 Public Service Day is a day designated by the United Nations to show appreciation to public servants for their dedication, commitment and excellence in service delivery to the public whom we serve. As a Permanent Secretary of Home Affairs and National Security, I feel honored to make a tribute to the officers employed in the Protective Services, namely the police, fire and correctional officers. Indeed the occasion gives me an opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices of the members of the Royal Central Police Force as they led a community-driven safety plan under COVID-19 state of emergency, which incidentally is still ongoing. Over the last several weeks, these officers confronted strenuous challenges in service delivery, which were often captured digitally and circulated via social media. I would like to commend the Police Commissioner and his management team for their hard work and commitment, specifically Acting Police Commissioner Mr. Milton Daisy and the members of the Police for maintaining security, peace and stability in the country. On behalf of the Minister of National Security, the Honorable Herman Gill Francis, we really do appreciate your tenacity, resilience, professionalism and personal sacrifices. We encourage you to remain steadfast, improve your performance where you can and keep up the good work. Our emergency personnel as frontliners had to respond to the COVID-19 threat without compromising the standards of care we expect of them. They performed their duties diligently despite concerns for the personal safety and that of their family members. Firefighters have always been our everyday heroes by saving lives and risking their own as part of a day's work. Thank you for allowing your dedication on unwavering commitments to prevail. The men and women of the fire service, along with the very dedicated support staff, have continued to deliver at the highest level. On behalf of the Minister and Management team of the Department of Home Affairs and National Security, we congratulate you. We salute you and appreciate your bravery and reliability. The management and staff of the bodily correctional facility has had to implement stringent protocols to ensure that no impending threats come to the doorsteps of the facility in the context of COVID-19. Aside from diligently executing their normal duties of national security and rehabilitation of inmates, the correctional facility has adjusted their working hours from three eight-hour shifts to two 12-hour shifts to limit the frequency of movement of staff thereby reducing the risk to inmates. On this public service day of appreciation, I joined the Minister of Home Affairs and National Security in congratulating you for your stewardship, for your steadfastness and dedication. Recently, for the first time in history, St. Lucia experienced a two-week lockdown and it was not easy. While most of us were at home, in most cases, the protective services and those on the front line were at work providing services, ensuring safety, responding to emergencies, conducting patrols, and maintaining security. And so we thank you sincerely for your invaluable service to country at this time and always. Congratulations to all of you and keep striving for continued excellence. Happy Public Service Day.