 Prime Minister of St. Lucia, Honourable Philip J. Pierre, members and staff of the Office of the Prime Minister, and members of the media, good morning. And thank you for coming to our pre-cabinet briefing. As you know already, my name is Monde Lois, but this morning I'm in a different capacity. But I want to thank you all for our last two years of being together. Thank you for your cooperation. I can say that at no time were you ever resistant to sharing the work of the Office of the Prime Minister, despite our wranglings at times. I think we're always amicable, respectful, and it has been a pleasure for me as Press Secretary for the last two years to share and grow with you in the position. And I really count it an honour to have worked at the Office of the Prime Minister and to serve the Prime Minister himself. It is one of my highest honours, and I thank you all for making my journey over the last two years really enjoyable and educational. I must say it was a steep learning curve for me, but no, I think I did well. But my contract has come to an end, so I again would like to thank you all for your support, and again thank you Prime Minister for supporting me, for choosing me, for having faith in me throughout this journey. But all is not lost. We have some good news today, so I would hand over to the Prime Minister to inform you. Honourable Prime Minister. Thank you, thank you Monde. Good morning again. Good morning, thank you Monde. I want to really thank Monde for spending the last two years with me in the Office of the Prime Minister. You know sometimes it was not very easy, with you guys not very easy. But I want to thank her, and I would do the on this morning to tell her how the job of Press Secretary is very easy, because you have to take all the bad things the Prime Minister does. But if she did well, I was very pleased. And I want to introduce my new Press Secretary. I think it's, I want to introduce you, Melissa Paul, who is the new Press Secretary. She started work officially today. So I thought since you are the one serial dealer, I thought I would bring it to you myself and tell you to treat her well, Melissa. Thank you, sir. Ladies and gentlemen of the Press, esteemed colleagues, I stand before you today with immense gratitude and a profound sense of duty, as I am back on this journey as Press Secretary to the Prime Minister of St. Lucia. Honourable Philip J. Pierre. It is a privilege to serve as the Prime Minister's voice and facilitate a new era of collaboration between the government and the media. As a linguist and a former journalist, I understand the power of words, the importance of context, and the value of accurate information. My background has taught me that communication is not just about conveying a message. It's about building and understanding and trust. It's about forging connections and ensuring the voices of the people are heard. Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you. And I assure you that we will be providing you with a press kit later today with more information. Yes. Back to Monday morning. Yes. Yeah, to the Prime Minister, recently you are the police station out of your fort. In light of that, I just wanted to know some updates on maybe the custody suites and the all-of-justice. And for the all-of-justice, I know you said it will be placed somewhere, but I haven't seen any. Well, custody suites have started. Work is going on the custody suites as we speak. It has started. I understand that it's supposed to be about nine months to a year. I hope it happens before that. But work is actually going on in the custody suites as we speak. Work on the grossly divisional headquarters. The contracts either have been signed or in the process have been signed. And again, work should start on the grossly or on the divisional headquarters for the police, for the northern branch of the police. It should start before the end of the year. It's a huge complex and I'm very proud of it. It's going to give the police some environment where they can work and produce. I'm very happy for that, just as we thought. The halls of justice, as I said to you, it's a NIPRO project. It's going to be funded by NIPRO. The last I heard was finalizing as a bold agreement. The government will be, after the loan has been paid, the government will get the building, same as the Ministry of Infrastructure. And then I think that they are making the accelerations for the soil tests. And that should start, hopefully, early in the new year, by January. And while we're doing that, repairs on other police stations will be happening because of police stations who, as you know, in the states, some of them needed repair. And these stations were built between the years from 1998, 1999. So they are going to be looked at. So this is a question on the police infrastructure. Just one follow-up on that note. Unfortunately, another guy lost his life before yesterday. But I just want to know, is NIPRO still considered an escalator? Yes, still, before the study. It's greater. Crime areas, still, the law is still in effect. And before the study. Do you think the police are using that deal to be full of some escape amenities to quell? You see, as I said, I think the majority of policemen are doing their best. But, you know, you can't police 24 hours a day. You can't know it's almost impossible. The police are trying. There is need for improvement in anything. There is nothing is perfect. But again, the senseless loss of life, we have to find ways to resolve our conflicts. We have to find ways to resolve our conflicts. And many things are not helping. When an atmosphere of disinformation and atmosphere of slander and as well as misinformation is being perpetuated. It's been, you know, people reacting in different ways. But I think that good sense will prevail. I think the situation is not yet under control. It's far from under control. But we are trying. We've just got four drones from the Taiwanese government, which will be put into effect very shortly. Drones will help. Drones is the mother way of crime fighting. We've got four of them, which we will put into. We will put to work shortly. So it's a work in progress. Again, I won't thank the police for what they do. It's not easy. But it's a work in progress. It's a work in progress. But I'm not dissatisfied. I think one murder is too much. But it's work in progress, which we are. On Friday, it was announced that Tenochon wanted to host a quick and woke-up game, situating woke-up games next year. I don't think you can give any details surrounding that deal towards these games. And if not, just speak to the economic impact that such a tournament can have. Well, I was actually at the UN when I got the news, when it came to me. I understand we have four group stage matches, correct? We're excited about it. There is a nexus between cricket, these major sports events, and the circulation of money in the economy. We expect every hotel room to be filled, just as the jazz festival, the spillover effect, every hotel room is going to be filled. We expect that. We expect visitors to come from far and wide. We still have an issue of regional transportation. We still have an issue. That is something that we have to work on. But I also think the publicity the country will get throughout the world, the country sent to Lucia, because part of the contract is that the country sent to Lucia is going to be shown, the beauty of our country, the sights and seas of our country, that's going to be shown. So the impact of that advertisement loan, of that exposure loan is worth millions and millions of dollars. So I'm very excited about it, but I'm sure the ministers of sports will give you more details about it. Yes, Mr. Prime Minister. One of the pressing issues that the administration was faced with, the road conditions, and you barring the environmental conditions, what has been, what will you say has been the update on the road conditions, specifically the millennium highway? The millennium highway, I was, I drove there on Sunday when I came from the airport. I noticed there had been some work being done there. Some part of the road has been, at least, the first level of resurfacing has happened. I expect to have a delegation from the Caribbean Development Bank early next week for discussion. As you know, the last time I visited, I gave them a six-week deadline. These six weeks ago, I ended this week, I noticed something has happened, but I would like them to be more progress, but something is happening. And when I get the updates, when the CDB comes, I'll be able to give you more information about something is happening. So you say you expect more developments? I expect them to move with greater ease going forward, because something has happened. I don't know if you've been there recently, some part of the road has been resurfaced, something has happened. I say to move forward because I'm not very happy with them. I've told them so. We will ensure that the people of San Lucia all beat grand funds. All beat grand funds, but still for that, the confidence of the donor must be maintained. So we are working with them, and hopefully when I get the update next week, I'll be able to give you more information. One quick comment. They run me the project. I know there's been some contracting arrangements and whatever, but there are seven key areas, like the bus stops, the rain falls, people cannot go to the bus. Would there be any agreement? The road will be made. You made $50 million half mile road? Well, I don't know. But this road will be made, the project has been. Our position, you know, I don't know why. Our position has been clear, you know. You know, we seem to, our position has been very, very clear, very, very clear on the grocery road highway, very clear. We left government in 2016 with complete approval and loan financing for the completion of the grocery highway from shock to grocery. Complete funding in place, loan in place, everything in place. The government changed in 2016 and these plans were aborted. Aborted in favor of doing the road in pieces by direct award. The previous arrangement was a contractual arrangement that had to go to public and international tender. That was aborted. We returned to government in 2021 and we decided that we are not at this time continuing with the project between Rodney Bay and Grozidi because we thought to spend between 50 and 20 million dollars on less than a mile a road with no plan was not a situation we could have tolerated. So we stopped it. Right now, we are in discussions with the Q it to go back to the original plan. The news that I have is that a statement should be done very shortly for the extension of the road between shock and Marisol. That should be funded by the Q it is. The other section road we are seeking for the finance either from OPEC or from the Caribbean Evan Bank. The Caribbean Evan Bank has agreed to look at it because everyone knows that the productive time that is lost on this highway is causing a strain on the productivity of the country. Why the road was stopped? We've got absolutely no reason and no one is asking why. For road that had been funded, no one can deny that road was had been funded. The funding was there. In fact, I have to reset this thing so many times or not only these but the secondary roads and the agricultural roads were funded. What happened is the tender for the secondary roads was out. What it meant is that the secondary roads would have been completed and then the highway, the main highway done. The tender for the secondary roads, the former minister of finance wasn't satisfied, not the last one, the one before that, Dr. Kenny Anthony wasn't satisfied, so he sent it to Retender. And the day the tender's board had to open was election day, 6th of June I think, right? So that never happened. When the other government came power, they stopped it. They cancelled the loan. The same way they cancelled the loan for the LED lights which had been confirmed and approved by the CDB. We seem to be forgetting that it was cancelled. So we had to start from a fresh and they decided that they would spend, fix the road in parts. And the road debate section would of course between 50 and 20 million dollars for less than a mile of road. This is the position. So we stopped it. Clean, simple. But we understand the issues of the road. We understand that there's a lot of productivity being lost on that highway. And we hope, we hope that with what we have in place, we should start from shock to mild sail in a short time. According to the rest of the roads, very soon you'll be going to see improvements on the road surface in San Lucia very soon. And next year, next year, if I can tell tales out of school, we'll be the year of infrastructure. So rest assured, your roads will improve. I can assure you, the roads will improve in a sustainable way, in a way that doesn't cause us to get car loans to build roads in a sustainable way. Because, you know, it will not be a matter of election roads. It's going to be a matter of roads for the people of the country. And if you notice, we've done, the government has done things in stages and in steps. The first year we had a plan, the second year for health and security, which is the year we are in now. So in that year, you saw work happenings in Jude, which is going to finish at some point. You saw work happening in maternal health care, in universal health care. You saw work happening in health care in terms of what's happening with, first of all, with the children, secondly, with the adults. And we were ridiculed for seeing about our elderly. Any society that gets ridiculed for seeing about the elderly, the people who do that ridiculing have something to account for. There are more than 3,000 people in this country, I'm only 80 years old. More than 3,000 I'm only 80 years old. And we were ridiculed for seeing about them, ridiculed, but that's for another show. So you must understand, the government has a plan and the plan is working. It's working. So what's happening? You saw improvements in the health centers. You saw improvements, working progress at the OK hospital, and you saw the same Jude. The country did not start on the 26th of July, 2021. It was there before. There were people there before, you know. You want to copy the finance app to read it? I want you to show me the other section. If you show me the other section, I yield. If you can show me the other section of the finance app, I yield. Do you want to copy for you? Do you want to copy, Jerry? No, no, no, no, no, no, no. You want me to get a copy? He said there are people who are wrong on the paper. No, but no. The finance app is a public document. If you make up a announcement, just read and read it. That's it. Very good. Just read it. It fascinates me. How people just say things in this country. And they just say it. If you say that there is something in the finance app that allows a particular action, read it. That's all you're saying. Just read it. Take the finance app. It's like, you know, I'm surprised you asked me about the CIP funds. It's a pity. And these things are being said. The CIP app is clear. It's clear. The National Economic Fund is a statute, is a law. And not a law passed by us, you know. It's a law. It's in the laws of St. Lucia. CIP money goes to places. The National Economic Fund, the adjustment that we made in it is that we said the cabinet critical decision. So the National Economic Fund. Very simple. So when you talk about the National Economic Fund and considered funds, I don't know where is that coming in. First, secondly is bonds. The bonds have to be repaid. Their interest, three bonds have to be repaid. What we've done is we started a fund to pay these bonds. The last time I spoke, there were $15 million in that fund. That's the financial management of this government. That is the financial management of this government. We know we have to repay the bonds. So we set up a fund. $15 million already in that fund. That's the last time I spoke about it. And the rest says that the CIP, they have a dietary board. They can expose it to how they do. Sometimes the finance determines how it goes. So that's very simple. So all the argument about the CIP funds, I don't know why is that an argument. The law is there. There are no things I say. These are things that are in the law, Jerry. In the law. The finance act is a law. The National Economic Fund is a law. It's passed by the Parliament of St. Lucia. Why is that an argument? As I said this morning, Trump said he won the elections. Similar. Even though all the courts say he lost, he says he won. So I can't stop people from saying what they want. I can't. But I can tell you the law. CIP funds, the law. National Economic Fund, a law. The bonds goes into the considered fund. Free payment, bonds and loans. And the rest stays in the CIP for administrative expenses and for use only the fund on the direction of the election or discussion with the Minister of Finance. Very clear. Loan funds, considered funds. Very clear. Okay. Mr. Prime Minister, I want to look at the front. You just said from the UN. Yes, I was. I know a number of the issues you may be. I thought you'd ask me about it. No, I didn't ask you about it. No, that's what I wanted to do. That's what I wanted to do. I was waiting for you to ask me about it. So, what can I just tell us from the UN and what are some of the things that... The UN General Assembly dealt with the Sustainable Development Goals which passed, which we will claim in 2015 for 15 years. We are heading to 2030 and there's concern that the countries may not have reached the goals of the Sustainable Development Goals which is the quality of life. We've put in people first, exactly. And also dealt with climate change because whether you like it or not, we are in a climate crisis and the countries that are suffering the most in a climate crisis are the less developed countries. Floods, hurricanes, et cetera. So, these were the main aspects of the Sustainable of the UN Conference. These were the principal factors that we dealt with. So, all of us, all leaders from the Caribbean made up points that, listen to me, we are missing these goals because the developed countries are not meeting the promises that happened after the UN Conference. And that was the... So, every leader from the familiar region spoke about how we think we have been shortchanged by the developed countries. Basically, it was the same. And by the way, we had some sidebars. I met the President of Cuba. I met the Foreign Minister of Indonesia. I met the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia. Everybody's very excited about our youth economy. I know this doesn't make the press at all. Very excited about our youth economy. A lot of excitement there. A lot of countries are speaking about it. They think it's innovative. And generally, Salusha has a good profile. And when I travel, I feel little about the profile of my country. I really feel little. I understand the ambassador and the staff. Because it's only when you travel, you realize what people think about our country. And I'm very late to tell you about it. I'm very late. In the beginning of our country, I looked at you, some of the emotions in New York. Yes. And I celebrated my bobele with them. And we had a game. We had a very good meeting. No, no. The basic concern was about view for the crime. And I explained to them about the situation. And they also noted that the crime in New York has increased. In fact, they're complaining about the roads in New York, if you don't know. So they're complaining about the cost of living in New York. I mean, you would think we live in the same country. Sometimes you think that you want to have a perfect country. Salusha is perfect. Salusha is a continent. And everything is perfect. But they were complaining about the same thing. Cost of living, some concerns. Roads, cost of living, crime, the same thing. Issues which are worldwide. But make no excuses for us. We have to try to solve them. So what that would give them? Always the truth. Yes. Yeah, man. My question was, at the last parliament sitting, through the commerce minister, she made some revelations found out by the consumer affairs department about businesses not complying to some of the bad exemptions. And in some instances, it went beyond not only complying, but they were actually marking up the prices of sanitary parts and whatnot. Is the government going to change its tone? Yes, the government has decided that's science. It's going to deal with businesses, not only in this instance, but just future, I guess, legislative changes when you have businesses blatantly not complying. You see, all in a sudden, we want people to see they love taxes. No one ever loved taxes, you know. Any tax that any government passes, people don't like it, they don't like to pay tax. You know, the United Oktober Party government did pass a security tax. I don't know if you remember that. The United Oktober Party was the first government to pass a security levy. They were the first government to do it. And Stephen King was the minister of finance and he admitted in the parliament at a time it was the right thing to do. So they passed it. So right now, we have a big you-and-cry about the security levy, as if it never happened. Boy, Lord, what are these guys doing? They passed it. The United Oktober Party had an act on the books called security tax passed when many members of the present government were in the cabinet. That's a fact. What happened? When that came into being, we removed it. That's a fact. So the scientific product you're speaking about, we were not satisfied that the consumer was getting the benefits. I made the point that there's a difference between cost and price. There's a fundamental difference between the cost of a good and the price of a good. Continental difference. So what do you decide to do now? As far as sanitary equipment is concerned, we are dealing with the level of the price now. So you've got to put it on the price control. Sanitary. Yes. Prime Minister, my question will be strictly about sanitary. I find you are happy that St. Jude is going to be built and the state is going to be going to be happy. You have so much concern about St. Jude. Now he's going to be built. You can tell me about that. Thank you. Prime Minister, have you ever visited the new facility? Yes. I saw it leaking, water oil. I saw no roof. I saw water in there. I saw all the windows, water was coming in. And I saw a report that said it was 30% complete. Yes. Not once. I was there a few weeks ago. And I also saw a report. I also saw a report from the former government that said it was 30% complete. I was just sorry. Let's go. The out of the 200-pound miller, how much exactly will be spent on stage? I have no idea because we're not doing by direct award. We're doing it by tendering. So we have to look for the tenders and out of that, we are also going to put equipment and also we're going to do the... Steady up. So tell us again. What is the tender for? The tender is for the completion of the original St. Jude building. So at this time you're saying that you have not appointed a contractor has nothing? To work a contractor has not been awarded to do... A contractor has not been awarded to do the additional works on the St. Jude Hospital as determined by the loan from the Saudis. What's happening at St. Jude now is going to be done from the local funds. Prime Minister. Yes. You went on a tour with Joshi. With Joshi who is Renault's point person on the ground. Yes. In that discussion you asked Joshi about completion of the hospital. Yes? The suggestion was one to 18 months from Joshi to you. The dialogue is clear. It's online. Are you telling me that a contractor has not been awarded? And what he says from Joshi to me, not me to Joshi. I'm glad you said it's from Joshi to me and not me to Joshi. But I'm focused. Me? I'm focused. I'm asking the question. But I've answered you. I'm telling you a contractor has not already said you've come to the hospital. Because Joshi was working come on. Come on. Joshi is working as we speak on the hospital. So I have to ask him a question. I'm not going to say it. He said it. And then I have to ask him a question. Have you ever heard the Prime Minister say also you've come to 18 months? Prime Minister. Have you ever heard the Prime Minister say that? The question was. Yes. That was a contractor. No. No. Answered you. You're looking for a different response and he's answered you that there is a 10 in the process for the completion of the hospital. Now you can move on to your next question please. You're welcome. That in the process there's an agreement. You know, I feel so. I'm surprised that these questions are coming up. There's an agreement. You know what I'm saying? Philip J.P.A. Didn't go to hospital and stretch his hands out and say he's too large or small. Philip J.P.A. never went to the hospital and said that happy hands up. And Philip J.P.A. never said so. Philip J.P.A. never said so. All Philip J.P.A. did. He had exports. The same exports who were in the hospital previously. We never changed anybody Mr. Eliot. The same exports. The 10 in the process is going to be 10 in the process. You're going to see a 10 down in his papers. That's all you see. Like any other process. That's all you're going to see. Like any other process. Now what is this? Mr. Eliot. Mr. Eliot. Why are you going through the same thing all the time? You've heard for yourself in the agreement. With the agreement. Now listen to me. I've never proclaimed the wholesale exporter. I never became either engineer. Don't ask me engineering questions. Don't try to figure it and tie me up with that. I'm not going to get caught in that. You're not going to get me to answer any questions about hospital business and things. I'm the prime minister of Senusia. I'm not an expert in hospital construction. Okay. So when you have these technical questions, I'm going to say to the people who deliver it. I will. So. Yes. You are. Yes. Fine. Yes. If you have not bought enough costing based on the number of bets, how did you decide on the thing? Because Mr. Eliot. Mr. Eliot. Yes. If you have not bought enough costing, how did you go forward? Can you read my mind? Do you have it in my mind? And secondly, naturally it is of cost. It is based on the number of bets. Are you telling me that at this present moment you as minister of finance I never said so. I told you look in the agreement. I said look in the agreement. Do you see what it says? There's an agreement. What's your question? The question was. According to the agreement, it's going to be 100 bed hospital. But that's what it's all saying. There's nothing new in that. That's public. There's been nothing secret about hospital. You know, nothing secret. We never, the statement. And I know you like your man of great research. Look at the statements on the hospital. They've been consistent. We've never made any opinion on us if you didn't get professional advice. I've never pretended to be an expert in hospital business or engineer not. The full set of advice came from a group of experts. They are the ones who made the recommendation and the cabinet accepted it as a full set. Too late. It's too late now. Don't worry. We're not going back there. We are going. The decision of the government is that we are going to work on the original buildings and the box is going to be preserved for the use. It is not being paid. There's not not a cent because there's them. The present man cannot, the condition of that, that it can be paid retroactively. Because there's accountability, you know, the Saudis, there's accountability. We have to account for what's happening. So part of it is that it's not going to be used for retroactive payments. But, you know, sometimes I wonder, we've made it clear, nothing that was not valuable before. There is no, there is no evidence. I mean, you know, I did something. Sometimes I listen to these things when Mondi and Melissa tell me, tell me because, you know, and then I wonder, I really wonder, because it fascinates me, simple things. The finance act can read it. National economic fund, you can read it. Simple things. If there was made a point again, let me make a pollucid declare. Any item that was non-vattable or it was zero rated, or there's that exam, shall attract no health and security levy. The health and security level is at two points. One in the customs. So when the goods come to the country, that health and security level, it is charged at the customs. There is no change in any software for anybody, those who import. At the services level, we did make some amendments. We said that if you are providing service, legal services, you can't get tax on the stamp beauty. Okay? So we removed it. So the taxation, the consideration doesn't include the stamp beauty. That was to support the consumer. And then he said, then 200% levy will come at that point. But we recognize it will take some time. So we extended it to October for the services. But for the imports, that's been happening from the 4th of July. That's been happening. I don't think you know it's happening. You will take the final question. Prime Minister, on that same question, I have here a copy of the legislation that was passed in Senate of the health and security levy. Which one? You may have made. And it says here. No, be careful. There are amendments. We shall make you talk about them. It says here, Chapter 44, excerpt tariff number 44.01, and related subheadings, wood, and articles of wood, woodchapel. That is the actual legislation. That is not one. Is that an amendment? Let me read it for you. No, it's not one you hear of. Is that an amendment? It is. The bill for consideration. Is that an amendment? There's no amendment. No, it won't be there. It won't be the next step. But it is in the legislation. No, the legislation is not wrong. Last week. I am the official who was amended several times. Oh, there's something. So the legislation is wrong. We're not perfect. I never said so. We're not perfect. You see? This is the answer. Listen to me. Miss, miss, listen to me. Can I answer you? Can I answer you? Go ahead. We're not perfect. If we've decided, if we've seen, all legislation, that is legislation that deals with thousands of products. Listen to me, please. That legislation deals with thousands of products. Thousands. If we have realized that something has slipped through the cracks, we'll amend it. We're not perfect. The same way if we had paid for vaccines and we hadn't got the money, we would have come and said, listen to me, we made an error. We're not perfect. I'm very surprised to answer about your vaccine money. Yes.