 Mr. Speaker, colleagues, parliamentarians, ladies and gentlemen, it is with great humility that I again rise in this honourable house to give an account of my stewardship for the past financial year 2022-2023. One filled with many challenges but also with notable achievements which I acknowledge and for which I am grateful. Mr. Speaker, as I commenced my presentation this morning, please allow me for this up-to-time to express my appreciation and gratitude to the people of Castree South's constituency for your many votes of confidence in my ability to represent you. I consider it a humbling privilege to serve as your parliamentary representative, a responsibility I take very seriously. Thank you for your trust in me and for the support that you continue to provide as we work together to improve our constituency. I look forward to the continuation of this great relationship as we work together to develop this wonderful constituency. Mr. Speaker, I also want to place on record my appreciation and gratitude to my honourable Prime Minister for his vision, his support and his demonstrated confidence in my ability to lead the mandates and work for the Ministry of Equity, Social Justice and Empowerment. My ministry continues to lead the government's commitment to advancing social development and fostering a stable social environment by delivering equitable social protection services to all sentlosions, particularly the more vulnerable among us. Mr. Speaker, I will focus my presentation on social protection and investments for vulnerable persons in this budget. I want to underscore, Mr. Speaker, why are we investing in our people in the manner in which we are doing? What is the underpinning philosophy? What are the social interventions undertaken by my ministry and the agencies under my view? And finally, how we should protect the investments being made? According to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean Aircraft, in its first regional report on the implementation of the Montevideo Consensus on Population and Development, it says, social protection refers to the set of actions that the public and private entities undertake to ease the burden of risk and needs borne by households and individuals through life cycle. Mr. Speaker, social protection refers to these through the cradle and the grave. Thus, the work of social protection and social security includes the many other initiatives and other social ministries to include the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Justice, also the Department of Housing. We recognize that the Ministry of Commerce is contributing, and as I listened to the presentation from the Prime Minister and some comments made by the head of the Sengrisha Development Bank, they are moving conscious of the need to participate in social protection. The Prime Minister, in his address on Tuesday, referred to several interventions in those ministries which will contribute to the well-being of our vulnerable population. Why is the government of Sengrisha under the S&P administration, led by the Prime Minister Philip Joseph Pierre, investing in social protection at such a challenging time as this, 25 million for public assistance, half a million for scholarships, land for settlement, establishment of an elderly affairs unit, 80-plus medical package, maternal and child care program to be the first stage of our universal healthcare, MSME loan grant facility, removal of 12.5% vat on plywood, lumber, steel, cement and galvanized, tax amnesty, rebate of one dollar per gallon for all registered fishers, pensioners to receive one of payment of $600 in November, thousands of laptops to children, subsidies on flour and fuel, 17 million in stimulus and support from the Sengrisha Social Development Fund, outstanding payment to employees of Liat and majestic workers. The answer is clear. It is based on our philosophy. And I don't want you to deceive Mr. Speaker, we need to explain why is it we do the things we do. Because there are other persons who can mimic or imitate or mock what we do and also deceive many people. And I think it was in second Timothy Paul to Timothy in a letter saying that persons having a form of godliness by denying the power thereof. And I borrow from this some persons may have a form of social protection without believing in social protection. Mr. Speaker, what is the philosophy? Our philosophy draws from our spiritual values and belief as stated in scripture. It rests firmly on our belief that human beings will made in the image and likeness of the Creator God Himself. So we are all valuable irrespective of our situation and circumstance. For some male to eat states, he God raises the poor from the dust and leaves the beggar from the ash heap to set them among princes and make them inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are the lords and he has set the will upon them. Our philosophy is also enshrined in our constitutions. Can you free be? Believe that all persons have been endowed equally by God with inalienable rights and dignity. Realize that the human dignity requires respect for spiritual values, for private family life and property, and the enjoyment of adequate standard of economic and social well-being dependent upon the resources of the state. If also speaks to respect the principles of social justice, therefore believe that the operations of the economic system should result in material resources of the community being so distributed as to observe the common goal, that there should be adequate means of livelihood for all. Also as a government, we subscribe to the view that social protection is a fundamental right which is enshrined as such in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 and International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights of 1966. What about the San Luis Saliba Party? Our motto of Bread, Justice, and Freedom, putting people first, contributes to this philosophy. That is why we invest in our people. That is why we exist as a political party to put people first. Mr. Speaker, I just would like to take a short moment to speak to some statistical evidence that makes the point even louder. Mr. Speaker, whereas we receive the annual economic and social review, it provides much evidence on the economic situation of San Luis Saliba. However, social indicators are not available and we rely on the country poverty survey which is done every five years. But Mr. Speaker, I want to emphasize this point by speaking to the limited poverty data that's available. Mr. Speaker, if you follow a source from the World Bank and look at 40 years of GDP in San Luis Saliba, you would recognize that the trend is that it's going upward. It's climate. Notwithstanding the worst performance ever of 2020 where we saw a major decline of 24.3, 6 percent, and that will remain a stain in the last administration performance. But GDP has been climbing. Notwithstanding poverty over the same period has remained the same, 25.1 percent as stated in the report of 1995, 28.8 percent in 2005 and in 2016 back to 25 percent. Our Gini coefficient has remained the same for that period. So while GDP, while the economy is growing, poverty has not moved over a period of 40 years. The wealth of the country has remained in the hands of the same persons. Our inequality has been the same. And of course, what about inequality? This contributes to segregation and the deterioration of our social environment. It underpins a culture of privilege that suggests that even some of us sitting here have no right to be here. This has its foundation since colonial days. The special concentration of income and wealth becomes obvious. That is why, Mr. Speaker, on a macro level, low-cost social infrastructure can be far more impactful qualitatively to vulnerable populations than costly economic infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, that is why an administrative complex or the construction of St. Jude Hospital has more guaranteed immediate long-lasting impact on the people of Vuford than a horse racing trap or the construction of the airport. That is why, Mr. Speaker, we must not provide some communities with all social amenities while orders are left without. They have to feel the inequality and segregation while moving along. As to community assets and public goods must be equitably arranged, Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind us of some statements or interviews by ordinary Senrushans, and I am taking it from the 1995 Participatory Poverty Survey just to make the point as to why we do what we do. In the 1995 survey, persons were interviewed and here are some of what people say. You don't have a choice. That's the way it is. You can't do nothing. You can't do anything. I have to live with it, and this is about poverty. The way we get it, the way we take it. I pour yes, but I can't do nothing about it. I don't think I will ever come out of poverty. One said, I was born in a family that was poor. I grew up in a poor family. I had to start working at 15. We were poor. They couldn't send me to school. My father left my mother when I was a baby and we had it hard. My grandmother was poor. My family had nothing. Not interviews from poor people of the 1995 country poverty survey. Persons participating in it. I was not poor before, but now I am poor. Once, I am neither poor nor wealthy. I'm not very poor, but I still can't afford everything I need. I'm not by the street begging. No, I'm not poor. I can't make it live in by myself. Another person said, I have to depend on people. I have to depend on the children's father. He don't give much. I am frustrated. I can't give the children things they want. Things getting harder. I don't know what I will do, bills to pay food to buy. I don't know where the money coming from. I'm not happy with my life. It's not a good life. When I get up in the morning, I'm having a splitting headache asking God, where will I get food to feed my children? This participatory method of poverty studies is under 1995. We rely every five years, and I know another survey is due, and will commence shortly after our census. But I wish, Mr. Speaker, that similar to our annual social and economic review, that we had data that gives a picture as to exactly how people are surviving. When a government amid rising fuel costs chooses to keep the price of fuel low for the people and for go collecting $40 million, that is because the government is putting people first. When a government chooses to keep a bag of flour at $50 for bakers instead of $105 so that bread would remain affordable to the unemployed citizens until it realizes a reduction in unemployment, that is putting people first. When a government allocates $25 million for public assistance, $500,000 for scholarships, land settlements, and all what have been described before, $17 million in stimulus from SSDF, that is putting people first. You see, Mr. Speaker, when a government does not invest in its population, the country GDP can grow as much as you want. Your people cannot benefit, and your country cannot go anywhere. Imagine your country is a wheelbarrow, and the handles and wheel are the people. The GDP is all the good stuff the politicians shovel into the wheelbarrow. But if the handles are weak and the tire is without air, that country will go nowhere. Mr. Speaker, the leader of opposition is of an opposing view. He does not believe in this. He has said or intimated that we must grow the economy first and then take care of social problems. Our prime minister believes that we must grow the economy while we care for our people. Please, Mr. Speaker, to report that during the past financial year, as St. Lucia continued to grapple with the prolonged impacts of COVID-19 pandemic, as well as issues of crime and violence and other social concerns, my ministry remain grounded by this philosophy and commitment and work assiduously to bring relief to vulnerable persons and households. With determination and remaining focus on our purpose, we redefined and redirected our efforts and continued to aggressively deliver social services to those who needed it most. We also focused on the design and implementation of new programs to adequately address emerging social issues and an expanding vulnerable population. Mr. Speaker, during the 2022-2023 fiscal year, through our social protection flagship intervention public assistance program, the ministry provided cash benefits to approximately 3,600 persons from across the island. With such benefits ranging from $215 to $465 per household depending on size, the government expanded in excess of $16 million on this program to ensure that vulnerable families can meet the most basic needs at this critical time. Additionally, Mr. Speaker, my ministry provided over 300 persons with burial assistance at a cost of over half a million dollars, as well as medical assistance to various individuals. Including PAP beneficiaries, children in foster care, medical exception card holders, all of this at a total cost of just over $2 million. $146,470 was spent on emergency housing and another $118,250 on ICARE. Mr. Speaker, through the Child Disability Grant program, 312 children with disabilities receive financial support at a rate of $200 per month from the Ministry of Equity. 176 children in court mandated foster care receive $300 a month and 90 persons on the persons living with HIV program receive food vouchers valued at $100 per month amounting to a combined expenditure in excess of $1.5 million in the year. But Mr. Speaker, this was not the full extent of our support during the financial year. Realizing substantial increases in the number of requests being received for social assistance, my ministry engaged the Caribbean Development Bank to design a new COVID-19 response project to provide relief to additional vulnerable families. What is interesting about this particular project and that pleases me, Mr. Speaker, is that the project targets a range of vulnerable population to include households on the waiting list of existing social assistance program. The homeless persons rendered unemployed as a result of COVID-19 and persons living with HIV among others. Hailed as a solid demonstration of government's commitment to protecting its vulnerable population, this investment of $5.22 million US dollars from the Inter-American Development Bank will support 900 households on the waiting list of public assistance program and 102 waiting list clients of the child disability grant program through cash transfers for six months. It will also support a top-up of the cash value to foster carers and persons living with HIV. Additionally, Mr. Speaker, the project will provide assistance to vulnerable populations, not on the rest of transfer programs, working in the informal sector, as well as feeding the homeless and the indigent. Further, support in the form of equipment and training, capacity building, will be provided for learning continuity among vulnerable populations, thus ensuring that no one is left behind. This Mr. Speaker titled, Safety Nets for Vulnerable Population, affected by the coronavirus. This was approved in this honorable house in December 2022 and is at a preliminary stage of implementation. Mr. Speaker, honorable members, you will be hearing a lot more about this project in the coming months as we roll out our communications strategy. Mr. Speaker, vulnerable families also benefited from a suite of social assistance services through the St. Lucia Social Development Fund. In 2022-2023, a total of 1,314 students received educational assistance to include uniform, booked tuition and transportation from the SSDF as an aggregate cost of $875,529.30. An additional 4,489 households benefited from assistance to meet the educational needs under the Educational Assistance Stimulus Program at a cost of $2,8242.50. Certainly, Mr. Speaker, we understand the challenges on that road to recover post COVID and how difficult it is for some families to meet basic family needs, including school needs of children. Against this background, Mr. Speaker, my ministry will continue to support as many families as possible with the requisite wraparound services to continue participating meaningfully in activities to empower and uplift the entire family. Mr. Speaker, the Our Boys Marta Program is another of the SSDF Important Social Assistance Program. This program, which commenced in 2018, represents an excellent public-private partnership, a collaborative effort between the St. Lucia Social Development Fund, Marsys Falls, and the St. Lucia Electricity Services Limited. Primarily, the program seeks to arrest the pervading challenge in many secondary school island-wide where a number of boys either could drop out of school or graduate from secondary school without any literacy or technical skills. Last year's Mr. Speaker, the program supported 137 students from communities around the island with alternative pathways to learning. Mr. Speaker, we are encouraged by the positive results that we have seen from this program, and we are grateful for the resource to continue implementation. We also look forward to its expansion, Mr. Speaker. Turning to SSDF Housing Assistance Program, Mr. Speaker, total of $1,200,000 was spent for housing initiatives fulfilling the request for assistance from 132%, but benefiting many more directly. Mr. Speaker, the Housing Assistance Program from the St. Lucia Social Development Fund is a significant social protection initiative. Under the whole program, Mr. Speaker, nearly 400 persons benefited from various sub-components of the program, employment sponsorship and micro-enterprise, and over 7,000 persons were engaged on the short-term employment during the last financial year. These programs are expected to continue in this 2023-2024 fiscal year, thereby providing opportunities for empowerment and human capacity development among vulnerable groups. Mr. Speaker, it is not only about young people. We are also deeply concerned about our senior citizens, those who built the foundation of this society. Through the SSDF, Mr. Speaker, we provided care and assistance to 766 clients under the Home Care Program, an increase of 81 persons over the previous financial year. Mr. Speaker, our elderly have a right to a dignified standard of living, and I am pleased that this program continues to be funded over the years. Mr. Speaker, all of those programs that I have mentioned are relevant and timely and provide support to vulnerable groups. But given the existence of the social landscape, I see even greater need for an increased investment in our people. I see a greater need for targeted interventions in vulnerable communities and regions, interventions informed by evidence, and research in order to truly address our challenges. Mr. Speaker, I therefore call for more effective coordination among service providers, public and private, so that we are able to deliver the requisite wraparound services to seriously impact lives. Mr. Speaker, if you look around us and analyze the manifestation of violence and deviant behaviors, cases of intergenerational poverty and other social issues, I am sure you will draw the same conclusion that our social challenges did not emerge overnight, and that over the years, investment in human capital and human capabilities have been insufficient. Mr. Speaker, perhaps an important lesson from COVID-19 is the general realization that social protection is a key element of national strategies to promote human development, political stability, and inclusive growth in that regard. I am happy, Mr. Speaker, to see that social protection is reflected in our medium-term development strategy of 2021-2026. And so, Mr. Speaker, even as we spend considerable resources to provide relief to our brothers and sisters, we are minded that we do not do so in a way that creates dependency on the government, but rather create investment that utilize the potential of each individual family, developing their capacities and empowering them. Following this ideology, Mr. Speaker, my ministry has spent time and effort in developing a graduation strategy for social assistance programs that will allow for the recognition of household potential and channel members into programs or graduation pathways that will contribute to independent living. Mr. Speaker, this initiative was piloted last year through SSDF and Belfand, and the result is encouraging. Under this pilot, 40 single mothers on public assistance were selected for micro-enterprise and lifestyle and training as an avenue for establishing sustainable livelihood opportunities. To date, 17 business plans have been submitted and approved, and participants have moved to establish the micro-enterprise in agriculture, hospitality, and retail sectors. I wish them continued success as we continue to monitor and provide the necessary support, and we thank Lucille immensely for supporting this pilot financially. Mr. Speaker, this is a great example of the empowerment that we are talking about, helping persons transition to improve social and economic conditions and a better standard of living. Mr. Speaker, I am excited about such initiatives that will allow people to grow and contribute positively to society, and I look forward to the operationalization of the graduation program during this financial year. I thank the Honorable Prime Minister for Alokitin some resources towards the graduation programming. Mr. Speaker, we are also looking at other pathways to graduation to include human capacity development, and we have started work on identifying eligible candidates from the Public Assistance Household for TVET-relevant training. This, we believe, Mr. Speaker, will provide another good avenue for engagement in productive endeavors and ultimately graduation from public assistance. Mr. Speaker, this is the direction we must follow, and our efforts will continue to ensure that our work continues to be impactful and changes lives for the better. Mr. Speaker, my ministry remains committed to strengthening the social protection system and closing the inequality gap. We will therefore continue to manage the investment made in our people and facilitate the delivery of comprehensive range of services to meet the needs of those most vulnerable and improve their circumstances. Mr. Speaker, I believe that we are on a solid path to provide and to safeguard the rights of our vulnerable citizens as we continue to leverage ongoing partnerships and investment to reform our social protection system. In this new financial year, therefore, we will continue to improve our processes through social research and the utilization of technology and with the support of our partners and stakeholders. Mr. Speaker, we will also continue to roll out activities under the Human Capital Resilience Project. In particular, the establishment of an integrated social information system, which will include a social registry and a central beneficiary registry. We expect that this system will be interoperable with other information management system across the public service and will significantly improve data management for decision-making. There is also the benefit of harmonized delivery of services, which, of course, will lend itself to maximizing efficiencies, reducing wastage, and optimizing scarce resources. I am pleased, Mr. Speaker, to inform this honorable House that work has commenced on the design of this system and with the assistance of a local consultant, we expect the establishment of this social information system by next year. Mr. Speaker, in the last financial year, I spoke of ongoing work with the WFP, the World Food Program, around the use of research analysis and monitoring and evaluation to support evidence-based development for an adaptive social protection system, as well as the development of a vulnerability index for solution as a targeting tool for shocks and disaster. Very important, Mr. Speaker, a vulnerability index is critical. And of course, why is it critical? Because when there's a disaster, you need to target persons who need the services most, those who are most critical. A vulnerability index will capture one who is disabled, whose home is flooded, probably before one who's home is flooded, but is able to survive to do something for themselves. So a vulnerability index actually is overlaying vulnerabilities over poverty data so that you can get a new scope to target persons who need things most. This tool, which can be used to prioritize persons impacted by disasters or shocks, has been piloted with good results. And in this financial year, we will continue to modify and fine-tune this instrument to also facilitate the identification of population based on hazard exposure, which can then inform mitigation or risk reduction measures and response. Mr. Speaker, on the issue of disaster response, my ministry has also facilitated the development of standard operations protocols for shock-responsive social protection to ensure seamless response activities for shocks and is exploring with world food program, anticipatory actions, and financing options for shock response. Mr. Speaker, these interventions are critical as they will assist the ministry to continue to deliver on its role as a first responder to citizens impacted by disaster shocks, whether it be fire victims or through participation in national response efforts. Mr. Speaker, in January of this year, the Ministry of Equity, Science and Technical Assistance Agreement with WFP aimed at further strengthening our social protection system to make it more comprehensive, responsive to natural hazards and other shocks. Specifically, this agreement will not only support further development of the vulnerability index, but will support the testing of options for delivery mechanisms for cash and non-cash transfers, as well as strengthening of the ministry's internal capacity through training, learning exchanges, and upgrading streamlining of existing tools and mechanisms. This technical assistance agreement, Mr. Speaker, is valued at over 200,000 Eastern Caribbean dollars. Mr. Speaker, we will also continue to implement a range of BNTF-10 projects and programs which will benefit several communities and constituencies around the world. And I'm happy, indeed happy for this. Get towards reducing poverty and vulnerability by enhancing access to basic and social infrastructures and human resource development. These projects will be implemented through the SSDF and are a mark to commence this fiscal year. This includes rehabilitation of Viewford Comprehensive School Food and Nutrition Lab, after-school music program in Schroesel, rehabilitation pre-K classroom at the Barbano Combined School, rehabilitation of pre-K classroom at the Raco-Mengo Combined School, rehabilitation of the Entrypo-Decas Center, including supply of furniture and equipment, rehabilitation of the wall block at the Souffre Primary School, construction of a Bailey Early Childhood Education Center, construction of rehabilitation of the Lavie Early Childhood Education Center, green opportunity for life development. That's through the NSDC, a training and agro-processing project which will be housed at the NSDC Monropo Center, adds business-strengthening capacity for economic viability in the creative industry, adds key building capacity through the creation of multifunctional performing space, the introduction of aquaponics for sustainable food production, that's training and training in Viewford, music studio phase-free tuning, finishing and operationalization of a music studio in Grosile, construction of road and drain at Goodlands East, not Goodland West, construction of road at Cronklands-Beck, so installation of a water tank at Victoria Schroesel, notice of the many projects, two of the interventions are in Schroesel. The member for Schroesel, I think, is extremely pleased and recognized the equitable distribution of activities throughout the work of our ministry. The total cost of the above listed BNTF project is approximately 10 million EC dollars. Mr. Speaker, there are a number of other initiatives that are very dear to me, which I spoke of during my contribution on the policy debate last year and which I will now revisit. One such initiative is the establishment of a juvenile rehabilitation center to provide targeted programs, interventions get towards protection, education, rehabilitation and reintegration of children who come into conflict of the law and who need care and protection. Mr. Speaker, we are all familiar with the existing challenges and the deficiencies that obtain in this regard. I am sure you will agree with me that such an institution is imperative at this time. Mr. Speaker, there is no institution for girls who come into contact with the law and we are now challenged by a category of young men who are remanded to the boys training center given the provisions of the Child Justice Act. Mr. Speaker, the reality is that the BTC is simply not designed, not equipped to handle this room and we need to move swiftly with this project. I am pleased that USAID Project OASIS opportunities to advance and support youth for success as well as rivalry, youth resilience inclusion for success is contributing significantly in establishing this new juvenile center. So what have we done, Mr. Speaker? We have secured the site of the George Charles Secondary School as a new location for the juvenile center. We have had preliminary discussion with an architect who will assist us in this endeavor as well as an individual who will assist with the management of this project. We have had initial discussions with the Caribbean Development Bank around the issue of funding for this project. Mr. Speaker, we are also pleased to note an allocation from our prime minister of $350,000 in the budget for preliminary works. I am grateful for this. Mr. Speaker, alongside the establishment of this facility, the ministry has a vision for an effective aftercare program for youth transitioning from juvenile institution and has developed a concept for institutionalization of this program. This program is intended to support the services of the juvenile rehabilitation center with a strong focus on the reentry or reintegration of children back into society. And Mr. Speaker, for an extension of support to the center and the aftercare program, we have also envisaged the establishment of a youth safe house with services that reinforce and complement what exists at the rehabilitation center and the aftercare program. Mr. Speaker, the youth safe house will serve as a shelter for vulnerable youth who are experiencing homelessness or home dysfunction that may compromise the ability to live pro-social lifestyle until that they are able to live independently. Moving on, Mr. Speaker, last year I also spoke of the National Mentorship Program, which we believe could be a powerful intervention for addressing some of our social issues being manifested in the society. Acknowledging the value of role models in helping to shape behaviors, attitudes of others, such an approach can complement existing intervention. In that regard, I'm also pleased to report on planned social stability initiatives to be implemented jointly with community services unit, the community services unit of the ministry, as well as the SSDF in collaboration with partners inclusive of civil society organization. Designed as a social response to increase indiviant behaviors and escalating crime and violence, these initiatives include young prisoner reintegration program, parenting programs, afterschool programs, and a mentorship and employability program, which will be rolled out within the framework of an established coordinating mechanism beginning in the first quarter of this financial year. Mr. Speaker, as we continue to reform our social protection system, we continue to find ways of operationalizing our mandate and promoting inclusion as a key principle in this regard. On June 7th, for the first time, St. Lucia will join the rest of the world in observing the national day of caring. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to be the late person asking that observing the national day of caring will contribute to the sensitization of our people and promote a culture of caring that we have in St. Lucia. Mr. Speaker, I'm hoping that I will be able to convince the minister of health and the parliamentary representative of central castries to allow us the use of the castry, part of the castries health center so that instead of feeding the people food in the city of castries, we have a place to serve them. Of course, as we work with the Christian council in establishing the national day of caring, it is the council, the Christian council that advise that they do not just want to feed people, they want to serve the people. They want so that they can say grace before meals, they can sit down in a place and be served in dignity because our people who are loitering the streets of castries are human beings made in the image of God and His likeness and deserve to be treated with the best dignity and all that we have to offer. Mr. Speaker, the ministry has also given serious consideration to the establishment of a day care center for children with disabilities that they can socialize participating activities as appropriate under the care and supervision of trained personnel. Such a facility will allow single parents with a child or children with disabilities to participate in the labor market knowing that the child is in a safe environment. In this financial year, we will continue to explore avenues and options to make this a reality. Again, Mr. Speaker, our social protection system must leave no one behind. Mr. Speaker, I personally have encountered young mothers with disabled children trying to speak with me, trying to have a conversation and they're not able because of the child disability issues. Also, some of them cannot live home because of the nature of the disability. Mr. Speaker, also we at the ministry, we subscribe to the philosophy that all children can learn and all children must learn and children who are chronically disabled can learn and can experience happiness and therefore our intervention in identifying a place for children with disability is one that is key towards our social protection system. Mr. Speaker, all of this, the enabling policy and legislative framework is important for all this to happen. Again, having mentioned the revision of our 2015 National Social Protection Policy in the policy debate last year, I am happy to report that we have completed this task and now have a National Social Protection Policy 2022-2040. We thank all stakeholders who participated in the broad-based consultative process and we look forward to joint implementation. Mr. Speaker, work continues on our National Social Protection legislation with the assistance of UNICEF and I assure this honorable House that this piece of legislation remains a high priority on the administrative legislative agenda. We will work towards its completion and enactment in this financial year. Still on the legislative front, Mr. Speaker, I wish to highlight that the OECS family law bills, the enactment of three of five has passed. This, the Child Justice Act and the Child Care and Protection Adoption, they were passed in 2018 while the Domestic Violence Act was passed in 2022. Still outstanding are the status of children and child maintenance legislation. During this fiscal year, Mr. Speaker, the ministry through the division of human services will bring these into focus for relevant consultation and subsequent drafting. Mr. Speaker, in this financial year, we have also committed to strengthening the division of human services in an effort to increase its capacity for addressing a range of social issues being brought to its attention for resolution. Mr. Speaker, these issues are mainly, the requests are many, the requests are mounting, the demands are unrelenting and therefore we must adequately support our frontline workers to deliver excellent service all the time. So Mr. Speaker, as we move to this new financial year, we will continue to rationalize existing social programs, develop new ones to ensure that the appropriate level of assistance reaches those most in need. Strengthen existing social and social interventions and programs to effectively support youth at risk and vulnerable households. Strengthen delivery system and institution for effective and efficient delivery of social protection programs. Importantly, we also intend to explore the feasibility of establishing an unemployment insurance scheme in Central Asia through partnership arrangement with NIC, the Caribbean Development Bank and other stakeholders. Mr. Speaker, we are happy to support all donors and partners towards our social protection system and for this we express our sincere appreciation and profound gratitude. We will continue to dialogue with all partners to identify avenues in enhancing existing programs and creating new ones to address emerging social issues. Mr. Speaker, these government cares for people. We understand that there are those among us who need assistance to get out of challenging and unpleasant circumstances. We understand the need for an inclusive social protection system to support the poor and vulnerable. We understand the significance of such a system as a critical component of human development and also as a conduit for achieving wider national development goals. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, through resource provision as well as capacity building, we will strengthen our agencies and departments to continue to work with our people and for our people and we will continue to invest, to invest available resources in building human capital towards sustainable national development. Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank once again the Prime Minister, Honorable Philip Joseph Pierre, who is well controlled by the immortal, invisible, only wise God for a vision of national development which includes everyone. His concrete actions with respect to supporting those who are in greatest need as demonstrated by the budget allocation to the social sector is commendable. I thank you, Prime Minister, for continuing to invest in the poor, vulnerable... Remember for Castry's office, you have 10 minutes left. Yes, I am ending. As we continue to grow our nation, Mr. Speaker, the people of Castry's office and the communities in Castry's office will benefit from the interventions of my ministry. They will also benefit from a series of interventions, some of which have been outlined in the previous debate of the estimates, but all of the programs will be detailed in community meetings as we embark on community meetings throughout the constituency of Castry's South East. I am pleased that God loves his children and loves Enrushia. God touches the heart of all those who are part of this wonderful nation. I add with the words from a great hymn that speaks to all love of God, our shield and stay, through all the perils of our way. Eternal love in thee we rest, forever safe, forever blessed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.