 Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of approving the estimates of revenue and expenditure for the fiscal year 2023-2024. Mr. Speaker, the estimates of revenue and expenditure commonly known as the budget is the prequel to the discussion on the appropriation bill in which the Minister for Finance will be outlining the economic, fiscal, financial, social and environmental policies to be implemented in the fiscal year 2023-2024. Mr. Speaker, the estimates contain the financial plan and work program of the government and days would inevitably provide for new policies of the government. Mr. Speaker, the budget is the key instrument that the government utilizes to implement its various policies, programs and projects that show how the government plans to allocate resources to the various ministries or departments to achieve its priorities for the fiscal year 2023-2024 and beyond. The estimates also show how government intends to finance its programs through the raising of revenues, grants and loans. Mr. Speaker, it is to be noted that while parliament is required to approve a budget every fiscal year, many of the programs, policies and projects will require many years to be fully implemented. Mr. Speaker, while we have separate debates for the estimates of revenue and expenditure and the appropriation bill, the estimates and the appropriation bill are inextricably linked as the former incorporates the policies debated in appropriation bill. The budgets must therefore be viewed within the context of government's longer-term plan to restructure the economy and place it on a longer-term path for sustainable growth and development to benefit the people of the country in a very tangible way through higher standards of living, reduce unemployment and poverty, better healthcare and educational opportunities and improve justice and security. Mr. Speaker, our programs, policies and priorities have been outlined in our manifesto, which was appropriately titled Putin You First, as this reflects the philosophy of our party. Mr. Speaker, I know the detractors led by those opposite are attempting to discredit our policies that are anchored in the fundamental philosophy of putting the people first. Mr. Speaker, members who it must be said failed miserably in meeting the needs of the people and who were overwhelmingly rejected by the people in the last general election, all of a sudden have solutions to all of the problems of this country. Problems it must be said, Mr. Speaker, that they either created or exacerbated. Mr. Speaker, our government will not however be deterred by those on the opposite side as we are determined to forge ahead to implement our progressive and innovative programs to meet the needs of the people. Mr. Speaker, in fact, notwithstanding the sturgeon desire of my government to push ahead, the policies of the former UWP government are unfortunately among the major constraints that limit our progress. The first and fundamental limitation, Mr. Speaker, is the economy we inherited and more specifically the state of the public finances. Mr. Speaker, the Minister for Finance has said on many occasions that we knew the fiscal situation was bad, but never in our imagination did we expect it to be so bad. Mr. Speaker, the former administration in the quest to achieve victory in the last general election went on a rampage of reckless, wasteful and irresponsible expenditures burdening the citizens and saddling the next generation of sentlosians with huge debt. Mr. Speaker, the last administration essentially mortgage the future of our country and our government has to now honor these commitments which limit the amount of fiscal space we have to pursue our policies. Can you imagine, Mr. Speaker, that yesterday the member of Shwazel said we are achieving progress because of the progressive policies that they implemented, Mr. Speaker? Mr. Speaker, policies that plunge our country into a recession in 2019 prior to COVID and as a result of the poor health of this economy we could not have responded effectively with fiscal policy to COVID. Our economy contracted by 24.4% among the highest in the world, Mr. Speaker. Is that what they call good policies? Mr. Speaker, I recall in the 2021 estimates, the debate on the estimates then I said that when you look at the fiscal dashboard of the country was already engine light was on, every single thing brake light was on, every single problem, but they continue to drive the car of state as if everything was just fine. And Mr. Speaker, I was not surprised but really disturbed by the leader of the opposition talking about fuel prices and how this government is not compassionate that we are not reducing the fuel prices. Mr. Speaker, I have given careful and sensible treatment to this issue before, but I think on this occasion it is proper that I remind this Honorable House that we have already seen oil prices reach a 7-year high since the invasion of Ukraine. Our government was in office and had to manage the record oil prices at the time. I distinctly recall at the time the leader of the opposition leading a strike because of what he said was the case of a missing consumption tax of over $4. And then immediately after winning the election in 2016, saying his job as the Minister for Finance was to sign an SI for the reduction in oil prices when he indeed signed for an increase in fuel prices. He then further increased excise taxes by an additional $1.50 per gallon. The spike in oil prices had caused inflation to increase across the world and has led to an increase in interest rates. Mr. Speaker, we in St. Lucia have no control over these international economic developments, but I am extremely confident that the government of the St. Lucia Labour Party led by the member for Cassis is and our Prime Minister and Minister for Finance will manage and cushion the impact on the people and the economy of St. Lucia. Mr. Speaker, I would like to present to honourable members the trend in oil prices over the period 2012 to 2022. The reference for this, Mr. Speaker, is HTTPS dash dash www.macrotrends.net slash 1369 slash crude oil prices street chart. This can be checked and verified, Mr. Speaker. The trend of oil prices using the average closing prices as follows and is in US dollars. In 2012 it was $94.05. In 2014 it was $97.98. 2014 $93.17. 2015 it went down to 48.66. In 2016 it went down to 43.29. Now I want this honourable house to note that in 2012 it was $94.05. The Labour Party was in office. In 2014 again $97.98. 2014 $93.17. And then when we were approaching the election it went down to 48.66 in 2015 and 43.29 in 2016. This is what our government while we were in office had to deal with. Free successive oil prices rises in excess of US $90 when we were in office resulting in our government cushioning as much as possible this oil prices increase and setting a target. We were forced to collect $2.50 per gallon at the time. In most cases we were forced to collect $2.50 over the period. Now let us look at the remainder of the period when UWP was in office. WP was in office in 2017, $50.80, 2018, $65.23, 2019, $56.99, 2020, Mrs. Speaker, $49.68, I repeat, $49.68. 2021, $68.17, 2022, US$96.23. So, Mrs. Speaker, what we see is that the SLP reduced the price from $3 per gallon to $2.50 per gallon under the Kenny Anthony administration. And what did the former prime minister and minister for finance did? While he benefited from low oil prices, he increased the excise tax by $1.50 per gallon to $4 per gallon, which was supposed to have been placed in a lock box. Mrs. Speaker, I believe the honorable prime minister and minister for finance has such high and low and cannot find this lock box. This exposes the hypocrisy of the former prime minister and minister for finance who could not reduce fuel prices when oil prices were at record lows in 2020. Instead, he chose to give kuxi contracts to his FFF. Mrs. Speaker, no one could have predicted the Russia-Ukraine War. This was a major unanticipated shock that has had severe consequences for the economy. Under such circumstances, Mrs. Speaker, policy-making must inevitably be dynamic and must be recalibrated to the particular circumstances that the country is confronted with. So, Mrs. Speaker, when the leader of the opposition comes, they're masquerading as if he's so concerned about the people of this country. Where are the people during COVID that was gasping for air whilst the World Bank and the IMF and others gave resources for us to intervene in the lives of the people to give them some income support? That was not done. And I have gone through the estimates, Mrs. Speaker, and articulated what the monies were utilized for to continue on the merry way of the FFF empire, Mrs. Speaker, whilst people were gasping for air. And all of a sudden, the leader of the opposition comes inside of this house, making people believe that we are insensitive. Mrs. Speaker, when we got into office, despite what we found, we reached out to the people of this country and we eased the squeeze. Many social programs were put in place, and in a while I will show how the Minister for Finance changed the trajectory of this country for the better, Mrs. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, at almost every parliamentary sitting, the Minister for Finance provides us with an update on the extent of the physical recklessness of the last administration. We need to constantly remind the people of the wasteful excesses of that last administration so that it remains indelibly ingrain in our memories so that we never repeat the errors of the past. Mrs. Speaker, based on what happened over the past five years on the UWP, they must never reemerge from the ashes of time. We all know, and we now know, Mrs. Speaker, the money is paid for the vaccines which to date we have not received. The contractual commitment with Cayman Health, which our government is now required to honour and for which we have to come to parliament to seek permission to borrow to meet this commitment. The commitments entered into for design finance construct projects of DFCs as they are known. I wish to remind solutions that DFCs are entered into when the contractor pays for financing project and the government repays the contractor like a loan over specified period of time. The former government entered into many DFCs as they had no money, a famous phrase used by the leader of the opposition when he was Prime Minister. And now our government is now required to meet these hefty commitments. And you tell me your policies are creating some space in the economy and responsible for growth. Mrs. Speaker, it is to be noted that many of these projects were improperly procured, resulting in reckless and wasteful expenditure. The member for Kastri's North has given an account of some of these projects and articulated the scandalous manner in which the roadworks were undertaken in the Rodney Bay area to create what the last administration called a fall in highway. This project was executed in a manner, Mr. Speaker, which not only patently violated all project management principles, but also sadly resulted in significant wasteful expenditure, which most unfortunately the taxpayers has to pay. We also know of the longstanding commitment the former government made in respect of rental commitments, in respect of millions of dollars for orange grove or what was formerly known as a diamond. So, members need to recall the building was purchased by the former administration and then sold for a fraction of the purchase price with the most ridiculous condition that government was required to rent significant rental space at a ridiculous cost. We cannot forget St. Jude's, Mr. Speaker, in which the last government ignored their own technical audit and went on a frolic of constructing a new building which remains substantially incomplete at a cost close to $120 million. And Mr. Speaker, we are all aware of the former government's decision to ignore the PPP government, the PPP our government had judiciously pursued with the IFC for the development of HIA and embarked on a totally different course of action committing our government and the taxpayers by extension to millions of dollars and the cost overruns on this project has already reached a level. Which appears to be unprecedented in the history of projects that have been implemented in St. Lucia. So, where are the policies that created growth and development in the economy? I will stop here, Mr. Speaker, as there are so many other projects in which resources have been wasted. But I think you get the point, Mr. Speaker, of the limitations that our government had to and is continuing to address as it embarks on a policy of fiscal correction, restructuring of the economy and ensuring that the government gets value for money in undertaking projects using sound project management principles and technical oversight. The external economic environment also significantly influences the ability of our government to pursue the policies we would like to, Mr. Speaker, given that St. Lucia is a small open economy, highly dependent on tourism and imports of goods and services. In this day and age, Mr. Speaker, information is widely available on what is happening in the world economy and in particular the significant negative impact that the war between Russia and Ukraine is having on oil and commodity prices and supply chain bottlenecks in the world. Mr. Speaker, while the world was grappling with the impact of the pandemic and began to recover, the external shock of the Russia-Ukraine war exacerbated the underlying conditions in the world resulting in higher inflation, higher interest rates and lower global growth. All of these factors, Mr. Speaker, have had significant contagion impacts on the St. Lucia economy as we now have to grapple with higher inflation interest rates and lower growth among our major trading partners. Notwithstanding the strong headwinds, Mr. Speaker, this Minister of Finance, the Honorable Philip J. Pierre and the member of the Kazuis East, has navigated these headwinds expertly, achieving significant economic growth while substantially narrowing the fiscal deficit. Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has indeed delivered a masterclass in economic policy and financial management, as I will show shortly in the review of the budget outturn for fiscal year 2022-2023. Mr. Speaker, before reviewing the budget estimates for fiscal year 2023-2024, it is important for us to account for the performance in fiscal year 2022-2023. In fact, it is a requirement of the Public Finance Management Act. The overall review of the performance of the budget is shown on page Roman numeral 3, the heading of which is captioned budget summary. In this table, there are four columns, namely actual 2021-2022, approved estimates 2022-2023, projected outturned 2022-2023, and budget estimates 2023-2024. We should also recall, Mr. Speaker, that the budget for the fiscal year 2022-2023 was the main budget delivered by the Minister of Finance and member for Kazuis East. Let me now take you through the fiscal numbers so that you can properly understand the brilliance of the member for Kazuis East in managing this economic malaise he had to deal with in the aftermath of the fiscal mess created by the former administration. Revenue collection. It is well known, Mr. Speaker, that there is a positive correlation between economic activity and revenue collections. That is to say that higher the level of economic activity, the greater revenue collections, a review of the rule, total recurrent revenue shows that revenue collections for fiscal year 2022-2023 is projected to have increased by a whopping 155.7 million over the actuals for fiscal year 2021-2022. Mr. Speaker, while we await the data from the economic review, this is clearly indicative of the faster pace of economic activity. It is also to be noted that projected revenues were higher than the approved estimates for the fiscal year 2022-2023 by 58.7 million. It is also to be noted that this impressive revenue performance was matched by an equally impressive expenditure as the Minister for Finance was able to curb the growth in current expenditure while meeting the legacy of commitments from the former government. Mr. Speaker, compared to the actual performance in fiscal year 2021-2022, current expenditure is projected to have grown by 4.4% to 1.24 billion. But notably, the projected outlook for current expenditure was $100 million or 7.4% below the projected estimates for fiscal year 2023-2022-2023. As a result of this favorable trends in revenue and expenditure, the current surplus of government moved from a deficit of $140.6 million in fiscal year 2021-2022 to a projected deficit of $40.1 million in fiscal year 2022-2023. An improvement in the overall deficit position by $100 million. This does not happen by accident, Mr. Speaker. This is not a product of spontaneous combustion. It is not a sudden discovery. Mr. Speaker, yes you would right. The current surplus of government moved from a deficit of $140.6 million in fiscal year 2021-2022 to a projected deficit of $40.1 million in fiscal year 2022-2023. An improvement in the overall deficit position I repeat by $100 million. Even more importantly, the primary balance which is the difference between revenue and non-interest expenditure moved from and listened to this carefully, Mr. Speaker, from a deficit position of $156.7 million in fiscal year 2021-2022 to a surplus. Yes, a surplus of $29.6 million. We even did considerably better than our own forecast for fiscal year 2022-2023 in which a primary deficit of $220 million was projected. This turnarong in the fiscal fortunes of the country is a reflection of the expert fiscal stewardship of the Minister for Finance. Give Jack his jacket. Moreover, Mr. Speaker, the overall deficit narrowed considerably from $324.4 million in fiscal year 2021-2022 to $150.1 million in fiscal year 2022-2023. As a percentage of GDP, the overall deficit move from 6.6% in 2021-2022 to 2.7% in 2022-2023. It is to be noted that the prudential benchmark for the overall deficit to GDP is 3%. Having outlined the impressive fiscal performance of the government, Mr. Speaker, I now turn to the estimates for the new financial year 2023-2024. The Minister for Finance has again astutely crafted a budget that provides a platform building on the major achievements in fiscal year 2022-2023 and to meet the priorities of our government and the people of St. Lucia. Recurrent revenue is projected to grow by $204.3 million to $1.4 billion. This forecast reflects the assumption of continued growth in economic activity that we anticipate in 2023. The budget assumes a nominal growth of GDP of 9.8% with nominal GDP growing from $5.5 billion to $6.04 billion. These speakers are bolstered, Mr. Speaker, by the latest business performance survey from the Chamber of Commerce in July of 2022, which revealed that business confidence was under rise with 66% of respondents forecasting increased turnover over the next 12 months. The government is also projecting grant receipts of $147 million in fiscal year 2023-2024. This is indeed great news, Mr. Speaker, as the increased forecast for revenue collections provides government with the ability to increase expenditure and allocate more resources to priority agencies to deliver more services and goods to the people. While at the same time correcting the fiscal mess that we inherited from the last administration. So let us look at the current expenditure. As a result, Mr. Speaker, recurrent expenditure for fiscal year 2023-2024 is budgeted at $1.4 billion, representing an increase of $92.7 million over last year's approved estimates and more significantly an increase of $193.1 million over last year's projected expenditure in fiscal year 2022-2024. When we look at the capital expenditure, Mr. Speaker, capital expenditure is budgeted at $302.1 million, reflecting an increase of $87.5 million over last year's projected year-end outlook, but $80.5 million below last year's approved budget. I will read this again, Mr. Speaker. Capital expenditure is budgeted at $302.1 million, reflecting an increase of $87.5 million over last year's projected year-end outlook, but $80.5 million below last year's approved budget. This fiscal numbers, Mr. Speaker, show the astuteness of the Minister for Finance in taking the country out of the fiscal abyss that it was placed in under the former administration. Mr. Speaker, the current account deficit, which was narrowed significantly in the last fiscal year by over $100 million, is forecasted to further narrow to $28.9 million. And let's look at the primary balance while we are at it. Mr. Speaker, the primary balance, which recorded a whooping deficit of $156.6 million in fiscal year 2021-2022, and was miraculously turned around to a surplus of $29.6 million in fiscal year 2022-2023, is further forecasted to $29.6 million in fiscal year 2022-2023. Is further forecasted to strengthen to a primary surplus of $42.5 million. Reflecting the increase in capital expenditure, the overall deficit is expected to increase to $176.4 million compared to the projected outlook for 2022-2023. But is still significantly lower than the $324.4 million recorded in fiscal year 2021-2022. As a percentage of GDP, the overall deficit is 2.9% and remains below the prudential standard of 3%. The net financing requirement, which reflects the borrowing that is required for the budget, is $288.6 million, of which unsignificantly $256.6 million is from external borrowing from multilateral sources at concessionary rates. A location of resources to agencies in the draft 2023-2024 estimates of revenue and expenditure builds on the foundation of the estimates for 2022-2023 allocating increased resources in areas of high priority to the government and achieving the objectives we have set in the manifesto. In addition to providing increased resources to agencies to allow them to execute the programs, our government is also working towards increasing the productivity and efficiency of expenditure so that greater value added is achieved per unit dollar of expenditure. In this regard, Mr. Speaker, our government is working towards removing waste and inefficiency caused by poor project management practices. But let's look at the sustainability of the budget. Again, let's look at the brilliance of the Minister for Finance. And one of the things you must look at is the sustainability of the budget. Let's examine that now. One of the tests of a good budget is that it should be sustainable and develop within a robust, medium-term fiscal framework. Outlining the projected growth in revenues and expenditure through forward estimates for the next two years, namely 2024, 2025, and 2025-2026. In the estimates, it has some forward estimates for the two other years. So let's look at how this one relates to 2024, 2025, and 2025-2026. The draft estimates of revenue and expenditure provides forward estimates for recurrent revenue and recurrent expenditure and gives a good indication of the movement in this fiscal variable. So let's look at the current budget year that we're going from 2023 to 2024. For this year's budget, Mr. Speaker, recurrent revenue is estimated at $1.4 billion while recurrent expenditure is estimated at $1.4 billion. This year's budget, Mr. Speaker, recurrent revenue is estimated at $1.4 billion while recurrent expenditure is estimated at $1.44 billion. This yields a small recurrent deficit of $29 million. This must be placed within the context of the two previous fiscal years, namely 2021-2022, the legacy budget of the former administration, and 2022-2023, the first budget of the Minister for Finance. For fiscal year 2021-2022, actual recurrent revenue totaled $1.05 billion while actual recurrent expenditure amounted to $1.194 billion and thus yielding a recurrent deficit of $141 million. The corresponding figures for fiscal year 2022-2023 are projections of $1.209 billion and $1.249 billion for recurrent revenue and expenditure respectively. This yields a smaller recurrent deficit of $40 million compared to the legacy budget of $141 million. So how can you all policies have brought any sulajma to the people of this country? This outcome is even more impressive given that we had to meet the back pay commitments of public servants in the year. The source of these figures, Mr. Speaker, is on page Roman numeral 3 of the draft estimates. So everything I said in this house can be fact checked. Now let's look at the fiscal year 2024-2025 because we're looking at the forward estimate to try to determine the sustainability of the budget. The forward estimate for recurrent revenue in 2024-2025 is $1.408 billion and the reference page is Roman numeral 5. While the forward estimate for recurrent expenditure for 2024-2025 is $1.234 billion, reference page Roman numeral 8. This yields an overall recurrent surplus and I repeat, Mr. Speaker, a recurrent surplus of $174 million. For fiscal year 2025-2026, the forward estimates for recurrent revenue and recurrent expenditure are $1.462 billion and $1.231 billion respectively. As a result, the recurrent surplus is $241 million and even better performance than for fiscal year 2024-2025. It means clearly that the Minister for Finance understands economics and finance and knows full well how to allocate resources and how to ease the squeeze on the people of this country irrespective of the fact that we have a global political environment which is pregnant with the seeds of our country's continued marginalization. So Mr. Speaker, the trajectory of performance for the recurrent balance of government is constantly improving, moving from a deficit of $140 million in 2021-2022 to a surplus of $241 million by 2025-2026. This prognosticated remarkable turnaround in performance of $371 million is a reflection of the wizardry of the Minister for Finance in fiscal management. In the latest IMF article for staff report St. Lucia, executive directors called on the authorities, meaning the government, and I quote, to pursue a credible and grow friendly fiscal consolidation to strengthen fiscal sustainability, create space for social and infrastructure investment, build buffers against natural disasters and put debt on a downward path. Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the fiscal policies of the Minister of Finance is working and the projected surpluses will provide our government with the necessary fiscal space to increase social and infrastructure investment, which is critical to the continued growth and development of the economy, leading to an overall benefit of the people through increased employment, increased income and a reduction in poverty. Now, that's what you need when you manage the resources of a country coming in heritage of fiscal mess as we were recovering from COVID incomes, the war in Ukraine, driving up inflation, driving up interest rates, and we are able to touch the lives of the ordinary persons in this country as if we experience in a boom. And then you all come inside of here and solve the truth of the progress of this government and the Minister for Finance by saying that is not easing the squeeze on the people of this country. Now, you see, Mr. Speaker, I don't mind people coming inside of there and debate, but debate properly, be truthful. You all have nothing to say, just don't say nothing. Just talk about your constituencies, say where you need roads, say where you need water, say where you need this and that under the various heads. No come inside of there and try to misrepresent the reality of things here. I want you all to stop that honorable member for Shwazel Saltibas. I will pray for you, my dear brother. I know you for a very long time used to come to parties by me on the hill at Martin Luper Street. I mean, we know each other for a long time. Do not allow people to mislead you. Do not become a victim of misleading information. Do not come there and join the fellas. When the fellas report sick, my brother. So, having articulated the brilliant position that the Minister of Finance has taken and I'll tell you, what is going on there is not one term. You see that kind of one term thing that existed before? The Minister of Finance has programmed the next decade into his planning. So, there's no tibutik thing going on there. These big things are one. I want to, as I prepare to conclude on some of the estimates before I deal with my constituency and my ministry. Indicate. I look at the Saint Jude's reconstruction project, which is very important to us. While each member of parliament will provide details and have already provided their details in their own way, both in this house and when they leave to go to the various town hall meetings, they will be providing details as to what the budget actually means for the people of this country. I wish to note, Mr. Speaker, citizens, particularly those in the south of the island, will be particularly pleased that an allocation of 32.75 million has been made for the Saint Jude's hospital project. Our government is determined to ensure that this project is completed within the shortest possible timeframe so that the people and staff of Saint Jude's can be housed in a building worthy of being called a hospital. And we've provisioned facilities and equipment for proper function in hospital. Mr. Speaker, the launching of the youth economy, one of the flagship programs about government, has been greeted with much enthusiasm among the youth. And it is expected that this program will provide significant benefits by providing increased opportunities for the youth through the provision of technical and financial support. I am pleased to note that the provision of four million dollars has been allocated to the youth economy. I can list the myriad of projects and programs benefiting from the allocations made in this year's draft estimates of revenue and expenditure. But time will not permit me to do so, Mr. Speaker. And Mr. Speaker, I now turn to the Ministry of External Affairs, which I have responsible in it. And Mr. Speaker, I have a document there with almost 30 pages, highlighting or just adumbrating, just a shadow of the achievements of the ministry. But again, Mr. Speaker, time will not permit me, even though I am a master in compression to deliver in any significant time. So what I'll do, a lot of agwe ma, what I will do is to give a little trailer and I'm going to articulate in the policy debate the real vibe. So I'm just going through just the first page. The political and economic division facilitation and advancement of development cooperation with Mexico resulting in the implementation of four significant projects for the year and the review. Facilitation of development cooperation with Japan resulting in the implementation of two significant projects in the areas of fisheries development and infrastructure. Facilitation of development cooperation with the Republic of China Taiwan resulting in the implementation of several projects in diverse area development. Bilateral cooperation with Cuba in the fields of education. Bilateral cooperation with Brazil in the field of health resulting in the donation of 26,000 vaccines along with other medical supplies to fight various critical diseases that threaten the lives of our people. Bilateral cooperation with Argentina in the areas of health and human resource development resulting in the donation of vaccines and the sponsorship of language training for government officials of St. Lucia. Bilateral cooperation with Canada in the provision of technical and financial assistance to St. Lucia for institutional capacity building and for enhancing citizen security, public sector productivity and trade. Lunge of a campaign by St. Lucia for the presidency of the executive board of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO. The protocol and consular division, the extension of courtesies and privileges as well as the protection of immunities granted under the Vienna Convention and international law to visiting residents dignitaries including ambassadors and heads of state. And government administration of a differentiated regime of courtesies provided by the laws of St. Lucia to qualify in public and order officials. The upgrading of St. Lucia's diplomatic ties with Alba, Mexico and Venezuela heightened engagement by the St. Lucia consulate in Canada with St. Lucia diaspora in Canada diaspora leaders. And of course many orders across the land from breath of Canada improvements to accountability and service delivery in the issuance of emergency travel documents to members of the St. Lucia diaspora in St. Lucia. Mobilization of assistance from the St. Lucia diaspora in the way of supplies for our hospitals and relief for victims of the trough system which adversely affected the north of St. Lucia recently. For the first time since the pandemic our people in Canada could have celebrated independence. Logistical and order support provided to St. Lucia students stood in Cuba. Assistance rendered to St. Lucia's visiting Cuba for medical and order purposes. A smooth transition by the St. Lucia consulate serving Martinik and French Antilles to the new electronic passport regime. Initiation of a program of transition to a near paperless operation at the St. Lucia consulate in Martinik. A deepening of bilateral relations with France and the French department of Martinik in the crucial areas of health and of citizen security as well as border security. So, Mr. Speaker, I can go to international trade and civil aviation and diaspora affairs. Heightened efforts are ensuring that nationals in the diaspora are better informed on development initiatives as well as opportunities at home and the contribution, advice and participation sought in decision making. So, Mr. Speaker, I could go and list a whole spectrum of interventions. Not to mention, Mr. Speaker, that when you have flights coming into St. Lucia and going to this destination and that destination, the engine room is at the ministry of external affairs, international trade, civil aviation and diaspora affairs. A member for Labry or have 10 minutes left? Mr. Speaker, I'd like to invoke standing order 421 in order to allow the member for Labry an additional 40 minutes within which to complete his presentation. One of the members, the question is that standing order 421 be invoked to allow the member for Labry an additional 30 minutes in which to complete his presentation. And I'll put a question as many as that opinion say aye. I say aye, as many as our country opinion say no, I think the ayes have it, the ayes have it, leave is granted, please proceed. Thank you very much Mrs. Svika and Honorable Members for allowing me an additional time and I must say I will not abuse the patience of this Honorable Heart. I will finish well within the additional 30 minutes that I have requested. But as I was saying Mrs. Svika, my ministry is the engine room. Normally we have to engage in some a lot of back and forth and sustain dialogue with the airlines to ensure that documentation etc. are quite in order to grant fifth freedom rights whenever necessary. It's a very complicated process but we are getting things going. But when I report in the policy estimates, I will speak about the work being done by the Chairman of the Air Transport Licensing Board Mr. Affen Neptune and the crew. And they have been doing a fantastic job Mrs. Svika. Mrs. Svika, given my promise not to abuse your patience and to finish well within time, I will at this juncture address matters pertaining to my constituency. I shall speak to my constituents Mrs. Svika in the Labri Oje constituency directly. And I want to begin by fanking them again for making me the instrument of the wishes on the basis of my clear commitment to the public welfare. As a laborian who is cooked and baked in the laborian culture was raised among very powerful role models like Watson Louis Agafa Jampanel, the late Hilridajibil, the late Rudi John and many others that shaped the young alpha to be their representative today. I will not fall easy prayer to provocation. Mrs. Svika, let me state categorically that in line with the new prescripts of the new dispensation, and that is this dispensation by the Philip J.P. administration Mrs. Svika, the appropriate policies that have been put in place to dramatically improve the quality of life of Saint Lucians, will benefit the people of Labri Oje. Mrs. Svika, every provision made in the estimates, whether it is on the hope or on the hope or on whatever heading, it will all benefit the constituencies of this country. And laborians and the people of Oje shall never be left out. In the past fiscal period, every head impacted the people of my constituency. Mrs. Svika, as I have also stated in previous contributions in this Honorable House, I shall pursue the true and real development of the Labri Oje constituency in collaboration with other actors in the drama of development, especially the Labri Development Foundation. In this regard, Mrs. Svika, if the Labri Development Foundation has to function as the central coordinating mechanism in the Labri constituency, there needs to be close support and collaboration. And my office is always open to providing guidance and resources to the foundation to carry out this work. And we are going to cooperate under our respective mandates without infringing whether directly or indirectly on the independence and integrity of this organization. In this regard, Mrs. Svika, I am pleased to report that for many months after the last general elections, I spent a considerable amount of time touring the Labri Oje constituency with relevant government departments. Kiyamong, which was the Department of Physical Development, follow in which elaborate plans were produced and a major community consultation was held, followed by another specific engagement with the Labri Development Foundation. The central focus of that initial consultation was the Labri Beachfront and Monli Blanc development. More specifically, to erect economic infrastructure along the Labri Village Beachfront to continue to stimulate demand for our brand of tourism. We have our own brand of tourism that we are pursuing quietly, especially the Airbnb product, Mrs. Svika, but we are rising without no fuss and without no fanfare. To develop Majomel as the upper Labri Village to further compliment our tourism product, not to mention the further development of the Monli Blanc Lookout Point as a significant tourist attraction. And all of this project shall be explored and pursued in consultation and collaboration with the Labri Development Foundation. But there is one specific thing that I want to accentuate in this house, that we want to invest all of those projects in the Labri Development Foundation to reduce the over dependence on central government that we can pursue our own development unencumbered by partisan considerations. We are commencing the beachfront development with the construction of the Labri Market and Square, which went through community consultations over five years ago under the SLP administration of 2011-2016. In fact, Mrs. Svika, on page 479 had 51 subhead 13, section 11, subsection 206, section of the estimates of revenue of expenditure 2015-2016 out of a project cost of 2.4 million, 1.3 million were allocated to the construction of the Labri Market. But sometimes there are administrative delays in getting approvals and getting this. It did not happen, not because the monies were not committed in the estimates. In crafting the next budget in 2016-2017, an amount of 1.065 million was allocated for the construction of the Labri Market. However, Mrs. Svika, when the former Flambo administration entered the corridors of power in 2016, it instructed with immediacy that the Labri Market be aborted. However, today under the leadership of the member for Kastri East as Prime Minister of St. Lucia, the Labri Market is back in the estimates to commence construction this year. As a matter of fact, last year, last year the Minister of Finance committed $1 million under Head 47, sub Head 001-Line 0399 for the construction of the Labri Market. However, due to again administrative delays, we did not commence the reconstruction of the Labri Market in the fiscal year 2022-2023. However, we held a public meeting to discuss the square before it's finally implemented. And so, Mrs. Svika, on page 594 of this year's estimates of revenue and expenditure on the Head 47, $2.5 million have been allocated for the erection of the Labri Market. And Mrs. Svika, I have no lingering doubts that the Labri Market shall commence during fiscal year 2023-2024. And I'll tell you it's going to be a great celebration when we have the signing ceremony at the Labri Market. You'll be coming to the New Orleans of St. Lucia. You know, I heard people talking about the cultural capital. The Labri are saying anything. Rosili say that they have the cultural capital. Belvisi, they have Thambu. They have the cultural capital. We have jazz in the Labri. We have our own brand. So we are not competing. We are complimenting our Koli. Yes, sir. So we know first no fanfare, but certainly it will be a great day when we arrive at the signing ceremony. During this fiscal year, we will upgrade the Desmon Koli Mopak. And this is the ambition and I follow from the presentation of the Minister for Youth Development and Sports. And I'm very pleased that he has interest in the Labri constituency. He has been on all my playing fields and there will be some intervention on the crossover pack as well as the Oje playing round, Mr. Speaker. This project will certainly impact positively in the constituency and will excite young people that for a very long time they have not seen such a development. And part of the upgrade will include lighting of the Oje playing round. We shall continue working on the designs for the bands and Laguas multipurpose facilities. We have already begun work on the Marjomel waterfall and conceptualization of the Upper Labri village at Marjomel. Mr. Speaker, in keeping with continuous engagement with those I represent, we began a new rung of community meetings prior to this debate. We held two such meetings, one at Marjomel and one at Black Bay. After this debate on the estimate, we will continue our engagement. Mr. Speaker, I now turn to a vexing issue for the constituents of the Labri Oje constituent and that is Rhodes. Rhodes, Mr. Speaker. Rhodes, a vexing issue. I can state categorically, without any fear of contradiction, that our Rhodes, there is no other constituency that has experienced such neglect. And Mr. Speaker, the neglect was because of vindictive and oppressive UWP administration. Neglected my constituency to the extent that even Rhodes labour actually rehabilitated would fall into disrepair. So the entire Rhodes network would be in problem. However, I am pleased to report to this Honourable House that whilst we have not engaged in any massive road works in the Labri constituency, laborians can now drive on roads that are certainly more motorable. Immediately after the elections, we were able to bring relief on the Marjomel road and the Kater road. So today, as we speak, because of the intervention of the Minister for Infrastructure, and of course the man who holds the public force, the Marjomel road is under construction. And no more will you hear me coming here and talk about even donkeys, right? Donkeys went and strike going up to Marjomel. The Kater road when I was in opposition, I went on the Kater road and for four kilometres of road, put base material to bring some relief to the people of Kater. But as you know, it ruined heavily last year and has washed away. Now the Prime Minister has said to this Honourable House and has said to Ministers, don't look for trouble fame about roads. You have to manage the economy, we have to move into some consolidation and therefore I am saying to the people of Labri, we need to be obedient to those instructions because we have to put the economy back on track to be able to deal with the roads. So we should not see any massive road works. But we just did some potholing on the Deboa road. We did some potholing on the Wavinpon Kater road. And I believe such interventions would hold until we are ready to rebuild the roads. What I would require for Oje in particular is to help throughout this fiscal period to continue building sidewalks. I have built two sets of sidewalks in the Oje community because school children and the elderly have nowhere else to walk. They have to walk on the road. So during this fiscal year, we need to build sidewalks in Pom, going down to Black Bay, going up to the Kater area where those young children have to walk long distances to go to the Oje Combined School and at Deboa and along the main road. So we are going to start there. So at least when we commence road rehabilitation, they will have somewhere for them to walk outside of the road. Further, when we finish with St. Jude's and emergency vehicles would be speeding on the Black Bay Pom Oje road. I want my people to be safe. And so I ask of you minister and prime minister to assist me with that. But there is one road that I want some attention to. And that is the Kater road. The Kater road, Mrs. Mr. Speaker, the Kater road. Mr. Minister and Mr. Prime Minister, we have to fix up the Kater road. And then we'll hold tight until the time comes for us to rehabilitate the entire road network. So put all your heavy equipment on the road, go and build St. Jude's. And I said last time that the only way St. Jude's would not be completed well within this term is if the world end before our term ends. Magadisa kwe ala lang ma manu. Sel manie. Nupital St. Jude's pakaifini. Se sila fendi munfet avan. We are going to complete the hospital. And we are going to continue to fight to equip the hospital properly because not just a building. We have to continue and from my ministry we would like to see at least an MRI machine emerging somewhere in this country. To stop our people swimming to matnik for MRI or going to Barbados and Trinidad and other places. And in my last trip I have spoken to a friendly government to see if we can source an MRI machine and a CT scan so that at least the people can enjoy better facilities, better diagnostic tools to improve the overall quality of healthcare in this country. Mr. Speaker, I now turn to Head 56, the constituency development project CDP which contains an allocation of 21 million. Mr. Speaker, whilst this figure represents 2110th of what is required for what I would like to undertake in the Labri Oje constituency, I am willing to share that amount with my parliamentary colleagues because it is in giving that we receive. Therefore I am expecting to receive some significant support from this allocation to assist my constituency to catch up with matters of infrastructural development. When the UWP government, which you belong to, the former government, there were many persons who had the contracts to build roads in the constituency in Oje, in Palm, Upper Oje, Black Bay, at Bay Oje, Labri Village. All parts of the constituency. You had in excess of 20 persons who were affected and flabo came in and stopped all the contracts, disregarded them. Now we are back, they would like to proceed with the project. Therefore I would need special dispensation to engage in this catching up process. So Mr. Speaker, I am very optimistic that I will get the support and cooperation of the minister and of course the minister for finance. I am pleased to say that despite the fact that I did not get any additional support I have built two of those roads that were outstanding under the CDP allocation. Also Mr. Speaker, our schools, my four primary schools in the constituency were the exception of the Labri girls that was built during the former Kenyansani administration between 2011 and 2016. We rehabilitated the girls school. But the Labri boys, Oje combined and the Bansalagwa combined school all in a deprobable condition. To do it, I have responded to the request of the principals and have extended significant support hundreds of thousands of dollars to help them respond to critical needs because the school plant is very important for learning. If the environment is not conducive it will impact learning. In the same way that if people are not healthy it will impact learning. And a great thinker once said if you are not well enough to learn you are not going to learn well enough. And I believe that we need to ensure that we have a clean and wholesome environment for our children to actually learn. Now I provided the Labri boys as well as Oje combined with some support. But the Bansalagwa school the building which houses the principals staff and a couple classrooms that's the headquarters for termites. When I go to the school those termites are so troublesome Mr. Speaker as if afternoon negotiate with them for me to pass like they are doing border control so I said I'm going to be back after the estimate and becoming my friends from this parliament to ensure that we deal with them. So Mr. Speaker I think during this fiscal year despite the fact that we are going to continue to be prudent to put the economy back on track and to deal with the external environment we are going to deliver some significant benefits to the people of the country including the schools that are articulated and I'm sure that the Kata people will see the construction of that road the Kata road. So Mr. Speaker despite the hundreds of thousands of dollars in terms of infrastructure and touching the lives of the people I want to say that for me the greatest achievement for the past fiscal year for me was the manner in which I reach out and intervene in the lives of the ordinary people the voices that we do not hear very often. You know poor people have a lot of pride Mr. Speaker and when they come to you they expect you to be confidential about their affairs Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been expended in helping people with health with education and other social interventions and Mr. Speaker going around I saw the faces of mothers where the faces were stained with the acidic tears of hoot under the United Workers Party for five Tory years they couldn't take care of the kids some of the kids couldn't go to school some of the houses were in darkness because they couldn't pay this especially in the period immediately after the 2021 elections immediately after and they came quietly and I responded to them and when I see them today Mr. Speaker they are doing much better on the Labour Party Administration through the various allocations of this government as well as my own efforts to mobilize resources to help them they are doing much better and this is why the Star of Freedom had to emerge in this country on the 26th of July 2021 and like I said a few moments ago for the sake of this country for the sake of the people of St. Lucia the United Workers Party with that type of approach must never reemerge from the ashes of time they must never reemerge from the ashes of defeat we talk about Singapore Mr. Speaker making great strides and doing very well the same size of St. Lucia and then Singapore is doing so well and St. Lucia is not doing well if we continue to change government every five years and as if it is on the job training that going on there or one term this and one term that we are not going to achieve policies that will reach maturity and give birth to the type of results in the country had the Labour Party remained from 1997 until now I would not be having any conversation about Katia Road I would not be having a conversation about any Majumel Road I would not be having a conversation about the schools in my constituency it is because every time the United Workers Party gets into office there is a breaking purpose they disrupt in a very real way the development agenda and they do as they please and then we have to fight to regain our country this time with the Minister for Finance based on his performance you all have to wait a very very long time reemerge in any significant way as even a strong opposition I encourage the opposition Mr. Speaker to join with the government as we try to deal with the pressing but legitimate needs of the people of this country let us not split the development of St. Lucia at this political scene there is a need to come to parliament there is nothing wrong in debating the course of government to debate its policies to debate the budget to debate when we are amending laws or we want to pass new legislation there is no problem with that there is no problem you will not be tortured for honest purpose I have said before and I'll say again let our deliberations in this house be a survey of contending views and ideas not the type of propaganda that are coming from the other side and trying to inflame the passions of the people of this country Mr. Speaker I stand firm with the Minister for Finance I stand firm with my colleagues as together we chat a real course for this country and take this country to a new level and because I said that budgets are not just for a 5 year period but long term development plans we would require to plan beyond the next elections so that we can continue to take the people of this country to a new place the structural changes that would be required shall be done Mr. Speaker so that we as a people can move forward together so I end Mr. Speaker by indicating that the central focus of the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance is the stabilization of the macro economy on the very trying circumstances well been at the center of public policies and moving towards stronger social protection systems because inclusive and sustainable growth requires a stable economic framework and sound management of public finances Mr. Speaker given that the budgets must be viewed within the context of governments longer term plan to restructure the economy and place it on the longer term path for sustainable growth and development to benefit the people of this country in a very tangible way so I am confident that there will be practical realization of many projects that will uplift the people of this country Long live the member for Cassis East Long live the Prime Minister of St. Wiltshire Long live the Minister of Finance May God continue to bless his hand as he signs many things for labri to get what it rightly deserves and of course and what is left you can share it with my colleague Thank you Mr. Speaker