 Mr Speaker, I rise to endorse the resolution to authorize the minister of finance to guarantee an amount of $80 million loan from the first national bank to the national authorities to assist with the finance of youth and sport infrastructure and the programs. Mr Speaker, sometimes in life you have to sacrifice even your health and the advice of doctors in the interest of bringing the truth to light Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, I have a certificate of five days leave and I came in here medically. And I braved every cell in me to ensure that I lent my voice to this very, very significant investment in our youth and sports development in this country. Mr Speaker, I've heard many say that $80 million is a lot. But on the heels of the year we had in sports and youth development in 2023, I asked the question, if not now, when Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, our young people have shown that when they are given financial support and they are given facilities and they are encouraged and that the physical and human support are there, they can thrive and become more productive human beings Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, I have no better example of this than what we just saw in the community of Sufre last weekend. Mr Speaker, we had over 8,000 people in and around the Sufre Ministry stadium for our first ever island champs on the weekend. Investment in ensuring there is exposure to our best track and field athletes, not just to their pairs, not just to their parents and corporates in Lucia, but indeed to the world when it can be consumed Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, we knew during the week that we have divided the tensions of these individuals. The corporate world is at work, parents are at work, coaches are at work. And so Mr Speaker, we had to gravitate to the saying, madness and insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Mr Speaker, we had to transform things, shake it up so we can will and come again as a young people would say Mr Speaker. And so Mr Speaker, you would see the investment of over $100,000 from First National Bank in this competition Mr Speaker. Very well spent. But Mr Speaker, when we talk about youth and sports development in this nation, we must ask ourselves when does it truly occur Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, because I believe that if you take an objective look at the history of Saint Lucia, anything of substance that happens in youth and sports development happens under the governance of the Saint Lucia Labour Party. Mr Speaker, it was the Saint Lucia Labour Party who built the George Orlund Stadium in Viewfort Mr Speaker. It was the Saint Lucia Labour Party who built the Darren Sami Stadium in Grosley Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, it is the Saint Lucia Labour Party that is currently building the National Aquatic Center for our swimmers in this nation Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, a center that has been spoken about since 1987, finally in the next 12 to 14 months it will be available for regional and international competition right here in Saint Lucia Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, it was this government that took the bold step of removing that unsports equipment for our young people Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, I don't think people have understood what this means because they've not gotten the context. When a young man asks a minister for a ball, a proper football, a proper football costs over $250 in this country Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, they were there for five years, they went into a sixth year, they campaign on removing that, reducing and totally removing that. Mr Speaker from this nation and they never considered, despite reducing it to 12.5, they never considered a complete removal unsports equipment. It took the government of the Saint Lucia Labour Party to get this done. And now Mr Speaker, somebody will be able to get a ball for about $190, $200 Mr Speaker. This would mean that the parliamentary rep that would have just bought two can now buy ten. And I'm encouraging them to buy more. Because Mr Speaker, this investment in young people's life is very very important and significant Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, it was this Saint Lucia Labour Party government in the times past under the member for Dennery North provided the first financial support to Julian Alfred Mr Speaker. And Mr Speaker, when they came into government, there was a lull Mr Speaker. A lull on an athlete that showed every single individual that she would be world class Mr Speaker. And Mr Speaker, in the interest of politics, this athlete had to suffer the indignity of this finances being removed Mr Speaker. And I can guarantee you, she will never forget. Mr Speaker, it was this government who re-established the financial support for Julian Alfred under this Prime Minister and member for Castries East. $250,000 in our budget for transformation from a collegiate athlete to a professional Mr Speaker. And guess what we just saw? In a first professional endeavor in a 60 meter sprint, a world title brought to Saint Lucia Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, it is the government of the Saint Lucia Labour Party that has established the first 100% solar powered facility in the entire Caribbean region Mr Speaker. 100% off the grid. And the next month, mid-April, we'll be having the ribbon cutting and lighting ceremony in Corinth. 100% solar powered Mr Speaker. And Mr Speaker, I was privileged. Let me get to that, let me get to that because I need to explain that to our colleagues. Mr Speaker, when the member for Castries South stands in this honourable house and says that the member for Miku does not understand sports development, it is really a fact like no other Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, as a young person in sports, when we came into government, the cost of lighting in Grosley exceeded $180,000 in terms of the bill Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, they had every opportunity to gravitate towards more sustainable sports. Mr Speaker, yet they gravitated towards four facilities that were against the tide of where the globe is going Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, as a new ministry, we had to turn that on its head. And so we've decided that the transition will take time, but we are transitioning every facility we can from these lights to LED and then solar lights Mr Speaker. That is the vision that we have. So the cost of using those facilities will significantly be reduced Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, it is this government of the Solution Labour Party that established the first ever alternative sports season for our people that are not involved in only cricket and football and track and field. But these individuals that are into car racing, these individuals that are into chess Mr Speaker. These individuals that are into BMX Mr Speaker and MotoX Mr Speaker and that's Mr Speaker. It is this government that has given them the requisite attention so that they can invest in the talents and capabilities Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, it is this government that has established for the first time in our history a semi-professional football league Mr Speaker. And so Mr Speaker, when we talk about sports development and investing $80 million Mr Speaker. I know the PM likes to say that the Minister for Sports wants him to spend his entire budget on sports. But Mr Speaker, we all know the transformative power of sports in our communities Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, with a semi-pro league Mr Speaker, we have invested directly in young people and we've said to them that the talent and the skill you have in football, we are going to ensure that it's nurtured, that we are going to leverage this football and make better individuals Mr Speaker. And so Mr Speaker, it's not just going to be football on the field, they are going to be in programs Mr Speaker. And the Minister of Education and myself, in collaboration with the NSDC and the Taiwanese government, we've signed an agreement of over $200,000 to ensure that we have skills, programs and training for our athletes in this great nation Mr Speaker. This is how we leverage sports to transform lives Mr Speaker. And so Mr Speaker, these young men and women will be able to access skills and programs such as bartending, massage therapy from the NSDC through this program to ensure that beyond the years of football that they have a skill to fall back on Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, the issue of crime and violence continue to percolate for our communities and we continue to see it dwindling fathers Mr Speaker. And it is through the semi pro league that we are going to establish parenting workshop for our young men, plant parenthood for our young men, fathering workshops for our young men Mr Speaker. And it is through football we are going to transform those lives Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, it is this government that after years and years and years of trying have finally Mr Speaker ensured that we have an inter secondary school competition on the weekend Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, when we talk about island champs Mr Speaker, it is more than just ensuring that there is visibility for our athletes. Track and field, as the member of the castry south alluded to, is probably one of the sporting activities that brings up the vibration in a community Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, I stood and watched view fought country Mr Speaker, run a four by four hundred meter relay. And Mr Speaker, when this individual caught that battle Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, I looked around and there was nobody seated Mr Speaker. The entire place felt like it was shaking Mr Speaker. The vibe in that community you could have felt it Mr Speaker. As they chared on these individuals Mr Speaker. I am of the firm belief that when you develop that sort of sporting culture in track and field, it permeates to every other sporting discipline in this country Mr Speaker. And Mr Speaker, this is why this government took the bold step Mr Speaker. Despite all the naysayers, despite the obstructionists that we need to invest in track and field in this way Mr Speaker. Because we need to find our next Julian Alfred Mr Speaker in this country Mr Speaker. And so Mr Speaker, I am very encouraged that this government and this prime minister continues to invest in our youth and our sporting infrastructure. Mr Speaker, the member from Miku South postulated that NLA was in a position where they could not have obtained this loan Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, he had the temerity, the audacity, the unmitigating goal to stand in this house and indicate to us that when he left NLA brought in in excess of $600,000 and they were better able and they are in financial constraints Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, every single challenge we face in sports development in St. Lucia in terms of our facility upgrades, in terms of ensuring that the cleric playing field is upgraded, the souffle playing field, the otabok court and the grace playing field, the belvi playing field, the oge playing field, the larisus playing field. That's what I should know. The Cicero field, the Marsha minofilip, every constraint has been because of the actions taken by the government of the past under the member from Miku South Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, earlier the member for Kastri South indicated that the agreement was signed on the eve of elections that really was a noose around the neck of this government as it pertains to youth and sports development over the last two and a half years. Mr Speaker, I have with me the amendment to the professional services contract between the National Lottery Authority and Caged St. Lucia to design, develop and implement and operate connected video lotteries and virtual sports betting. Mr Speaker, let me just explain to St. Lucia how you finance youth and sports development in this country. Mr Speaker, the National Lotteries originally was established under Honourable Mario Michel to ensure that funds, a percentage from the funds from gambling in this country goes to youth and sports development. And so the first agreement signed was with CBN out of Canada. Mr Speaker, Canadian bank notes. Mr Speaker, later on an agreement was signed with Caged and as the Honourable Prime Minister says, as a businessman you try to look for the best deal and they went and they got the best deal that they could have gotten. But Mr Speaker, in this document, we see why lotteries have had so many difficulties in ensuring that they maximise the amount of money that can be used to even do what we are doing here today Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, the first amendment to this professional service contract is made of July 2021. While you are campaigning and you are campaigning and you are campaigning and you are campaigning in July 2021, by and between the National Lotteries Authority and Caged St. Lucia, a company registered under the company act. Mr Speaker, the terms of this contract with respect to connected video lottery games will be extended from the date of the contract is completed is execution by the parties for an additional 10 years Mr Speaker. They signed a contract in July 2021 on the heels of the election, heels of an election and extended this for 10 years Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, it's a long document, I'll make it a document to the house so we can approve Mr Speaker. Under article 3, service fee and payment. Mr Speaker, the NLA received with respect to connected video lottery games deployed at a specific and agreed location in the premises denoted as the Baywalk Mall a service fee of 8% of net win. Calculated on a monthly basis which will be paid in a raise of the 25th of the following month. The same fee shall apply during the additional 10 years of extension of the term but with respect to connected video lottery games deployed at any other location Mr Speaker. Other than the Baywalk Mall location, 17% of net win Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, in this contract it was agreed upon that the amount that would come out of all the proceeds would be 17%. Mr Speaker, the previous amount before that contract was 20% Mr Speaker. A 3% deduction in the amount Mr Speaker. And here is the problem Mr Speaker. Here is the problem. Section 4.15, filing of tax returns Mr Speaker. The government shall grant to cage and LLA shall secure an exemption from cage from the original 10 year term, the additional term and any extension there on to. All taxes, duties, fees, charges, impositions or revenue enhancement of any kind levied or imposed directly or indirectly in connection with the management and operation of its connected video lottery games Mr Speaker. The government shall grant to cage and LLA shall secure an exemption from cage for that 10 year period, an extension there to all taxes, duties, fees, charges, impositions on revenue enhancement of any kind. Any revenue enhancement of any kind. So as a consequence of this Mr Speaker, we had a situation where cage was not mandated to pay any of these taxes, any of them Mr Speaker. And so we had a situation for months on end where licensing fees that should have been passed on to the national lotteries for the use of youth and sports development in the country was significantly lowered as the taxes were being withheld Mr Speaker. I want to make sure I say this properly. I want to make sure I try carefully Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, during my time as Minister of Youth Development and Sports, there have been major upgrades in our tourism structure, in the activities happening up north Mr Speaker. And so anybody who have been doing video games would have upgraded their facilities and naturally as a business they upgraded the cost of the upgrades from this document indicated that government despite the fact that they never came in here to do this would have to withhold the taxes or government would exempt them from paying those taxes Mr Speaker. And so we had a situation where we had amounts of $600,000 coming into lotteries and then we seen a further deduction Mr Speaker bringing it down to $400,000 Mr Speaker. And there were times Mr Speaker where the licensing fees that actually were paid by the NLA got down to lower than $100,000 Mr Speaker. And so for months on end when I went to cabinet I had to look at the member for library and say ʻUʰʰe coming ʻUʰʰe coming ʻUʰʰe coming ʻUʰʰe coming ʻUʰʰe coming ʰʰʰʰʰʰʰ the lights coming in ʰUʰʰʰʰʰʰʰʰʰʰʰʰʰʰʰʰʰʰʰ. For months on end I had to say to the member for Denri North that he is playing field, the grand ravine playing field. Let me say I hear about grand ravine for I dream about grand ravine. I had to hear from the member for Castro's North, you know, his lacklary playing field. But Mr. Speaker, there really was not fiscal space to do all what we needed to do because of those activities, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, luckily under this Minister of Finance, we are better able to maneuver for negotiation and we are better able to do what we need to do to develop our youth and sports and we are here better than ever, Mr. Speaker. Better than ever, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we continue to develop our facilities, Mr. Speaker, I need to remind everybody that it's not just youth that will benefit, not just sports that will benefit from this, but also the youth, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at the recently concluded OACS Youth and Sports Ministers Conference, Mr. Speaker, we spoke about the crime situation in our countries. And as youth ministers, we knew where the genesis of it came from. We've heard so much discussion about six and seven in our schools, so much discussions about gangs, pretty much going through all the countries. And we've decided as a region to really grab hold of the situation. The number six and seven has been demonized, Mr. Speaker. It's been glorified, sorry, in the sense that young people feel proud to say what number they represent based on what happened in Trinidad, what originated from Trinidad, Mr. Speaker. And so we've decided, Mr. Speaker, that we are going to launch a program throughout the OACS, Mr. Speaker. We had a discussion on using a number that would provide positivity amongst our young people throughout the region. And, Mr. Speaker, we are going to launch Project One, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with Project One, we're going to encourage our young people to not see themselves as six or seven or identify with being a six or seven or gang. But look at themselves and see themselves as one in a million, Mr. Speaker. Look at themselves and say, I am one in a million. I control my destiny. I do not succumb to peer pressure. I can do the right thing. I have a contribution as one person to make towards the development of this country, Mr. Speaker. And so we are going to get the biggest social media influencers, the biggest sports athletes, Julian Alfred, Darren Sammy, Johnson Charles, Gary Maffrey was a former West Indies player, the biggest soccer stars, Ricky T., Ezra the Fun Machine, who is the best, by the way, Imran Nudi, and the likes, Venus Cherry, Ryze, to really come on board with insignia for the schools and encourage the next generation to see themselves as one because this government is ensuring that we invest in every single one, Mr. Speaker. And so, Mr. Speaker, I close by saying, Mr. Speaker, we really have a lot of work to do and this will certainly ensure that we continue the work that we are doing in youth and sports development, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we just had the best year ever in sports in terms of achievements in St. Lucia. We are the champions of the Caribbean boxing tournament, Mr. Speaker. We are the champions of OECS volleyball, champions of table tennis, Caribbean table tennis, champions at Carifter Games in track and champions at Carifter Games in swimming, Mr. Speaker. We are champions in Winwood Islands cricket, youth and senior, Mr. Speaker. And now, Mr. Speaker, we are champions in the world in 60 meters, Mr. Speaker. And so with this loan, Mr. Speaker, we may not be able to do all 140 courts in this country and all 90 playing fields, which amounts to 230 facilities. We may not be able to do all of them, Mr. Speaker, but we will certainly try and so I endorse this motion to borrow this amount. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.