 Mr. Speaker, in September, I rose in this honourable house to provide an update on the cannabis regime being developed for intrusion. At that time, Mr. Speaker, I indicated to this honourable house that I would be coming in a few weeks to this August chamber to present legislation, get at creating a regulatory body which shall have responsibility for cannabis and other regimes. Mr. Speaker, today I rise as promised to present to this honourable house the Regulated Substances Bill. The purpose of the bill, Mr. Speaker, is to establish the Regulated Substances Authority, Regulated Substances Tribunal, Regulated Substances Fund to provide for the licences of regulated substances and enforcement matters. Mr. Speaker, I am convinced that this bill before us will impact our country. I am certain that the level, the purpose, Mr. Speaker, is to provide solutions, a level of certainty that an adequate mechanism is being created to ensure that people will be safe, that our people will have avenue to benefit from modern advances and opportunities, that our society and economy will benefit from a robust regulatory structure. Mr. Speaker, since the manifesto promise of the Sandrusha Labour Party, we have shown an intent not only to remove their cake and Rakhonian criminal provisions concerning cannabis, but to establish a legal framework allowing for the cultivation, sale and use of cannabis in Sandrusha. Mr. Speaker, what we, like many others in the public, initially perceive as a rather simple undertaking has been a thought-provoking and arduous problem-solving mission, necessitating that we be cautious and meticulous, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we initially believe that a single cannabis bill and cannabis authority will provide a suitable legal and regulatory framework for this industry. However, with time, review, technical advice, introspection, we have decided that broader change was necessary at this pivotal time in our development. We had to broaden our outlook, broaden our scope, broaden our approach. This was not the only substance which required a revised regulatory framework, and therefore it was prudent for our development not to regulate, grow and structure cannabis in silos, hence the justification for the regulatory substance authority and for the bill that is before us. Mr. Speaker, the enactment of that legislation spells not only another pivotal achievement in the process of cannabis reform, but will address the need for the creation of a regulatory authority which will bring other regimes and products into a space of regulatory conformity. Mr. Speaker, the regulatory substances bill creates and provides the legal parameters for a statutory body which will bear that name and will be charged with the regulations and oversight of several regulatory substances, including cannabis and cannabis products. Mr. Speaker, part one of the regulatory substance bill establishes the authority and the board which shall oversee the affairs of the authority. Part two of the bill provides a requirement for license, processes for application, parameters for approval and other similar matters, while part three of the bill establishes a tribunal allowing for persons agree to seek review and redress. A regulatory substances fund is created in part four of the bill. This fund is established with the oversight of a separate board ensuring the funds generated by the authority and the substances which it regulates will be used as specified in clause 77 of the bill. As specified in that clause, Mr. Speaker, the purpose of the fund is to facilitate the operations of the regulated substances authority and for specific matters relating to regulated substances or other matters. Mr. Speaker, we anticipate that the funds generated by the regulated substances authority will finance its operation within the first three years of establishment and as a result, Mr. Speaker, beyond this initial startup period, the authority should be self-sufficient. The funds generated, Mr. Speaker, will also be used to perform critical functions under section six relating to regulated substances and that includes one, review of policies and guidelines, two, specific scientific research and development, three, development and implementation in collaboration with ministries, departments or agencies, eight, comprehensive public education and training programs to raise public awareness, especially for high-risk groups. Mr. Speaker, this is extremely important for us, especially for our youth and for students. As we move towards a cannabis industry, we definitely need public awareness to ensure that we ring funds that cannabis from our school children and our young people. Also, in this section, we provide for social, emotional and mental support programs for persons dealing with a regulated substance. And for me, we focus on procedures for the safe storage and disposal of regulated substances to name a few. The objective, Mr. Speaker, is to ensure that the revenue derived from the regulated industry will be applied to the benefit of these industries by way of example, funds raised from cannabis should be used and benefit that aspect of the industry. Part five of the bill, Mr. Speaker, speak to the enforcement of the provision of this bill and Julian Powers' authorized persons to ensure that provision of the bill are being adhered to. While part six of the bill speaks to confidentiality and oath of secrecy, Mr. Speaker, and that is included in section 90. Mr. Speaker, I have made mention of regulated substances, but so far I have only spoken about cannabis. Clause four of the bill allows the minister, by order of publishing the desire to declare a substance to be a regulated substance, thereby placing it and its regulations within the remit of the authority. Mr. Speaker, as I speak, the office of the Attorney General's chambers is at an advanced stage in the development of legislation for two substances which we expect the regulated substances authority to regulate and assume responsibility for in the very near future. The cannabis bill, Mr. Speaker, is expected to be presented before this honorable house within the coming months. Mr. Speaker, the draft of the cannabis bill, like this regulatory substance bill, have received widespread stakeholder discussion, and this will continue even after the passage of this bill. Mr. Speaker, I want to pause a moment and to present to this honorable house some of the stakeholders and individuals that have assisted in the development of the regulatory substance bill, as well as working on the cannabis bill. And I want to recognize two of those persons sitting in the gallery today, and that is Mr. English, who is a legal officer in the Ministry of Commerce, and my dear friend Mr. Speaker, these two gentlemen have worked among others. Minister, could you mention the second name? I think it was drummed out by the applause. Say that. The second name for the record. Oh, the second one most days. Mr. Andre Dicaris. Elias Pancho. Elias Pancho. I think the whole world knows him as Pancho. But Mr. Speaker, for the records, I would like to mention all the persons that have brought us where we are thus far. And we have the Cannabis Commission under the auspices of Inves and Lucia, and there we have special mention of Miss Menisha Thomas and Mr. Michael Gordon, King's Council. Within the Ministry of Health, we have the CMO, the Chief Drive Inspector and Director and Deputy Director of the Substance Abuse Secretariat. We have members of the Medical and Dental Association. We have the Ministry of Agriculture and the staff of the National Agriculture Diagnostic Lab. And we also have the National Forensic Lab. We have the Director and Staff of the St. Lucia Bureau of Standards. The Ministry of External Affairs. The Ministry of Justice. Special mention to the staff of the Legislative Grafton Unis. The Royal St. Lucia Police Force. The Ministry of Tourism. The St. Lucia Hotel and Tourism Authority. Events and Lucia. The Ministry of Finance. The Bankers Association. The Individual Banks. The Cannabis Task Force. Comprising representatives of the Ionola Council for the Advancement of Rastafari. The Inland Revenue Department. Invest St. Lucia. Bureau of Standards. The Ministry of Commerce. The Ministry of Agriculture. The Cannabis Movement of St. Lucia. And the Recording Secretary, Miss Renata DiSosi. We have the Transnational Institution. The Government and People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The International Atomic Energy Agency. The IAEA. The Government of Canada. The Caricom Secretariat. The Canada Expert Deployment Mechanism. And I want to recognize the consultant, Mrs. Trombetti as well as our local consultant, Mr. Felix Finiste. Other consultants, Miss Hedda Azizi and Mrs. Lydia Efrain. All other interesting persons who have taken part in the various discussions that we've had. And Mr. Speaker. The staff of the Ministry of Commerce. Mr. Rosemary Pierre-Louis who has just left us. And I want to recognize the work that was done by the Honourable Member for Shoezele Soltogos when he was the Minister. On this side we do what we have to do properly. Also, Ms. Trisha Sipal-Edward, Mr. Paul Francis. Our Department Secretary, Sophia Alfie Henry. I've mentioned Pancho, Mr. English and others. So, Mr. Speaker, this whole list, the Attorney General looking at it back there and the staff of the AG's office. Mr. Speaker, the list would give one an indication of the number of hours in deliberating to try to bring this industry together. Mr. Speaker, nuclear and radiation sources form the subject of another bill under development which will similarly be presented before this Honourable House in the coming months. That bill, Mr. Speaker, currently being referred to as a radiation safety and security of radioactive sources bill will address our international obligations to regulate and protect St. Prussia against the threats and risks associated with nuclear material and radioactive sources. Mr. Speaker, there is also an intention to revise the current legislative regime for alcohol, petroleum and other toxic chemicals. All of these substances suffer from the archaic and inadequate regulatory framework which this administration recognizes a need to address. As such, Mr. Speaker, committees respective to each substance have begun the process of review of these industries to ensure the development of modern laws which the regulated substances authority is expected to oversee. Mr. Speaker, this government fully intends to continue to engage relevant stakeholders and the general public in the development of the legislation of all the substances which will be regulated by this authority. Mr. Speaker, St. Prussia's attempt at regulation in this context is different, but different, Mr. Speaker, need always not always be seen as negative. As servants of the people, the regulatory substance authority and framework developed is to our mind part of an informed, robust, modern and bespoke approach to legislation. Mr. Speaker, as I indicated in September, our work is far from complete, but our energy, determination and passion to till what we believe is fertile soil will not fail and will yield much fruit in due season. We will remain resolute in our promise to develop not just a robust cannabis industry, but a broader mechanism for regulating substances in our fair land. Mr. Speaker, I present this bill for the consideration and approval of this honorable house.