 Please stand for the arrival of Hon. Philip J Pierre, Prime Minister of St. Lucia. Please remain standing for the arrival of His Excellency Cyril Errol Charles, Acting Governor, General of St. Lucia. Please remain standing for the National Anthem of St. Lucia. I would now like to invite Father Ignatius Setut for the invocation. Father Setut. I would like to say a pleasant good morning to everyone, His Excellency Honourable Governor General, Honourable Prime Minister Philip J Pierre, Ministers of Government, Members of Parliament, Senators, Members of the Media, Most Distinguished Guest and Minister, Honourable Jerry Mayer Norbert, His Family and all of us who are here, Ladies and Gentlemen, Good Morning. We pray in the name of our Lord and Severe Jesus Christ and under the protection of His Immaculate Mother, Mary Ever-Virgin, we surrender this day and this moment to you, O God. Eternal Father, in union with Jesus our Saviour and the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, we present to you your son, Hon. Jerry Mayer Norbert. As he takes this oath of office today as a government minister, I ask your profound blessings upon him. Bless him with the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit with thorough going abundance. Go before him, O God Almighty, to bless the office of the physical space where he will sit, to govern, to lead and to guide. We pray for the support and cooperation of his Permanent Secretary and the Ministerial Staff. O God, may your son, Hon. Minister Norbert, always benefit from the intercession of his Holy patron, the Prophet Jerry Mayer, whose commitment and life of service we read in the Sacred Scriptures. Loving and eternal God, may our abundant blessings fall afresh upon all of us this day, from the rising of the sun to the going down now and forever, amen. Please be seated. His Excellency Cyril Errol-Charles, Acting Governor-General of St. Lucia, Hon. Philip J. Pierre, Prime Minister of St. Lucia, Ms. Alvina Reynolds, President of the Senate, Cabinet of Ministers, Senators, Father Ignatia Saitout, Staff of the Government of St. Lucia, specially invited guests, St. Lucians at home and in the diaspora. Greetings from Government House and welcome to this intimate ceremony for the soaring in of Hon. Jeremiah Norbert as a Minister of Cabinet in the Philip J. Pierre-led Administration. Today, I, Monde-Louis, Attaché to the Prime Minister, have the honour of being the Mistress of Ceremony and welcoming you to witness the oath of Cabinet being taken by the Member of Parliament for Miku North. My duty this morning is particularly special to me and I thank the Hon. Prime Minister for it because in 2020, I had the privilege of hosting Hon. Jeremiah Norbert's first political interview during the campaign on Chilling Chat. Almost four years later, together with the rest of St. Lucia, we are here to witness his appointment to the Hon. Chambers of the Cabinet of Ministers of St. Lucia. Ten days after the superb celebration of the 45th anniversary of independence and two days after Ms. Julian Alfred secured as our first gold medal at the World Championship Games in Glasgow, today, a man of resilience continues to motivate us all and add to our celebration as a country. With that, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to invite Mr. Augusta Degassock, Cabinet Secretary to deliver the oath of Cabinet to Hon. Jeremiah Norbert. I, Jeremiah Norbert, do swear that I will be faithful and betrothalegent to St. Lucia, that I will uphold and defend the Constitution and the laws of St. Lucia, and that I will conscientiously and impartially discharge my responsibilities to the people of St. Lucia. So help me God. I, Jeremiah Norbert, do swear that I will be faithful and betrothalegent to St. Lucia, that as Minister of the Government of St. Lucia, I will discharge my duties and perform my functions honestly to the best of my ability, faithfully, in accordance with the law, and always in the interests of sovereignty, integrity, solidarity, well-being, and prosperity of St. Lucia, and that I will not directly or indirectly communicate or reveal the business or proceedings of the Cabinet or the nature or contents of any document communicated to me as a member of Cabinet or any matter coming to my knowledge in my capacity as a member of Cabinet, except as may be required for the due discharge of my duties as a Minister. So help me God. The first oath was the oath of allegiance, and the second oath was the oath of Cabinet ministers. Ladies and gentlemen, the newest member of the Philadelphia Lead Administration, Honorable Jeremiah Norbert. I would now like to welcome the Governor-General to sign. Here I apply to you, Jeremiah Norbert, the Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, with responsibility for prime prevention and the persons with disabilities with effect today the 4th of March. And the Governor-General is presenting the warrant, not for arrest. But the warrant for Cabinet Minister Honorable Jeremiah Norbert, who is now the Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, responsible for crime prevention and persons with disabilities. Congratulations again Honorable Jeremiah Norbert. Honorable Jeremiah Norbert has been no stranger to adversity. His life story reads like a tale of trials and triumphs from his schooling in Miku to Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, enrolment in the Royal St. Bishop police force as a top recruit and young brilliant detective. All of us remember his journey to this time, the accident, the hospitalization, the recuperation. Strange enough, he carried many of us through his time of distress, providing hope and trusting in God to see us through that period. On the 26th of July 2021 Honorable Jeremiah Norbert became the Member of Parliament for Miku North, a seat never before won by the St. Lucia Labour Party, history made. This role has afforded him the job of Deputy Speaker under the guiding hand of Mr. Speaker, Mr. Claudius Francis. Honorable Norbert has served in this capacity, which was once left vacant for five years. And may I add, he has done so with fairness and diligence, upholding the honourable requirements of the House of Assembly. In speaking to the elected members of Parliament, one ethos remains and that is the highest honour to serve the people of their respective constituencies. Some noteworthy achievements of Honorable Jeremiah Norbert to date. He has diligently represented the people of Miku North, constituents within the St. Lucia House of Assembly, ensuring their interests were prioritised and effectively advocated for during legislative proceedings and decision making processes. He developed innovative social and economic development programs to enhance livelihoods and foster sustainable growth within the community tailored to constituencies' needs and aspiration. He collaborates with local stakeholders and government agencies to identify priorities and opportunities for economic empowerment, ensuring initiatives meet evolving constituents' needs. To get the expansion of the Monropole Cemetery, securing funds and advocating for the expansion of the cemetery, ensuring dignified burial spaces for community members. Road rehabilitation projects led efforts to rehabilitate deteriorating roads, enhancing accessibility and safety for residents. The lighting of the playing field in Paseus spearheaded the installation of lights on the playing field, promoting recreational opportunities and community safety. If some of you know, he likes to brag that he's a little pro footballer, pro cricketer. That's Honorable Jeremiah Norbert for you. When playing field projects oversaw the refurbishment of the when playing field, providing a safe and inclusive space for community sports and recreation. The Miku Fishermen washroom facility advocated for and secured funding for the refurbishment of a washroom facility for the Miku Fishermen after the one there had been uninhabited for over 15 years. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to welcome and you too please help me introduce the MP for Miku North and the US Minister of Cabinet of the Prime Minister, Honorable Philip G. Pierre, Honorable Jerry Meyer Norbert. His Excellency Governor General, Sarah Charles, Prime Minister of St. Lucia, Philip Joseph Pierre, Cabinet colleagues, and it feels good to say Cabinet colleagues, Father Ignatius St. Toot and all other persons here this morning. I bid you all a wonderful good morning. I stand here this morning with a heart full of gratitude and I want to thank God and I think Monty mentioned it. I want to thank God for granting me this incredible opportunity to serve. The ability to serve one's country is but one of the greatest blessings from God and we need not forget that and without his guidance, without his favor, without his blessing, none of this would have been possible today. But I want to also thank our esteemed Prime Minister, Honorable Philip G. Pierre, for entrusting me with the vital portfolio of Minister in his Cabinet. It is a responsibility that Prime Minister I assure you I will not take lightly and I am committed to fulfilling it to the best of my ability. My constituents, the constituents, my people of Mikunof, I owe you a debt of gratitude, one that I can never fully repay or express in words, your unwavering support, your patience, this has been the bedrock of my political journey and I am humbled by your trust in me. I will continue to represent you. I will continue to put you first. I extend my thanks to my fellow ministers for their support and their collaboration for the people of Mikunof. Even during my stint as deputy speaker, I was able to achieve great things for the constituency of Mikunof and I attribute that to the support and the assistance that I receive from Cabinet colleagues and for that I want to say thank you. A special appreciation goes out to the dedicated staff of the Parliament, especially during my tenure as deputy speaker, my secretary and every other person, the clock, the clock, your steadfast support has been invaluable and I am deeply grateful for your tireless efforts. I want to personally single out the speaker of the House, Honourable Claudius Francis, who continues and from day one, I remember my first conversation with the speaker, he said, you will be good, you will be alright and to date he continues to exhibit that trust in my ability and as we look to the junior head, I acknowledge that the road will be challenging, there will be hurdles, there will be difficult times but I am confident that with the determination, with the perseverance that we will overcome any obstacles that may arise and I eagerly anticipate collaborating with the hardworking staff of the various ministries, together we will tackle the task before us with boldness, with innovation, striving to make signature better and safer place for all its citizens. I want to commend our Prime Minister again for his groundbreaking initiative, particularly the establishment of a designated desk and a minister for persons with disability. This historic step will undoubtedly bring excitement and I can see excitement already on the face of the President of the National Council for Persons with Disability and also bring hope to the disabled community in St. Lucia. It will certainly send a strong message to the country and to the international community that we are committed to eradicating discriminatory barriers that persons living with disabilities face in our country, at the cultural, at the social and at the policy levels and in any other area. My main mission is to ensure a full integration process, a full integration of persons living with disability in our country's development and I can speak about that personally. I know as much as all of you do, the struggle that one faces when faced with a disability and I thank God for the opportunity to be able to serve in the Cabinet of Honourable Philip Joseph Peer as a member who identifies as a person with disability and who knows it, feels it and therefore I promise you, Mr. President, that we will deal with it together. I am committed to working closely with persons with disability to foster more resilient and inclusive society. Together we will build a future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, nothing for us without us. And finally, I am filled with optimism for the journey ahead. With your continued support and collaboration, I am confident that we will achieve great things for our beloved St. Lucia. Thank you very much. Thank you, Minister and the Minister, in the office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for crime prevention and persons with disabilities, Honourable Jeremiah Nowat. Round of applause again please. Jeremiah, I know you think this was the highlight of today but sorry to have to break it to you. My honour always and privilege to serve Honourable Philip Peer, Prime Minister of St. Lucia. And today, witnessing the swearing in ceremony of Honourable Nowat is a testament to Prime Minister's belief, trust in young people. If you look around his office, if you look around and see the key positions which he has appointed young people to, it really speaks to his plan for the future, for continuity. And Prime Minister, we thank you for the opportunity to serve our country. The $26 million in the youth economy, again, Prime Minister putting young people at the forefront of his government to allow us all the opportunity to realise our goals, change our hobbies into entrepreneurship, our skills into businesses. And that is Prime Minister Honourable Philip Peer for you. Ladies and gentlemen, please help me welcome Prime Minister Honourable Philip Peer. Thank you very much. The Excellency Errol Charles Acting Governor-General, Deputy Prime Minister and Ministers in the Cabinet, Senators, let me recognise the Honourable Gerry Manoweth's family, Father Satooth and the special way, the President of the Council for the Disabled, Mr. Mayor for James. Give him a round of applause. The Government of St. Lucia seeks to enhance its crime reduction strategies through legislative and other means, including improving the efficiency of the legal and criminal justice system. The Government is further attempting to enhance its crime reduction strategies by the appointment of a Minister with responsibility of crime prevention, with the objective of working with all parties, including political parties, to prepare a multifaceted, comprehensive and inclusive national plan to address the growing citizen security challenge. The Minister is instructed and expected to work with all responsible partners to develop a comprehensive national plan to address the root cause of criminal activity, particularly murders, gun-raided crimes, gang warfare and rivalry. The intention is to work with and use all existing plans, strategies, documents and organisations that aim at making our country a more peaceful place. It is not our intention to reinvent the wheel, but to use the best practices applicable to our situation. The Government of St. Lucia believes crime is only reduced when all civil and religious organisations, including the media, are actively involved in crime suppression activities. I have assigned the portfolio of crime reduction to the newly appointed Minister, Aurobur Jeremy Norbert, himself a former youthful, successful law enforcement official who is tasked with leading this ministry and will be well-placed to understand the complexities and challenges that young people in our society face. As Minister in the office of the Prime Minister, Aurobur Jeremy Norbert will work closely with me in fighting this scourge of criminality. I will continue to hold the portfolio of national security. As you are aware, there are many in our society who live with some form of disability, but continue to strive to play a meaningful role in the development of our country. I have decided to give support to enable the participation of this important demographic. By creating a specific portfolio, headed by a minister in the office of the Prime Minister, to enhance the opportunities and limit the threats that may exclude the participation of these disabled citizens in our country. It is the policy of this government to afford all these citizens the enabling environment to achieve their full potential. I will assign this portfolio to the Aurobur Jeremy Norbert, who is an embodiment of the talent and potential of these disabled citizens. We are aware that on the Virginia minister of the public service, home affairs, labour and gender affairs is currently on medical leave after undergoing medical treatment. We wish the Aurobur minister well as she continues to recover. For the time being, I have assigned these portfolios of that ministry to the Aurobur Jeremy Norbert. I have full confidence in the Aurobur Jeremy Norbert and the cabinet of ministers looks forward to working with him as we remain focused on the development of our country. This addition to the cabinet is expected to be added focus to the importance that government plays to citizen security and improving the lives of people in our country. We are determined to reduce the level of gun violence in St. Lucia. The new minister will be expected to focus on all suggestions, ideas, methods that are aimed at crime prevention and reduction. I pledge to continue to provide the police with resources and equipment while allowing them the operational space to bring this unacceptable situation to an end. I once more call on all solutions to align with the necessary objective of making our island a safe place to live and work. I thank you. Thank you Prime Minister, Hon. Philip J. Pierre and you everyone for joining us at this brief and intimate ceremony, swearing in of Hon. Jeremiah Norbert, the minister in the office of the Prime Minister responsible for crime prevention and persons with disabilities. St. Lucia it has been my pleasure. I am Monty Lewis, personal attache to the Prime Minister and we are wishing you a happy Monday and productive week. Thank you everyone for the departure of His Excellency and also for the departure of Prime Minister Hon. Philip J. Pierre. Thank you everyone. Let's get to work. Please join us for some refreshments on the patio. Thank you very much.