 Education Minister Hon. Sean Edward, who was joined at the meeting held in Denver by Chief Education Officer Beverly D. O'Donnie and the coordinator of the Student Welfare Program, Maryam Henville, called the meeting to express his appreciation for the significant contribution cooks make in the education system and to discuss the challenges cooks encountered with the program, with a view to finding ideal solutions thereby making the program better for the cooks. And indeed, the students they serve. The school feeding programs in St. Lucia and indeed the Caribbean region have been recognized as an important tool in the facilitation of learning, especially for poor and vulnerable school children. The minister stressed on the important role that cooks play alongside school management in making the education system work. He says when children's stomachs are satisfied, it is only then their minds are nourished and can sufficiently accept learning. And the education system can only be successful when we deliver to society children of a particular quality that will make a difference in their communities and by extension to society. So the little child who comes to you for a little plate of food at lunchtime and you serve that child, don't take it lightly. You are making a certain contribution to the development of your country. But you can only serve the children well if you show them love. Many of the cooks in attendance expressed to the minister the issues and challenges they were experiencing in achieving their mandate, including damaged equipment and infrastructure, as well as the quality of supplies provided. The minister had been told the many cooks in attendance that his ministry was committed to addressing those issues, starting with a new input into the program in the new financial year. After we met with the prime minister, he increased the allocation for the school feeding program for this financial year. So when we end the budget debate, month and April, the Ministry of Education is getting more money for school feeding. What we have not decided is exactly how the money will be used. Chief Education Officer Beverly Diodoni thanked the cooks for the contribution they have made towards students' well-being within the school system. She pledged the continued support of her office alongside the Student Welfare Program to ensure supplies are on time and are of good quality and that the kitchens they work in are in proper conditions. Many times we take our ancillary workers for granted and we don't realize that our ancillary workers are some of the most important workers in our schools. So I applaud you and I want you to give yourselves a round of applause. Many of our children come to school on a daily basis hungry and you are the ones who give them or who enable them to be able to go to class and function. The program continues to stress on utilizing products grown locally and providing meals in different varieties for the students. It was also disclosed that the Ministry of Education was planning a gala event for cooks in August of this year, which the Ministry says will be an annual occurrence to show appreciation and gratitude for the work they do. From the Communications Unit of the Department of Education, Innovation and Vocational Training, I am Chris Sackney, Reporter.