 More than EC, $130,000 was disbursed to six St. Lucian entrepreneurs and business owners during the first official check handover ceremony under the newly minted micro, small and medium sized enterprise MSME loan grant facility on April 24th. And what I feel this morning is a feeling that we have achieved something as a government. For the first time, we have a direct injection of funds into a sector that people think could die, or people think could not grow, of a sector that people think that if you give your money, they will not use it correctly. I want you, the small business sector, to prove them wrong. The MSME loan grant facility was officially launched less than two months ago on March 16th. To date, the small enterprise development unit in the Ministry of Commerce has received more than 70 applications from local businesses seeking to access the MSME loan grant facility. This program has been designed to address one of the major issues facing the sector, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The issue is, of course, financing. Through this MSME loan grant facility, the government has demonstrated its understanding of a major challenge faced by our MSMEs, and it is addressing this issue via financial inclusion. Under this $10 million innovative support program, the beneficiaries will receive grant funding of 70% and loan funding of 30%. At least 500 small businesses and entrepreneurs stand to benefit from the facility, which offers qualified applicants improved access to financing to facilitate startups and business expansion. Qualified entrepreneurs and new business owners can access up to $10,000. Local businesses less than two years in operation can apply for up to $20,000, and qualified businesses operating for more than two years will be eligible to receive up to $25,000. Funding is apportioned in the ratio 70% grant and 30% loan at a concessionary rate of just 3% for successful applicants. From the Office of the Prime Minister, Rihanna Isidore