they don't want to listen, I think it's important, young people who are listening to the broadcast to understand that parliamentarians must wake up and realize that this thing about youth, is more important and more serious than it's been treated with. Youth empowerment, Madam Speaker, and I want to say this to preface my comments that are common. It is a process, if you look at the literature from the UN and so on, many writers are indicating that it's a process where children and young people are encouraged to take charge of their lives. And they do this by addressing their situation, by addressing their situation. And they take action to change their attitudes and their beliefs. And so everywhere you read, all of the literature indicates that it is the young people themselves who have to change. And whatever assistance we have to give to them through programs, whether it's nonprofit organizations, government organizations, schools and so on, those programs must be tailored to them helping to change their lives. But Madam Speaker, are we sure that those programs that we are speaking of will actually do that? I didn't hear the members opposite, the presenter of the motion, or the minister with responsibility for youth. Give us any indication, where are the statistics? Has this been tried in other countries? What has happened to the programs? And how can we tweak our programs to ensure that our youth are better off? The member for Casper Central spoke about violence and alleged murders and so on and indicated that it is a lot of young people. And of course, we know it is the young people who are being killed and it's the young people who are allegedly doing the killings. But I put it to you, Madam Speaker, we need to go deeper. The member for Godzilla said we need to go deeper. Of course we need to go deeper. I put it to you that those who, the perpetrators of the violence, may well indicate to us if we dig deep enough where the violence is coming from. I feel sorry for those young people who are in this trap. And will those programs help us to identify where the violence is truly coming from? I put it to you, Madam Speaker, that those who actually strike the march for the violence, they're never the ones caught. They're never the ones who, they're never the ones besides the dead bodies when those young people are shot and so on. So I put it to you that our programs must go there. So while we're trying to empower young people, our programs must go to the bigger heads that actually start the process in the tributaries in the forest that cause the shootings to happen in those areas and in those communities. Every time I hear many parliamentarians speak, and we focus there. This young man was a bad fellow, he was a bad man, and so on. And we always focus. I put it to you, Madam Speaker, that in our discussions and in our programs, we have to work harder to climb those ravines, to trace the tributaries into the forest where that thing really happens. It's unfortunate, but on a political platform sometimes, Madam Speaker, even a member of parliament in Viewford said, when he wants to commit his crimes, he does it by himself. Madam Speaker, one may think that has no connection, but here we are talking about empowering you and people in the political sphere say that when they want to commit their crimes, you can pay for it for you. So Madam Speaker, there are lots of, again as I said before, when we were debating the bill on the nomination on Saturdays, it's a lot of hypocrisy. And the thing about it, especially because of information technology, the young people that we're talking about, a lot of them don't really believe a lot of the things that have been said, because they live a different life, they understand the things that are happening, they know what's happening, and our focus can't just be on them. Our focus has to create the environment and the atmosphere to cause those young people to want to change themselves. I put it to you, Madam Speaker, that when a prime minister goes on a political platform and say to the people of Viewford that they come from a day in a ghetto and they will no longer be in a ghetto, I put it to you that this has a lot, Viewford South, I put it to you that this has a lot to do with this bill, this motion. That's not an easy motion, you know. The actions of the government, so when you say to people that they're in a ghetto, it's a self-fulfilling prophecy that you are telling the youth that you're in a ghetto. That is very significant to me, Madam Speaker, and it's the actions of the government. If you want to empower youth, you have to give them opportunities to own land. I don't hear people talking about that. I don't hear them talking about that. So when you take away their land in Viewford, you'll come with a little motion to get three million dollars US from the CDB and say you're empowering them. Why are you empowering them? When you take away their land, how are you empowering them, Madam Speaker? Because you're going to take all the land, give it to one man, and then in the next 10 years, ask them to get out of Bruceville, go and rent, you'll pay them a thousand dollars and they have to pay rent for eight hundred dollars, continuing to increase the levels of the working poor in this country. You're not empowering them, Madam Speaker. You're not empowering youth. Buy your actions. When you take away Laotie, Saki Sanu. Again, that's a lot of talk, Madam Speaker. That's a lot of talk. Because the things that really empower young people are the actions that, first of all, trust where the violence and crime comes from. We don't spend too much time on it, but that is what we should be doing. So I say to you, Madam Speaker, this motion is important because it seeks funding for some programs. Some programs that are not new, programs that are happening in other countries of the region, but there's nothing there that's revolutionary to cause me to believe that this government is doing something new. The very things that the government says through their various ministers, the very things that they say lead me to believe that their words don't really mean you can't take their words to the bank. I point to you, Madam Speaker, the actions of this government to put hundreds of young people out of work and you tell me now you come with something to get money to empower you. You have put hundreds of young people out of work, age up to 35. And you say because of politics they're Labour Party, so they're not young anymore, they're Labour Party people. These are the real hard things that I think about. So when you come to parliament and you say those things and look at the reality in the communities, how do I explain to the young people who are taking care of the playing fields in Viewfort North and other places in St Lucia and they were feeding their families. How do I say to a young man that there's a bill in parliament, a motion that will cause you to be empowered? But he says to me, but you took away my job, not me, but the government took away my job. How will I pay to go to the training at wherever they have the training? But you took away my job. You took away my job and you now come to tell me you want to empower me. Those are the real hard facts every day, every day facts of life, Madam Speaker. So while I believe it's important, I do not believe in the intentions of the government. I don't believe in it. And when we come back here next year, this time, budget time, I would like to hear the report from the minister. He will come to say we had this workshop and that workshop and this and that workshop. And young people out of work, young people out of work. And the same money they said they didn't have, government can't pay those things. They can't pay nice workers. They can't pay this. But they're giving tax holidays to big people who can afford all over the place. They have a lot of money. So I believe the government has a lot of money based on what I'm seeing. I hope sincerely that the monies that will be owed to the public servants and parliamentarians because of the salaries review commission. Right now I realize the government has money to do all of that. So I'm waiting, Madam Speaker. I'm waiting. So I said to you, while it's important to get money for you programs, the actions of the government do not prove that they are dead serious about youth. I said to you that the St. Lucia Labour Party in government has demonstrated revolutionary programs that benefit youth. I pointed out to you the NSDC from 1999 launched in 2001. I pointed out to you thousands of people who have been trained. I pointed out to you the first short-term employment program of the Labour government that so many young people employed. I've also pointed out to you training. This is what I call revolutionary. In sports, you saw what happened. You saw what happened in cricket on the Labour and I'm not only talking about the stadium and so on. I'm talking about revolutionary programs that brought us the West Indies cricket captain. That's what I'm talking about. Revolutionary. I'm talking about programs that brought us a gold medal at the Commonwealth even though they tried to mess it up. That's what I'm talking about. Revolutionary programs that change people. So I put it to this parliament, Madam Speaker, that we need to spend more time to talk about the youth. And don't come with emotion and try to rush and sit down quickly. You are the minister responsible for youth. Speak to the youth issues. The largest section of our population. When we have to talk about other things in roads, oh my goodness, you took me a file. But the young people, the vulnerable young people, 30-something murders. Let's not just blame them. Give you something that searches to why those murders are happening and we know some in the big halls in wherever the tributaries begin. Let's search for them and let's not heap everything on the young people. Thank you very much. Honourable Minister for Economic Planning. Thank you, Madam Speaker. This debate, Madam Speaker, has taken a very interesting twist this morning on a matter and I don't know how the members opposite can read the minds of members on the government side to know what we are thinking as we sat there. But I know they can read minds, Madam Speaker, because if they could read minds, they would not be saying what they were saying. You know why? Because the youth should not be used as political pawns for the labour party. Paying lip service to the youth is not enough. Madam Speaker, this motion presented was clearly articulated by the Prime Minister that this is going to be a pilot project tried out in a couple of areas to assess the results. What is so difficult for members opposite to understand about that? So you want us to come and make big noise? Oh, we spend in two three million US dollars on youth. I'm not satisfied with that. We have to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on the youth to help resolve some of the problems that we have. So as I sat down there contemplating, Madam Speaker, it is clear that they can read the minds because what I've heard on the other side and I will respond to some of them. And the reason I will respond, Madam Speaker, is because some all that is said here goes down in the record. And when you do not respond, it's not because I want to engage them in a debate on some of the foolishness I'm with them, Madam Speaker. But at the end of the day, how do you not respond to this? And I will take them in sequence, Madam Speaker. The member for Castries South talked about the makeshift playing field in good terms. 40 years of SLP representation of Castries South, you come in and talk about a makeshift playing field. You come in and talk about a makeshift playing field. I can tell you what happened in good lands. Even when I was in government and in opposition, I helped set up the temporary facility on the road going to Lindberg inside of there for the young people of good lands. The Labour Party was representing there from 1997. Check how many years you all have been there. Check the condition. And then to come and make people believe that we have not done anything for the youth. So the trailers, the trailers that was causing a health hazard, a traffic hazard along the Millennium Highway, along the side of the road there by bananas in the same area. And you want to talk about facilities and what happened to them? What happened to the little plane area at the back of the hospital there? So at the end of the day, do not come to this house and try and make the youth believe that because you are so concerned about them that this is why you are having this debate. You are having this debate to try and score some cheap political points. That is what this is about. This is not about interest in the youth. If you are interested in the youth, the former minister of youth, you know how much money you spend on the marigold playing field to build this little facility that you call the changing room. Over $600,000 could build a playing field in Kastri South for the young people of good lands. And I want you to send any quantity survey and value the box that you build there for $600,000 plus. And then you want to come and talk about interest in the youth. So you did not know. I saw Ed Aink on this. It's there. There. Consultancy fees alone on this could have built a playing field next to the George Charles secondary school for the young people of Kastri South. So don't come in this honorable house and don't pretend that you are so concerned about the youth. You are so concerned about the youth. You are minister. You talk about where's the plan. So the money, the government resources you spend to make the plan was your plan. What did the new government inherit in terms of the plans for youth development? Because we continue to treat ministries as if they are our personal property. So you did your plan when you were there. The new minister is supposed to do his plan. What is it he can take from your plan and continue to build on it? Because this ought to be a plan for the people. What about us politicians? Yes, if they had their own accounts, they had their own plans. I can well understand that. So, Madam Speaker, the marigold playing field had been resurfaced under a previous project. And go and find out. They took sand from the Rosa Beach, which is less than a kilometer away. And find out, Madam Speaker, the money they spent to transport sand to resurface the marigold playing field could also build a temporary facility in Castri South. So I've given you three areas where money could have been spent to build a basic facility for the young people of Castri South. So don't come here. Don't come here and try and pretend that you, and I heard what you said about the expenditure on the team, the cricket team. But I will deal with that in another forum because there's more that needs to be said. But it is amazing how you tie everything together to try and make sense out of what is happening. Where's the member for Viewfort North? The member for Viewfort North today is standing in Parliament. I realize the Minister of Agriculture is not here. So he has taken the liberty to speak, but he should watch where I'm sitting today. So he forgot the youth in agriculture program that he inherited. Tell him go on the road to his community. When we came into government, I saw stockpiles of plywood, lumber, galvanized, and steel had been sitting there for months, purchased out there in the elements being affected that was purchased for the youth in agriculture program. I want to ask him what happened to the youth in agriculture program. So if we're talking about empowering the youth, empowering the youth. So if, so I don't know where I live, the Prime Minister have to come and tell me where I live. So you want to tell the young people that they are living in a palace when you know they are not living in a palace. So who is trying to fool the young people? The first step to resolving any problem is to accept and to recognize that there's a problem. And anybody who does not recognize that the proliferation of ghettos around St. Lucia is a problem, is living in denial. And ghettos does not mean that people shoot people every day. You know different things mean different different phrases have different connotations based on where they are used. Yes, they quick to say I come from there, but ask them where they live in now. I live in the same place I always live. Always. I'm not relocated from a child growing up. I live the same place. And I have to make the place good enough for me to live there and for other persons to want to live there. So don't come and play this cheap politics with the youth. You've had your time. You've had your opportunity. And I want to deal more with the member for view for North because I pass Roseau. He inherited and I want you to go down there, go and see the land right next to where the Windburn Research Center was. You know how many times they plowed that land when labor was in office between 2011 and 2016? At least from what I saw. They plowed the land four times. And all that continued growing there was grass. At least if we had cows in the area to eat the grass, I would have said there was some reason for allowing the grass to grow. The former Minister of Agriculture, member for view for North today, wants to stand in this parliament and talk about youth and empowering the youth. I want him to tell me where are the youth under his watch who was able to capitalize on the youth in agriculture program. There were millions of dollars from the EU for the youth in agriculture program. So are they paying their friends to plow the land every time the grass grow? And did they ever plant anything? Well, the fence is there. Everybody who drives along the West Coast road knows what I'm talking about. And because it boundaries with my constituency, I was very much away. And Madam Speaker, that's not the first time I've raised this issue in the house. I have asked him, but he will run around all other things. But the pointed questions that he needs to answer, he cannot answer because the member for thing gave him a fail. Remember for Denry South, gave him a fail. So he knows that he cannot speak to this. So Madam Speaker, talking about youth, I heard him talking about a revolutionary program in the NSDC. I want to ask him and I've asked other members and the member for view for South is there. So maybe he can answer. The center at Monry Pole had all the tools and everything in it as a youth center. When Labour Party came into office, whatever was going on there, there was things where you were preparing the timber, they were doing furniture, all kinds of things was happening. Ask them what happened to all the equipment that was there. Ask them. You talk about, because you don't necessarily have to destroy what is there to be able to do something new. Look, now I'm coming closer to home. There was a center in Mac in the Cronlands area. You know what the center was used for? They were making paper products, the hotels, the different things. Ask them what happened to it on the day watch. Today you want to come and present yourself as if you have an interest in the youth. I know what I do for the young people in my constituency. And the young people of Cassry's South East knows the representation that they are getting. And go and check the stats and you will see. I don't come and broadcast these things because I always try not to use the more vulnerable people in this country for political gain. And that's what we try and do. Capitalize. So oh, we care about the youth. You care about the youth? Show me your record. Show me your record on what you did for the youth. What happened? What did you do for care? What did you do for care? Care is one of the leading institutions in dealing with vulnerable youth in this country. Tell me what your track record is for care. Am I proud of my record? I'm not there yet to be proud of it. So that is why sometimes when you hear certain things, Madam Speaker, you take it in a somber mood because you understand that where we are going as a country, we are not where we want to be yet. Education. The former prime minister said less, about 73% of the working population is not equipped for the jobs that are available. These stats are available. But I need to remind the Labour Party, Madam Speaker, I want to remind them out of the last 20 years in governance, they have governed 15 out of these 20 years. So it means that the child who was born in 1997 are among the youth of today. What has happened? What plan did you leave? What did we inherit in 2006 to build on? What? So solving youth problem is not an overnight. What did you do to change the education system? Being aware, you are criticizing the member about the school plan. I believe the school plan is important. But more so, I believe that we need a curriculum change in the schools so that we can better equip the youth for employment. That is what we need. So Madam Speaker, oh yeah, I invest a lot in the youth, a lot more than you'll invest in the youth. I don't just want the votes, I want them to become model citizens, give them the best opportunity to survive. And you can go and find out how many correct guidance seminars I've conducted in government and in opposition. Go and find out how many programs we run in the constituency. That's not to come and boast to try and gain a vote. Because I invested in young people and education before I ever dreamed of being in government. I've never capitalized on that opportunity to be in government. Everybody knows who you are. So they know when your talk is cheap and they know when your talk has value. So Madam Speaker, when we hear all of the things that they are talking about, or they've been involved in the youth movement, you've been involved in the youth movement, what is your track record in the youth movement? To make yourself look good, to say I've done this and I've done that, that I came up from this. If you came up from this, then you would have testimonials to come and show what has happened. I don't come and boast about what I've done for you. But if you want to know, I've been a youth leader in my community from very young. But I don't have to come and talk about that there. Everybody knows that the people who need to, of course, from pathfinders to master guides, you name it, part of the scout movement, everything you can think of, camping out there. I understand all of these things. I don't pay lip service to these things. But we need to understand, we need to understand the youth cannot be used. Yes. So, so, Madam Speaker, when we look at this bill, and I can tell you, I've had several discussions with the care school, and we need, we need to build up these institutions. This business of government thing that they can do it by themselves. And I know the honorable member for Cassie Central was very instrumental in telling me when we came in, be sure that this program is supported. Because you know why this program is important? Because we understand our youth are vulnerable. They are the level of maturity that we as adults have. They don't have it yet. They will get there eventually. The only problem is some of them get messed up before they realize it. So, at the end of the day, yes, you can criticize us politically. And I can take all the criticism that you can level at me politically. But don't come and pretend that you care about the youth of St. Lucia, more than we do on this side of the house. Because your track record does not show that. It doesn't. You talk about training the young people. We talk about more. We talk about better ways of employment. Do we run step? Of course we run step. But step is not our aim and our goal. It is a temporary measure. You came in in 1997. All you can boast about is step. If I spent 15 years in government and all I can boast about is step, then I should be ashamed of myself. Okay? It should have been temporary. But with this, with the people on this side of the house, Madam Speaker, everything that's temporary becomes permanent. You intro, what I didn't do. Madam Speaker, in terms of, they talk about, oh, we put hundreds of young people out of work and the jobs that are created for the young people, y'all are out there making all kinds of noise. We are creating meaningful employment that is not going to be paid indefinitely by the government of St. Glutia. That is what visionary leadership is about. That is what having a plan is about. We didn't come in here and try to formulate a plan. It's not after 15 years in government, we say, let's form a vision plan for St. Glutia. You all govern for 15 years, then you all come and try to put a vision plan together. After 15 years, we had a vision plan when we came in and the government, the members on this side, we are working towards implementation of the vision plan. So give that thing a chance to work. You'll have your time. Five years is coming. Time does not stand still. You will have your time. So at the end of the day, Madam Speaker, when we talk about service for the youth, our education is paramount. Not just the education to know that children can write CXC. You see the amount of things I do for the youth? I don't want to put that on television. When you see something is not me that put it out there, some person who is impressed by what happened and they put it out there. But at the end of the day, because I don't believe that when I help a young person to go to school, to get an education, to pay CXC or to do anything, that anybody ought to know that a politician had to pay for that person to go to school. Because you know what? This has an impact on the psyche of the young person and how their own friends view them. So I understand that and I was doing that before I came into government. I'm not doing it because I came into government. It's just a continuation of what I used to do before I became a politician. So I want persons here to understand that this program is a meaningful program and that is just one out of several programs being run by this government. You want to make it look like all we are doing is spending three million dollars on the youth. So they are not youth picketers in the team. So you feel that investing in the stars, I thought you'd be happy we were investing in the stars. But I told them the name they changed that's why they couldn't win a game. They should have remained the zoos. And I said it to them. I didn't tell them to name themselves. I told them they should remain the zoos. Because so so at the end of the day when you know Madam Speaker has the problem anything you do will be criticized by the opposition and that's the problem with these members. Even if it's good they will criticize it. You know Madam Speaker of course they have to support the motion. Can they come in the house and say they don't support a youth initiative. But you see they support on one side of their mouth but on the other side they say it's something completely different. You see with them I know Madam Speaker from out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaker of that's how it starts with them. Yes you should not trust it. That's very right. So so Madam Speaker when I had a member a former leader of the West Indies cricket boy CEO leader during the World Cup how much money we spend to host the World Cup. How many matches did we get. We spent over 80 million dollars in preparation for World Cup. Today you want to come and criticize this government for supporting a team named after Saint Lucia. That gives us the prominence in the cricket arena and today you come in in this honorable house. You of all persons the member for Kastri South Madam Speaker is the last person they just finished boasting about making Darren Sami the captain of the West Indies. Today was captain of the stars. You see Madam Speaker that's the inconsistency you get from this side of the house. That's the inconsistency. That's the double standards that we get from them. But today Madam Speaker today the government. Today Madam Speaker the government order order the honorable member for Kastri's Southeast will be heard in silence please. I think this is getting out of control honorable members honorable minister for economic planning please proceed. Thank you Madam Speaker and I'll close very soon Madam Speaker but it's not fair it's not fair to the people of Saint Lucia and we cannot do these things just for cheap political points Madam Speaker to invest in a Saint Lucia team for the CPL and to be criticized by the former CEO of the board Madam Speaker is really taking it to an all-time loop. It's an all-time loop it's almost embarrassing Madam Speaker to have heard the member for Kastri South who just finished speaking about his playing field in Kastri the playing field to do what to play cricket. So you don't expect you don't expect that one of these days one of these young people from goodlands will make it to the stars team you want to criticize us you want to criticize us for making an investment in a team a team that represents the name of Saint Lucia Madam Speaker I'm passionate about that because I'm a cricket fan I didn't start following cricket both I did not start following cricket Madam Speaker when I got into a position I've traveled around the region to watch West Indies play cricket long before I was in government big cricket fan so at the end of the day Madam Speaker when I hear this and and Madam Speaker why I feel that way about it is because it's done in the name of the youth and what is the argument we are for the young people Madam Speaker what I would love to see is the stars team and they think I have a problem with it being called stars I have no problem with that I would love to see the Saint Lucia stars be a team that can be made of all Saint Lucia's if it had to be and to be able to win the CPL that is what I and this investment that the government has made in the stars team is confidence that we express in in the young people of this country but you know Madam Speaker they will continue to do what they think they have to do to try and win elections but they have to wait a long time to win elections Madam Speaker because the young people of this country they know they know Madam Speaker that this is a government who is going to look after the interest of the young people and the jobs we are going to create alongside the step and when they all had step they all were employing a hundred people in my constituency but as the country representative I only got to choose 25 of the workers today all are crying now they show on the other foot y'all crying why are you crying why are you crying no tell me why are you crying oh you you that said it I didn't say that I am asking the question why are you crying about that I dealt with it for five years you know Madam Speaker they talk about youth and I need to bring this in Madam Speaker I used to get 15 forms as the parliamentary representative for castries southeast which was entitled to every parliamentarian 15 forms they did not give it to me Madam Speaker so the students the same young people the children that they were talking that they want to talk about you know what I had to do I had to go and find the money because I was in opposition school was opening and because that is all the parents were depending on I had to find the money to give it to them but I found it and I gave it to them because you see Madam Speaker you do not play politics with the education of the young people and when you would not give 15 forms to a parliamentarian and today I had these parliamentarians complaining you think I could send one person to SSDF Madam Speaker if they went there and they named I'm from castries southeast even if they were Labour Party supporters they were victimized because for thinking that they might have supported me that is the extent to which these these persons when Madam Speaker and so I am saying Madam Speaker don't come and pretend in this house be yourself we all know who you are if it does not have any political gain you will not do it that's who the Labour Party is and if you doubt that as the member seated next to me Madam Speaker he said the mad people do vote so don't worry about them the Labour Party so so Madam Speaker when I speak I speak from a position of knowledge so I know that once they cannot vote they're not mindful about you but the government on this side we are caring about all of the people of St Lucia whether they can vote whether they cannot vote whether they voted for us or they didn't vote for us because Madam Speaker that is what governance is about and I applaud the Prime Minister for bringing in this initiative to the parliament and Madam Speaker I give my full support to this initiative so that we can borrow the money and run a successful pilot project in Castries Central which can be replicated in other places throughout St Lucia I thank you. Honourable Leader of the opposition member for Castries East. Thank you Madam Speaker I did not intend to speak on this motion because I thought for once we could have agreed on something we could have agreed that regardless of what we say the youth situation in St Lucia in the region is bad youth are at risk there is crime there is unemployment and there is need for improvement that is why every member who spoke before me supported the motion that is why we did it but in supporting the motion the members sought to give the government some indication as to what was really happening as far as young people are concerned and how they could improve the situation but the arrogance and the pompousness of this government has come has come up all the time here is the member for Castries office goes back to track record let me give you the facts man speak about track record the United Workers Party who were in power from 1964 to 1979 that's 15 years the United Workers Party were in power from 2006 to 2011 that's five years that's 20 years the United Workers Party was in power from 1997 to 2006 that is 10 years and from 2011 to 2016 that is five years so if you don't talk about track record and who was in power for a longer period of time facts are the United Workers Party went power longer in the United Workers Party that's an earth mathematical fact so when when you're speaking about these serious issues as youth you you'd not bring it to that level you don't bring it to the level of trying to score cheap political points who in power longer track record what he did for young people things he did before he went for an election mom's figure i have represented the constituency for about twice the amount of time as him you understand i didn't i didn't win because i was i didn't win because i was lucky i won because i did things and it was appreciated so when he comes and talks about things he did before before he was in government that is the problem with the members of the opposite side they do not understand that they're in government and they must do the work of the country they must stop this blasting and this attacking and this make you cry and 90 percent and trying always to score cheap points when they are in government the people elected them do the work of the people forget the opposition forget us why are you so i mean you you go crazy i mean you spend hours discussing us who to do this who to do that you've gone back you've gone back you've gone back to to the member of the southern cricket western cricket you all sorts of things instead of a green that there are issues as far as young people are concerned and let us try to solve it let's all be saying that would it would have been such a conducive environment if you'd go up and say we know there are problems you tried we are trying and we are continuing but the point you want you're always and you're talking about scoring political points you are the embodiment of scoring political points your whole life is its political points all but you say is politics you that's all you do you can change you can help yourself you can help yourself to come talk about political points and talk about this talk about this hypocrisy about this is i mean stop it man you all your life it's politics you talk about these both series that is not true madam speaker the 15th basis is not true the member for the last minutes of education he came to this honorable house and he said to this member for cash his office that 15 both series that you did not give is not true you were given a portion you refused to accept it what he also did i the member for cash to his office was given 15 both series that he refused to accept when i was minister of infrastructure i wrote the minibus card his office and i told him there is a stimulus for his constituency he refused to answer me so you say you they come here and the and the pious and the holy and endowed and they did so much things for st. Lucia and the opposition the opposition that let us be matured and take some issues away from this hale kasei and this pompousness and this arrogance everyone pays we are politicians we're going to find people to criticize us we there are things that we cannot do i am sure the minister of education if she knew if she knew what was the situation when it comes to repair schools she would not have said what she said she wasn't aware i was mentioned infrastructure i know the state of the schools we did a study of schools and we found that the government needed to fix schools about 20 million dollars that is reality because the because the minister of education when he was here he always made a point that the the school plan is aging so what happens you go and you say they didn't allocate enough money for schools and in the new budget when i have my budget i will allocate money for schools but the reality is you could not allocate more than 1.2 million dollars you know these are the things that you learn when you get into government and the reality of government faces you that that is what's happening but you do not seem members don't don't don't want to settle down and understand that they have to run the country they and the surrogates every second i am an economic terrorist i mean these are the things that that is government propagates and you come talk about name calling and scandalizing come on let us raise let us raise the bar in this horrible house anytime you open your mouth you have you have you have to attack somebody in spite of the fact that what the members are saying are things that you can take on board to help yourself to improve the situation because in the final analysis all politicians they have won their of reckoning one thing and the day of reckoning is when the people take a line and decide who they voting for so relax just relax you understand so all i'm saying to you is that the youth let us agree that the situation if the youth is not in a state that you want no i want all of us all of us understand that decision the youth should honorable so all i'm saying my speaker is let us take let us bring some things away from the political divide let us deal with some issues upfront let us understand that we have problems in the youth and let's try to solve it thank you madam speaker honorable minister and the minister in office of the prime minister with responsibility for tourism thank you very much madam speaker madam speaker i rise to give my unwavering support to this motion tomorrow finances to support this bill but to support this program the youth empowerment program madam speaker but madam speaker before i begin to tell you how important this program is in my view i want to take a moment to speak of its significance for my own constituency madam speaker while we have seen in recent times that we have made some improvement in the youth unemployment numbers it is still unacceptably high madam speaker and while we boast about you know playing fields and lights on the various venues and we speak about our strong interest in the youth madam speaker the fact remains is that there still remains a lack of coordinated discipline development initiatives to develop the youth in sports and other sectors that are critical to their development and so while madam speaker the previous minister of sport likes to tell people that he spent a lot of time improving playing fields but in his tenure madam speaker he has failed to implement one single national elite athlete program and madam speaker that's a fact and madam speaker we see that venue development alone cannot develop champions and there was a boast about darin sami by the member of castry south because there's a particular closest that he loves and he is very close to that particular development but madam speaker instead of us boasting as a country that has at best three rest in these players to have represented us one that have played just about one game then another player is in and out of the team and then we had the captain in for a period of time when we when we compare ourselves with an island like nevis 9 000 people not very far we have to ask ourselves why have the country nevis just the island nevis as part of the twin island federation of sin kids nevis why have they produce more rest in these players than we have there's no national stadium in nevis but madam speaker what there is is that there is a committed dedicated program towards the development of the youth there is a consistent investment madam speaker in the running of youth development programs in youth competitions madam speaker from the community level from the government level and that madam speaker has produced the results we don't have to go far another oecs country and tiga madam speaker a population smaller than the size of st lusia but yet when we look at the amount of legends not just test players but legends that they have produced we pale in comparison and so madam speaker the bar is very low and i don't want us to come into this house and boast about little successes we've had flashes of brilliance madam speaker we need to address the problem of sporadic development initiatives which have taken place over the years and this is one of the things that i hope that this program address madam speaker like the honorable member for castry southeast i become very irate when politicians use and abuse young people with fancy language and flattery narratives to try and pretend that they care about them and then they dump them at election time and madam speaker had an example of this when i first entered politics and i want to tell you a story that i personally encountered in the community of jack meld in my constituency the same place that the honorable member for few four south said the people wouldn't understand me when i spoke but madam speaker i went to jack meld and the state of the playing field was horrendous was unacceptable madam speaker there were holes in the field that the safety of the players were in jeopardy there were many instances madam speaker that they were near injuries of young men who could have injured and fractured their leg madam speaker i am very proud of a young man from monsezo who came to me and said that he would like to start a football program and yes at the time i was working at sandals and madam speaker we mobilized some funds from the private sector and we started investing in the field because the rep and the minister of sport uh that then the member for denry south were absent and there are many then we north sorry and there are many requests madam speaker for an intervention prove unsuccessful and madam speaker we came we got some of the equipment handlers in the area we did a self-help initiative and madam speaker it was very successful we were able to bring the playing field to a level of of acceptability where we can now play um sport madam speaker i didn't stop there i went and i got again local contractors in the area to help us with portable lights because i wanted to show the young people that they have promised and we didn't have to wait for the installation of lights but madam speaker we ran many football tournaments many football coaching initiatives we brought coaches from manchester united from the university of the western days wherever we can tap resources madam speaker to show young people that we were serious about their development and madam speaker i did so with no interest in politics the honorable member for castries south can tell you that twice in his professional life i asked him to join me on a program that is close to my heart madam speaker developing young crookeders across this country and we what were the results you talk about track record we saw that st lucia that struggled to win at the under 15 level in cricket madam speaker for about 19 years the feet of winning uh the winward islands on the 15 tournament escaped us and madam speaker we saw that the under 15 team madam speaker their fortunes and their performances changed st lucia consistently madam speaker began winning at the under 15 level and began winning at the under 19 level consistently madam speaker those are results and those are private sector initiatives and so when he was working at west indies cricket board and the board's image was bad madam speaker because you would recall very well that under his leadership the entire caribbean had risen up and up roaring the manner in which he conducted the affairs of the board i said well i have a great initiative for you which could help to restore your image and the image of the board and madam speaker i'm not lying he's there you can ask him and i said and we will do this together and madam speaker we i asked the madam speaker on a point of order 35 for madam speaker the honorable member is clearly misleading the house madam speaker clearly misleading the house and if his memory has failed him i can probably refresh his memory for him that there was no under 15 cricket anywhere 45 45 what's the improper what where is the madam speaker the honorable member is misleading the house well remember get your standing orders correct please please let us let us get that correct please if you're standing on a point of order i'm i'm all let us let us let us stand on a point of order in accordance with standing order 44 a and madam speaker i refer to standing order 45 where the honorable member is imputing improper motives the orbital member is misleading the house and i just wish for the sake of clarity to prove to correct his account of our seemingly constructive engagement that we had in the past honorable member are you taking the correction madam speaker the honorable member for castry southeast was absolutely correct um you know some of us are wolves and some of us are sheep madam speaker i can tell you madam speaker because this is something that my family personally lived and and let me let me say this honorable honorable member yes honorable minister yes ma'am yes there was there was the the the the issue is the the issue there was that the honorable member rose on a point of order saying you were imputing improper motives and the the discourse or that transpired between the two of you was not what elucidated was not what he he understood it he it it was so i was asking you whether you took the point that he was saying or you going contrary um to what he stated now um i think um we need to to establish clear boundaries whilst it is permissible for us members to have the the political back and forth let us keep the discourse and reference to honorable members respectful at all times please madam speaker uh thank you so very much but i must make it clear that the honorable member for castry south um it's not a real cricket fan there was an opportunity to get a job and he took it now let me explain what i mean because madam speaker let me explain what i mean let me substantiate the point madam i say so madam speaker because i say so because if he was a real cricket fan and he understood this game he would realize that as far back as the carap cement tournament madam speaker in the nineties madam speaker that there was an under 15 cricket tournament and he needs to go back my brother sergio played for the windwards in st lusia and he is now 33 madam speaker and he was in the under 15 at the under 15 level he needs to check his facts madam speaker before he make pronouncements that he does not know anything about and so madam speaker the first the first under 15 cricket tournament was as far back as the nineties hosted by st lusia right hosted by st lusia the carap cement cricket tournament this is in the nineties madam speaker what is he talking about right i spent 16 years of my life developing a program he was direct he was ps or director of youth and sports at the time and i asked him to join me this was a sandals led initiative it wasn't from the ministry of youth and sports you can ask the former ps for tuna belrose and you can also madam speaker when he went to rest in his cricket board madam speaker he was the ceo and i said come and join us let us work together in collaboration to develop this so i will not withdraw anything on a point of order madam speaker madam speaker what is the point of order the member continues to mislead the house on the first occasion madam speaker we had an exchange madam speaker the you you sought to correct honorable member for castry south you are standing on a point of order if you are standing on a point of order i've said to all members and i wish everyone to appreciate that and abide by the rules when one stands any member of this honorable house stands on a point of order i want you to to first stand up and say what point of order because i'm saying that again if it is a point of clarification the the honorable member has need not yield which you have done so brilliantly before honorable member for castries castry south and so we need to know what point of order you're standing on because it means it is disrupting a member standing on his or her feet what is the point of order you are standing on madam speaker the honorable member in his presentation is misleading the house and therefore he is giving the house the wrong impression of an account of events which took place and madam speaker you may so rule that i should not stop him and he should proceed with his inaccurate accounts and not provide the correct information and i accept that or madam speaker you may wish for me to point out to him some clarification on exactly what he's saying and in the course of his delivery that he is misleading the house but madam speaker i leave it up to you to to rule and i shall i'm sure find an opportunity to respond to to the honorable member honorable members they to the honorable minister of tourism and member for castry south i do not wish this debate to go back and forth as to who recalls what of the conversation so let us kindly move away from that conversation as to what transpired and the discourse or the engagement between the two of you is that okay can we move on in terms of making a reference constantly to some to um a relationship or or or engagements or exchanges between the two of you because it goes back and forth to your account your account honorable minister is not he is what he recalls as his account so let us avoid wasting time on that that issue and move on and stick to your your your point and carry on please madam speaker um with your permission i would just like to make one single point on this particular matter because what has happened here madam speaker is the honorable member has accused me of attempting to mislead the house but i have an echo is your phone on close by or something so so madam speaker i'm just going to ask one final question because if the honorable member has accused me of misleading the house then madam speaker my own repetition and integrity is at stake and i would like to ask your permission madam speaker to defend myself so madam speaker i promise you i will not take more than five minutes but one single question i'd like to ask the honorable member for castry south true you madam speaker is if the program was not started by the private sector partner why does it still exist and why does the why does the west indies cricket board why aren't they no longer involved why is that if he wasn't invited to participate as i've said which is a matter of fact and madam speaker i will present to you a documentary with the then ceo of the wicb speaking on the matter right and you will see the context in which he spoke if you want i can make those issues a document of the house by video it's right here madam speaker as well i can present to this house a copy of a concept paper which was written by me and sent to the then ceo of the wicb madam speaker asking for the collaboration and madam speaker i am not here to try and mislead the house but i'm here to make one single point when it comes to youth development we must not play politics and we must not pretend like we are champions of the youth when all we do madam speaker is to attempt to score cheap political points and that was the point that i'm getting to and that's what we are seeing here today madam speaker this is why this program is so important and so madam speaker it is clear the facts are clear he does not even know about on the 15 cricket madam speaker check the records carib cement was the first tournament and it started in the 1990s and lucha hosted it my brother participated but yet the honorable member saying that there was no rest in this cricket a former ceo of the wicb doesn't know this he's not real so madam speaker i'm going to move on i'm going to move on madam speaker and i would like you can answer what you want but answer with the facts i know madam speaker they've asked us to leave the opposition alone but how can you leave an opposition the your leader you demand you're trying to challenge that how could you how could you leave an opposition alone madam speaker how could you leave an opposition alone that all they try to do is disrupt and cause chaos and create a scared tactic and do all that stuff don't worry yourself i'm leaving you for your friend i'm not bothering with you right we cannot leave them alone look at their attitude today they wouldn't allow us madam speaker to make our presentations in the house madam speaker we must we have to respond appropriately to the lies and the rumors and all of the uh the things that they're doing on facebook but back to the substantive matter of the youth empowerment project and madam speaker the point i want to make is that this project is not in isolation the government has said and has announced more initiatives madam speaker like the national apprenticeship initiative which madam speaker will expose our young people to a whole new field madam speaker which will give them opportunities to work in industries like technology and and tourism madam speaker so that our young people madam speaker will have more opportunities than they did in the youth and agriculture project and madam speaker that's a project that's dear to my heart as well because i'm from a an agricultural constituency and what was quite noticeable about the contribution from the member for viewfort north is that he spoke about all other projects spoke about education he spoke about sports he spoke about all kinds of different things you would have thought that he served as the minister of sport you would have thought that he was a minister of education but he failed madam speaker to speak of the single project that his ministry while he was minister presided over and took the lead on that related to the youth and that is madam speaker the now field youth and agriculture project madam speaker when i drove past the uh rozo highway and i look at the tall grass i thought that someone was doing a reforestation project but then they pointed out to me that it was an agricultural project but i really thought um honorable member for castry southeast that it was reforestation so what i began doing i commended the government the at the time government because i thought that here are we doing a climate change initiative to address you know this rather global situation but to my surprise it was actually a youth in agriculture project and and so the honorable member for viewfort north when he talks about the youth you are not serious my friend about the youth because the one project you had to use uh technology to bring in new minds uh into the agricultural sector to infuse a new interest in the young people in the agricultural sector you have failed to do it so how do you then want to come and preach about how we should develop young people you have failed when you had your turn you failed so give us a chance it's only been 14 months wait and you will see what is going to happen the type of transformation that will take place in the youth and agriculture sector and your minister your successor will be back and he will unveil to you the real youth in agriculture program so madam speaker much noise was made about the the problems the issues the challenges we face in education as if the minister the new minister of education uh inherited these problems today i mean they make good secondary school it is a symptom it's a result of years of neglect years of neglect it didn't just happen she didn't just wake up overnight and all of a sudden the school uh is dilapidated in the space of a year and a half a year and a couple months no that's not what happened honor of the members it is years of neglect but you know i have one simple fact and i have a little i drew a little table for myself and i went back to and you know i want to go back to history like my friend from castry southeast what he did south castries east whose constituency by the way is benefiting from the program and madam speaker he gave us this convenient chronology of history of political history in st lucia and came from uh 1964 and ended up at 19 cent 1997 but madam speaker failed to address the destruction that was caused to this country between 1979 and 1982 madam speaker the the devastation the retrograde step the dysfunction the broken society that st lucia was madam speaker in those short three years madam speaker he has failed to address them conveniently but he says the uwp was in power for 30 years an slp was only in power for 15 years now my god from 1997 to the year 2017 in these 21 years madam speaker the slp presided over the government for 15 years madam speaker this administration was there for six years what is wrong with this obscured history that we are hearing that you know all of a sudden all of the problems of the country is as a result of the uwp madam speaker they had two terms of a supreme majority in the parliament and failed to transform this nation and didn't have the courage madam speaker to take some of the bold steps necessary to transform our society so that st lucia can become ready as a robust society to take on the challenges that will face a small island developing state in the 21st century that is the opportunity you had and you blew it so how do you then want to come and give us this convenient history like we woke up on uh june uh the 7th of 2016 and then all of a sudden all of these things happened in st lucia they just happened overnight how how do you do that and so how can we leave you alone we have to respond to the various uh inaccuracies and erroneous statements that you're all making all over the place trying to fool people about the different attempts by the government to develop this country and develop the young people and so i will not rest i will always tell you like it is and i will call you out whenever i see that something is is not going well in the narratives i mean i looked at the rumor and i heard your statement um but what you didn't tell them is that europe butch's friend as well very close to butch but that is for another show i'm waiting for you i am waiting for you because i know i know what you know i'm coming for you so you better be careful but but madam speaker madam speaker honorable members i think this is now out of order please madam speaker how can we madam speaker forget them when they are there trying to destroy this country how can we we cannot and i will deal with all of the lies and all of the erroneous statements but i'm speaking the latest rumor they said was um and you know in in that they they're they're operatives on facebook that the cheer person of the board resigned i mean where do you guys get off then the latest posting is that somehow there was a deal reached and we we had to pay our monies to stay quiet this is destructive we believe in freedom of the speech we believe that that that journalists should ask any questions but you have an obligation to be responsible we believe that we did not coin the phrase media terrorists and if you check the history of the uwp as a party all right we have very few lawsuits against journalists look back listen the last the last the last journalist madam speaker who picked up something from the internet and read it and and the word madam speaker the the the commentary from the very popular um caribbean news network just said and referenced well known sex offenders madam speaker it said there were four government ministers of the previous administration who took strong on bridge by the statement and wrote madam speaker the journalists lawyers letters madam speaker you want to talk about intimidating the press one of their well-known hacks on on uh one of the famous talk shows wrote a letter to the poor journalist madam speaker called his boss to threaten his job and your fellas want to talk about press freedom ah shameful man so so madam speaker the honorable members honorable member the on madam speaker the honorable member yeah i think no matter how you take it and you turn it and you twist it it is unparliamentary language an honorable member honorable minister i wish you to withdraw it the we you fellas please it is unparliamentary let us not get down to that level in this house so madam speaker i'm always going to um heed to your honorable member yes you are to withdraw you have been so directed yes madam that's what i'm doing i'm madam speaker i'm withdrawing the reference of of the word fellas thank you yes so the honorable members madam speaker cannot be left alone because if they are left alone madam speaker they will fool a lot of people they will continue with a lot of desperate attempts at misleading the people of st lusia and madam speaker the the youth of this country they are in a state of hopelessness madam speaker they need uh inspiration madam speaker they need motivation they need a government that will invest in them they need programs such as the initiatives that are contained within the youth empowerment program madam speaker in order for us to begin to address their plight and madam speaker the step program will not do it and the nice program madam speaker has failed to do it madam speaker what the honorable members the members on the side opposite would like young people to do is to continue depending on them and you can see it based on the programs that they construct and they call them youth empowerment but these programs madam speaker turn our young people into men the mendicants they turn them into people that depend on politicians and so madam speaker i am not one of those politicians that believe that you should design programs so that young people remain dependent but madam speaker rather we must build their capacity such as this program is attempting to do so that we can rise them to the next level and we can make the young people of st lusia among the very best in the caribbean and among the best in the world in small island developing state and that's what this program is attempting to do madam speaker it is focusing on constituencies like mine constituencies madam speaker that that has very high levels of social challenges and malaise and so madam speaker i want to commend uh my my colleague the honorable member for grozily and the minister that is taking the lead in this project um on this initiative and i want to let him know that the young people of ancillary and cannery's constituency um are excited and looking forward to the benefits that will be derived from this program madam speaker i thank you honorable member for lab rig thank you very much madam speaker madam speaker i rise to support the motion before this house to borrow approximately 2.86 million dollars to finance the youth empowerment project madam speaker i align myself with the interventions of my colleagues who have spoken before me because they were correct when they said that if we have to be successful in our quest to improve the lot of young people we must tackle inequality and social exclusion and in this regard madam speaker i would like to refer to an os publication in 2011 inequality and social inclusion in the americas on page 89 and i quote poverty is by far the main underlying cause of social exclusion and inequality and has a direct impact economically socially and culturally speaking however inequality is not a consequence of income disparity alone determinants also include lack of opportunities and a practical inability to exercise certain rights or influence decisions on key issues that affect the quality of life of individuals the family and social groups one of the most frequently violated rights in this situation is access to justice on equal terms although a range of different factors some of them structural affect the general population when it comes to obtaining prompt and effective justice the situation is far more dramatic for people living in poverty with neither the financial means nor the basic knowledge to uphold their rights through the body is responsible for dispensing justice in turn making them vulnerable even those who do not succeed in having the day in court use up a larger percent of the overall wealth in the attempt sometimes doing so can undermine the ability to satisfy other basic needs so often they decide not to seek justice or exercise that right in full this is particularly serious because access to justice is the basic tool available for people to ensure that all the rights recognized by international instruments and domestic laws are protected by the relevant mechanisms essentially through efficient impartial accessible systems for delivering justice whether judicial extra judicial or administrative in nature there is a little point in a state formally recognizing a right if the holder of the right cannot obtain effective access to justice in a prompt and timely manner to safeguard it on court madam speaker whilst we speak about addressing the causes and consequences of poverty and crime we must pay attention to the plight of the vulnerable in this country poor people are always at a disadvantage in accessing justice and even sometimes to get an inheritance because there are no position to effectively challenge in court that it is taken away from them and they are caught they are locked in generational poverty so poverty moves from one generation to the next the member for cassie south was right most of the members on this side of the house would not allow a motion like that to pass without comment because we most of us we most in community development we were largely foremost in fostering the both and initial dynamics of the solution at national youth council that organize youth all over this country whilst the united workers party at the time did not recognize and what war but that's for another show i am very pleased madam speaker to indicate that the labor party went in office always endeavor to deliver to the young people of this country at a certain time at a certain period in our history only the rich and affluent could have access education at higher levels when the labor party got into office we made bus trees available we made scholarships available we made uniforms available we assisted poor people in accessing poverty at all levels so we are not paying lip service to the business of young people we were the ones who built the national stadium and a new cricket ground to introduce a new spot in culture so that we can augment our tourism plant we were the ones madam speaker who came up with nice to provide employment for young people when more people are employed more people can make an effective demand for goods and services in the country thereby contributing to economic growth young people were packed like sardines similar to when the slave ships used to come from Africa to the Caribbean in a prison the prisoners were breaking away easily then we moved to some makeshift prison at odds where people were lining and going in and out as if it's a hotel and i remember my predecessor in this house indicating many times show me a prison and i'll show you the level of your civilization we built a new prison to make sure that young people were not condemned to death but rather find an environment that at least while they're waiting for justice in this particular matter madam speaker this is why as part of our urban renewer postures we decided to build the derrick walker house that project was intended to address the causes and consequences of poverty and try to reduce crime in the city by providing a better environment for young people that our city would become a theater for serious development to keep our culture alive any policy without a soul is lost and you go to any society that is progressive the arts breathe new life into the twin nostrils of social and economic policy there is no doubt about it madam speaker so madam speaker when we come to this honorable house and i hear members opposite saying oh you all pay lip service to the business of you irrespective of which government that occupies the corridors of power we spend a substantial amount of monies on young people in this country whether it's education youth and sports garbage collection every single thing we spend on young people in the country when we stand in this house and decide to say that the opposition is not investing in young people and you all are the ones investing in young people we are giving them the impression that somehow we are not utilizing the resources that we have to promote the development of young people we must reflect in our discourse in this honorable house the patent limitations that we have in terms of the amount of resources we have to invest i am sure if resources were not limited we would have never gotten out of office because everything we promise we could have delivered but that's not the reality that's not the reality so when we come here and we just speak we just say things bite if i say to people that the opposition was making six dollars and 80 cents and we were burdening the poor people so when we came to budget time we should have moved from six eighty to four dollars not from two fifty to four dollars now these are the kind of lies that is just not good for the development of the country let us have some more responsible discussions in this honorable house every member on this side when they spoke indicated that they support the motion to borrow the member for katsui south even indicated that it was inadequate and we understand we have competing priorities so let us speak to young people in a in a more responsible way to say to them that we have a hundred million dollars available this is how the labor party is spending it and this is how we are going to spend it to create a better environment for you i don't think that they opt to that type of debate they're not up to that challenge we must elevate that the standard of debate here where the resources of our country is concerned we cannot continue that path of attacking each other this is why i have stated on platform and anyway that i speak on politics i am not one who's motivated to attack politicians everybody's saying no politicians are not good and all politicians are the same this house contained persons who came from the general society a microcosm of the solution society whatever is in the society is present in this house you find good people in the society you find bad people in the society you find all types in the society and in your parliament it will be reflective of the society that we have but i know the realities that surround us as politicians the kind of horrors that we face nobody in this country nobody go through it but yet still we come here and we behave as if when we on this side we are lords and gods and we know it all and when the opposition speaks responsibly to a particular motion or particular bill is always some abuse and always some unnecessary attack we support the motion madam speaker and we are saying on this side that we do not pay lip service to youth development we have been involved and we are going to continue to commit ourselves to the development of young people and in closing i want to say had we been in office we would not have destroyed the nice program we have we would not have adulterated any program we are put in place in fact the labor party has been criticized by the united workers party because it invests so heavily in social programs obviously this is not the priority of the united workers party administration even though they speak about social issues and social programs had we been in office madam speaker we would have built on what we left in the past term and i just want to read from our top 15 pledges to you i have made this a document in the house before and i just want to quote four sections from it we will assist payments parents in meeting the cost of the fees for cxc exams we will transform the south louis community college into a university college with full degree granting status we will rejuvenate the city of castries restoring it to its former status as the most attractive city in the eastern caribbean and i spoke to the derrick walcott project and finally we will completely transform the agricultural sector focusing on new value added products like suticles and organics on quote all of this to involve young people in the economic realities that surround us to give them access to opportunities that they did not have before madam speaker and so let us not go down that route again i'm not in the mood to enter some full-scale assault on the postures of the united workers party and of course to go overboard in accentuating what we have done for young people in this country so i'm hoping that next time we come to this house and we debate policies like this we do it with class we do it with a certain calmness and a certain professionalism that will ensure that we improve upon what we found madam speaker i thank you madam speaker honorable minister for education and member for me co news thank you madam speaker i rise to support the motion under consideration here to authorize the minister for finance to borrow us 2.8 million from the caribbean development bank to finance the youth empowerment project madam speaker i heard the prime minister and member for me co south very clearly when in his preamble he intimated that this was not the sum total of the intervention of this administration as it pertains to youth and the issues that confront the youth of this country it is with that in mind madam speaker i feel compelled to reference not only the project which will be financed by the monies to be borrowed but the partnership among sister agencies to ensure what we call a wraparound intervention or holistic intervention and whereas there are certain constituencies that have been airmarked for this particular project the people of st lusia ought to know that other agencies and their constituents in effect will also benefit madam speaker increasingly the conversation has been about implementing positive behavior for learning and for youth development too very often we wait when things have festered beyond the point of correction to consider punitive measures this is one such intervention that seeks to prevent that seeks to intervene intervene early enough so that we do not see problems that affect our youth festering into bigger issues with greater social and economic impact and that is why the behavior modification component is critical because as with any given society we do have children who display some kind of behavioral disorder who unfortunately we are sometimes forced to suspend i do not subscribe to that approach and that is why we are continuing internally to adopt positive behavioral modification options madam speaker the sum total of that intervention is to reduce unproductive and challenging behavior to give additional assistance to embellish learning and support needs madam speaker and that is not a standalone kind of intervention the phrase theology that I heard the cdb use and one of the consultations was that of a wraparound approach to mean that we recognize that the child belongs to a family lives in a particular neighborhood is confronted with certain social economic and psychological challenges and that these must all be treated with in turn so as to bring about the comprehensive fix or corrective behavior that we seek with respect to responding to some of the economic problems that could inform or lead to the social problems we have at the ministry of education partnered not only with my sister agency in the in the entity of the ministry for equity but we also working with other agencies such as USAID and the intention is always to ensure that it presents the best options and the best opportunities to our young people perhaps the public is not fully aware that in the last couple months and preceding the reopening of school we have increased the number of bursaries given to students and each parliamentarian in here knows that whereas previously we each received about 15 bursaries this year we were able to near double that number we have also increased the allocation for school transportation and the madam speaker for the school feeding program as well and these interventions are critical to the extent that they add up to our efforts to deal with the problem with problems of social economic problems that our youth are confronted with in a comprehensive way during the summer too we employed resources to host a college readiness symposium and a career readiness program and that intervention was to expose young school leavers to the opportunities available for study and for work not only within the regional region but also internationally but more importantly to encourage them to seek out opportunities where they can secure scholarships based on their share brilliance and that notwithstanding the fact that we continue to lobby our friends in the international community to provide more scholarship opportunities for our young people and we see for example manual college increasing the number of scholarships available and active engagement with our donor agencies to ensure that the scholarships are offered in areas of need given the evolution of our economy that there's a greater focus on green and blue professions all in keeping with our own commitment to climate action as well madam speaker the intervention on youth or the assistance that we lend to our young people is comprehensive and I like to say from the womb onward and that is why we are undergoing a thorough revision of our early childhood education system it is indeed the foundation of our education system and if the foundation is weak nothing else can stand comfortably on it also madam speaker and some people perhaps are not as sympathetic or compassionate as they ought to be regarding the affairs of students who are differently able or with special needs now that we have a new dennery infant school we are working in partnership with private sector entities to see how best we can retrofit what is now the older dennery infant school to accommodate students along the east coast with challenges with learning difficulties so we can cater to every child and indeed every child will and indeed every child be attended to and no child will be left behind madam speaker over the summer we partnered with an NGO called we are the oceans and that intervention was rather curious to the extent that it showed what can be achieved when we marry our efforts because we recognize all too well the fiscal constraints that we have in this economy and I always tell my colleagues I always tell my team whereas for some kind of egotistical reason agencies are trying to change the world with their five cents if only would all marry our resources perhaps we could realize the kind of pragmatic shift that we need to take place in our economy we hosted a summer camp again a preliminary case study pilot program which will be rolled out to other communities where young children using technology were able to study the ocean study the impact of garbage disposal on the ocean and make documentaries I'm talking about kids between the ages of seven and 16 madam speaker that same age group benefited from an innovation and science camp which was hosted by the department of sustainable development again endeavoring to build capacity to harness the talents within our youth all these interventions and we can go on I have not yet mentioned the the the centers of excellence that we are working on so as to offer greater diversity greater choice to our students who perhaps have different kinds of affinities we've not spoken about that yet we've not spoken about what we're doing with creative arts or with sports and even very very very important land or madam speaker much has been said about the laptops let me say what we have done with respect to enhancing e skills and digital literacy in this jurisdiction that we have introduced a course called digital literacy that will be rolled out or as of this year has been rolled out in our secondary schools to ensure that our children are exposed to a curriculum which will enhance their e skills and we do that even while we continue to work with entities such as carsip and the NTRC to expand bandwidth in school and to consider building some more fit in more schools with IT labs so that all kids not just third-formers that all kids have access further now that we have under the ministry of education responsibility for what used to be called the ICT access centers these where they are in close proximity to schools will be considered for active timetabling which means that they can be used as an additional classroom where IT courses can be offered. So I'm saying all of this to make sense and to give greater clarity to the Prime Minister's preamble which is that this intervention we recognize is not a standalone intervention and nor is it sufficient but in tandem with the other things that we are doing we'll bring about that kind of empowerment that kind of capacity building that we want to see in our youth and it is not and I insist it is not this is only the second year of our term this is not politicking this is simply saying what we have done in the past 14 months and what we will continue to do and I need to give every inclusion the assurance that we in this house are all agreed that the resources available for school repairs and for school are inadequate we are equally agreed that given the demands on the public purse we will have to be more innovative when deciding and determining which areas we give priority because no child will be left behind as we continue as a government to build a new St. Lucia. Let the record show that I support this motion and I support what the Prime Minister and my colleagues we are doing working together marrying resources and programs to bring about that empowerment and to build capacity in our youth thank you. Honourable Minister with responsibility for sports and members for Denry South. Thank you Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker as I stand to lend support for this resolution as presented by the Honourable Prime Minister let me see off the bat that my standing head this afternoon is not prompted by anybody and I need to say to off the bat too that it is not about grandstanding it is not about boasting I mean generally anybody who knows Edmund Estefan knows that he's action-oriented not both full but bashful and let me also say Madam Speaker that I say all of this in the context that I'm never afraid never afraid of being outnumbered to because a lion walks alone while sheep flock together so in this context Madam Speaker let me again stand here and support the resolution as presented by the Prime Minister but Madam Speaker a lot has been said about sports and youth development and I know that a lot would have been put in context and would have been placed on record during the last debate suffice it to say there was and we all know there was so much gamesmanship during the process that it had to be controlled but Madam Speaker this government is about empowering people this government is about creating sustainable jobs for the young people of this country and when it comes to this aspect when it comes to dealing with young people foremost in my mind is job creation now you cannot deal with job creation in a vacuum it is not a standalone thing for you to create jobs for your people and for your young people you have to first grow the economy and this is the most important aspect but that in itself too cannot stand in a vacuum there are so many things that has to be done there are so many little things that has to be done and when everything is put together then you would have been creating sustainable jobs for your young people to get them out of poverty to get solutions out of poverty to get communities out of poverty to get families out of poverty Madam Speaker to get this nation out of poverty and even as we presented our case to the Senbushan people during the last general election one of the things that I championed was that sports and youth was not being dealt in the correct way and today let me see if I can put that into context and let me tell you Madam Speaker some of the things that we will do to try and achieve our objective to try and achieve our goals to try and make Senbusha prosper to try and get our young people out of the gutters to try and get them to be productive to try and get them to be able to provide for the families to try and get them Madam Speaker to get out of the malaise to try and prevent them from going into illicit activities Madam Speaker we have to be very very passionate about that because we know that over the years we know that for decades we have had issues and problems that have persisted and now it is getting more and more difficult why because one of the reasons is that politicians don't cooperate it's one of the reasons one of the reasons is that a philosophy and as I talk about philosophy let me talk about the United Workers Party philosophy which is the the labor parties philosophy when it comes to politics in this country Madam Speaker in my humble opinion in my humble opinion I came into politics because I had to choose between two parties to find out where is the best place to put whatever little I have in my head where is the best place that I can tell you what I have in my head so that it can benefit the people of this country and I know I've been there for a little while I wish that a lot more could have been done but at the end of the day Madam Speaker it is what it is life goes on and now as Minister of Youth Development and Sports what needs to be done will be done it doesn't matter how long it will take okay but it has to be done and it has to be done correctly so Madam Speaker the labor party believes in creating an independent state creating people who just depend on them for this independent depend on them for that independent on them for this that is not how the United Workers Party function the United Workers Party is about the empowerment of people especially of young people and so Madam Speaker I'm fully aware that some of the programs and policies and actions that this this government is undertaking is for the betterment of this country a lot of things that we are doing a lot of things that we will do a lot of the things that we have not even announced okay because don't forget that we are not boastful we take our time we plan properly I do and then we execute so Madam Speaker we are about empowering people and especially empowering the youth because we want to force the change okay and I will repeat myself we want to eradicate poverty in this country when when one person in your country is poor or when one family is poor or when one constituency is poor it affects your entire nation okay because we're supposed to live together we have formalities that cross borders okay one family is in one person out of a family lives in ancillary another lives in denry okay the madri brothers and sisters when one the person in ancillary is suffering it affects the person in denry so Madam Speaker we need to be careful and we need to build and construct our country right so Madam Speaker I have always wish to become the Minister of Youth Development Sports that's a that's a that's a life goal why that's not about myself I don't want to become Minister of Youth Development Sports for myself okay for me to go out there and for me to boast offer me to make noise okay I realize Madam Speaker that the only way to force the change in our society is to get to be the head and to direct as best as you can and that is one of the one of the reasons I want politics in this country I didn't have to do that I could have been somewhere in a stadium in view for coaching people to run coaching sprinters making sprinters fast inclusion but our structure in this country didn't allow for that and so here I am the direction has to be something different okay and so Madam Speaker at the Ministry of Youth Development or other Department of Youth Development and Sports change has to be fostered change has to come okay we have to find and do what is right so that society can change and so Madam Speaker let me mention a few things that must be done in order for this to happen and the Ministry of Education spoke of it it's about capacity building a lot of our institutions in St. Blusher when it comes to sports then we need to improve on the capacities so for example at the Department of Youth and Sports we are trying our best to improve on the capacity okay although our fundamental issue with the structure our fundamental issue with the structure of the civil service our fundamental issue with the structure of the teaching service but there is little I might be able to do when it comes to that except try as much as possible to improve on the capacities as they exist and so Madam Speaker number one priority we change the structure at the Department okay now so now that we have a dedicated officer or dedicated director for youth and a dedicated director for sports thing should work better for the development of sports in our country and for the development of youth and this has been okay this has happened we have changed the structure for the better and now we are looking we have a lot of begging to do we have a lot of begging to do so that we can increase capacity at the Department but it is necessary um I jokingly I jokingly tell a few of my friends you know if you look at the system of governance in the United States this is what we have you know at our level let's say at the at the minister's level the persons who serve with us they should be implementing even the policies that you think of and this is actually happening to the jurisdiction okay by the time let's say the mayor or whoever gives his speech somewhere and he outlines his policies his technocrats are down trying to figure out ways of implementation okay but our system is broken we do not have this but we have to work very very diligently to try and achieve that so the structure we're trying to improve and let me just give another example as I as I use structure that's very important if you take if you take the education system and I will just use one example you have someone who is very passionate let's say about kindergarten and this person decides that okay they're going to be a kindergarten teacher okay so the person has a good start maybe coming out of A level or from secondary school and then the person wants to build a home the person has a family and so on but whatever little salary they get it down there is too meager so what do you think that person has to do or the system might provide that the person continue educating themselves but you know in our system after that person has let's say obtained a degree or master's degree or or doctorate for them to get a salary increase they have to live wherever they are and find space somewhere else okay going away from their passion and put in and live in our children at risk okay so this is what I talk about when I say that's an example of a bad structure okay it should be that at a level like this that you should be able to if you become a doctor stay and prepare the kindergartens and teach them and and and continue making them grow and that you be compensated for it this is what I'm talking about okay but it is what it is so madam speaker at the department of youth development and sports okay we by sad enough we visited we visited every single facility on island when it comes to sports every single one so we know what they look like etc I can even now smell them so we have taken stock and then next on the list was to submit in each and every association and you know you meet the associations and then you tell them where you're trying to go etc what you're trying to achieve and what should be our goal their goal and Saint Lucia's goal and the ministry's goal because it is something that you have to marry and then the end madam speaker is to is to try and come up with what I call a comprehensive plan for the development of sports and it is not one that we should be able to after I leave office for example or after I've gone to the great beyond for another person to come and say I'm just sure that it has to be one that Saint Lucia's come up with it has to be one that is sustainable it has to be one that is that is a policy okay it has to be one that is part of the structure okay so a lot has been said always told to these those different associations when it comes to the policies that we want to institute as a department or as a government or as a nation the policies the structures the systems okay and we have to make these things work in a way that will bring the most benefits for our island that will bring the most benefits for our young people whether you are cricket player okay or whether you're just doing sports just for fitness we have to try and maximize the benefits out there okay so madam speaker so this comprehensive plan that we have to put together that is in process and and just talking about it madam speaker it is not something that you can just put out there overnight okay and let me just take let's just look at Saint Lucia this is Saint Lucia's history Saint Lucia's is is it has its own system right now of how things are done okay but I believe change is needed okay so when when we're thinking of all these things now change must be instituted and people have to buy into the change and so we started this movement to try and put this plan together and somewhere along the line madam speaker somewhere along the line I think with we we have been able to fast forward what we have been doing with the associations because the prime minister had good friends out there Mr Hiller knows that and we found a gentleman member for country south Mr Hiller is Mr all right so the prime minister has all his antennas up okay trying to get investments from there and developments from over there and capacities from over there for persons with you know the type of capacity we need in this country to do a lot of the different things so while we are the department they're thinking boy you know who can we bring together to to try and get this plan going for us and to put everything together and we're looking at the different persons all around Saint Louis and so on and thinking of who might the team be the prime minister called on us and said the solution is available we can bring him Mr Don Lockaby to help with that plan and so as I speak madam speaker Mr Don Lockaby is in Saint Louis we have not formally engaged him formally in the sense that we don't have an agreement yet okay but hopefully this will be finalized soon so we will learn a lot more about Mr Lockaby as the as the days and years go by madam speaker but we are putting this comprehensive plan together for the development of spots and as I told the different associations we're not leaving not one stone until we have to turn every stone we have to think of all the possibilities because we do not want to leave one man behind not one not one boy or girl will be left behind in our plan okay so if you do not want to be part of it it's your choice but it will be available for you but madam speaker we have limited resources in this country very limited resources and and I did speak and say that our capacities too are very limited when it comes to management of clubs management of this management of that sometimes we just do not get it right and we want to get it right so as part of our first we will have a lot of training a lot of training so the persons we need you know to be in charge of our clubs will be doing training the persons we need to be in charge of our health will be training the necessary gymnasiums we need on island we will look at everything okay now I do not want to start going going over this and for people to accuse me that I left this and I left that out but it will be comprehensive madam speaker we will we will take it all in and we are not going to do it halfway okay now I'm happy I'm happy that the prime minister has said that what we need is the plan he will find the money he's the minister of the finance he's the boss he will find the money so another thing about me madam speaker when I'm in the planning stage and it goes back to both seen again I don't I don't go out there and both okay when I'm planning I'm planning when I'm executing I'm executed okay now denry has achieved a lot denry has achieved a lot madam speaker during the little time that I represented them now talking about ghetto and all of these things and they talk about the prime minister talk about you for that being a ghetto you have to recognize if you have ghettos and you have to try and change it for the better you must do that you have to try and remove the boys and girls from the block we have to do that and when we speak of ghetto we're not trying to bring down the solution we're trying to uplift them we're trying to tell them let us get out of there and we are instituting programs to do exactly that and this is what this this motion here today is trying to do it's a small element very very very tiny but a lot of things have to come together I don't want to stay there all day madam speaker and and and go on and on and on and on and on but madam speaker this youth development project is part of the continuing effort to reduce youth involvement in crime and violence in the eastern and southern Caribbean while creating alternative pathways for at risk youth and those in conflict with the law madam speaker the issue of alternative pathways for at risk youth is a matter of urgent priority and attention madam speaker at the ninth commonwealth youth ministers meeting in Uganda here last month that is one of the key items spoken about and I was present at that meeting and happy to report that this item was dealt with in a comprehensive way and while I'm at the at the Uganda ministers meeting let me say to that madam speaker a lot was achieved at that meeting in terms of what we are going to do with the youth policy that was spoken about okay this is something too that we have to bring to the communities very very very quickly and the discussions with the commonwealth started it has to continue for us to formalize an agreement so that for us to know when they can come down to help us bring it out there to the communities okay and after that it will be time for implementation so madam speaker this government is determined to address this matter and we are working with all our partners in youth development to keep this in the central areas of discussion and action madam speaker youth empowerment is a process where children and young people are engaged to take charge of their lives they do this by addressing the situation and then take action in order to improve their access to resources and transform their con consciousness through their beliefs values and attitudes and madam speaker we cannot stop we have to create employment in this country employment is the key okay and idle mind is the devil's workshop we have to engage our socially constructively you name it so madam speaker the youth empowerment model is a free prong approach that effectively engages young people in work that challenges them to develop skills gain critical awareness and participate in opportunities that are necessary for creating community change and the components madam speaker still development the process of strengthening the skills of of of young people or the youth so that they know how to effectively make decisions critical awareness madam speaker the process of providing youth with the information and resources necessary for analyzing issues that affect their lives so that is the kind of thing that the ministry of justice social justice will be involved in madam speaker the third one opportunities the process of providing youth with platforms for decision making and encouraging the active participation in creating community change madam speaker the resources need to have the resources need is very very high when it comes to what you want to do for youth in your country and like I have said the resources are limited in solution we partner with in LA so that everywhere we go once we meet with our stakeholders in LA is that so they understand what we want to do okay and at the end of the day when we put in this master plan together in LA will be will be integral in the formulation of that plan another body that that is ever present in our discussion madam speaker is the SSI sports and leisure in now I want to say here that sports and leisure in is not the sports and leisure in that existed before okay we have we have some people on on this board who are very mindful of what needs to be done for the society to change okay and I will repeat we still need to increase capacities at all these levels whether it's the NLA or the SSI first to get the job done right but we are putting our best foot forward and one of the things that we one of the policies that we want to develop as a department or as a nation is for SSI to become the body the body the overall body responsible for the management of our sporting facilities on island I mean a lot of discussion has to take place on that and first we see where we're going but we want to have a policy we want to know at each step of the way what is going to happen when it comes to policies we want to develop policies we want to have policies we want to have structures that you know you don't you do not just divert from that you want to stick to and you want to make your systems function the way that they should so madam speaker I mean I can say I'm talk for seven hours but madam speaker I thank you honorable members the question is the question is that parliament authorizes the minister for finance to borrow the sum of us two million eight hundred and sixty thousand dollars from the caribbean developments banks special fund resources sfr to finance the youth enterprise youth empowerment project and that a the interest is payable at a rate of 2.5 percent per annum on the amount of the loan withdrawn and outstanding and b the loan is repayable in 32 equal or approximately equal and consecutive quarterly installments on each due date of the first day of january the first day of april the first day of july and the first day of october commencing on the first due date immediately following the expiration of four years after the date of the loan agreement or on a later due date that the caribbean development bank specifies in writing I now put the question as many as of that opinion say I as many as are of a contrary opinion say no I think the eyes have it the eyes have it honorable prime minister and leader of government business madam speaker I beg that we suspend the house for a lunch break until three ten honorable members the question is had the house to stand suspended until three ten in the afternoon I now put the question as many as of that opinion say I as many as are of a contrary opinion say no I think the eyes have it the eyes have it this house stands suspended until three ten in the afternoon session of today's house of assembly sitting from the government information service I am Alicia Ali just to recap what happened this morning we had a number of statutory instruments being laid here in the house of assembly and we have three motions down on the order paper to be dealt with today however for the morning session we have only dealt with the first motion which states that parliament authorizes the minister for finance to borrow a sum in the amount of us 2.86 million dollars from the Caribbean Development Bank special fund resources to finance the youth empowerment project both members of the government side and the opposition side did agree with the motion the question on the floor was really that we need to stop paying so much lip service to our youth and then it's to be more tangible capacity building sustainable programs for our young people here in St Lucia the second motion which will be discussed after the members of parliament return at about three ten p.m. is that parliament authorizes the minister for finance to guarantee an amount and not exceeding ec 15.8 million dollars to secure payment contract awarded to first start construction company limited for rehabilitation works out in Miku south we have a third motion which will be a negative resolution proposed by the member for castries south opposition member honorable dr. Ernest Hiller so it promises to be quite an interesting session in the afternoon this is the national television network and we're inviting you to please stay tuned I am Alicia Ali thanks so very much for joining us here in parliament for what probably might be my final broadcast so please stay tuned we'll see you this afternoon