 The debate on the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for Financial Year 2023-2024 commenced on March 29. Every Member of Parliament was provided with a copy of the draft estimates for 2023-2024 up to five days before the commencement of the debate. Typically, day one of the debate would begin with the leader of the opposition after the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance tables the estimates of revenue and expenditure the day before. This speaking sequence had been honoured by both sides of the lower house for several decades until it was unceremoniously discontinued in 2017. Prime Minister Honourable Philippe J. Pierre and the governing side of the lower house immediately restored this time honoured convention in 2022, more than five years after it was cast aside. I just give you your permission Mr Speaker. So place on the record that the convention on this honourable house is that when the Prime Minister of Finance delivers the estimates, the leader of the opposition responds the day after. That has been the convention of this house Mr Speaker. This year the estimates were given a clear three days. In fact, three to five days before the meeting of the Honourable House, which is not what happened before, before the estimates are given on the weekend. That's given on the weekend on Saturdays and we got it to be debated on Tuesdays and the leader of the opposition always responded. The annual debate on the estimates of revenue and expenditure along with the subsequent debate on the appropriation bill are among the two most prominent legislative processes in St. Lucia's governance system. The Prime Minister and Minister for Finance drew the attention of the lower house to the vacant benches on the opposition side of the chamber and underscored the significance of their absence for this important occasion. It has never been the convention of this house for the Prime Minister's speech to be circulated because the speech is based on the estimates and not the policy of the government. When the government's policy is going to be discussed in April, the speech is made available immediately after. It has never been the convention Mr Speaker. So to use the excuse that there is no speech available, it's actually the leader of the opposition is failing his duty to the people of St. Lucia. He is failing his duty to the taxpayers of St. Lucia and I think it must be noted that these games with the people's finances must stop Mr Speaker. I just thought I'd pick it on record because that's never been the case. We responded immediately after Mr Speaker. Both the governing and opposition sides of the lower house form part of the legislator, which is among the three arms of government. Participation from both sides on critical government and legislative functions such as the estimates and appropriation bill debates fortifies St. Lucia's democratic system of governance and also signals to the public their duly elected parliamentary representatives are faithfully discharging their duties in accordance with the spirit of the constitution and the standing orders of the House of Assembly. From the office of the Prime Minister, Rihanna Isidore.