 Good morning to members of the press and thank you for being here. We are here representing the Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Eastern Caribbean Senusia branch and we are celebrating our third annual Accountants Week across the Eastern Caribbean. The activities started on November the 10th which was International Accountants Day and the theme for this year's celebration is actually a continuation of last year's theme because it is such an important topic and that is leadership, ethics and integrity, road map to greater transparency and accountability. We have here Mrs. Andrea St. Rose who's the president of the Senusia branch council. She's also the president of the Eastern Caribbean council and we have Mrs. Sue Ann Payne who is the vice president of the Senusia branch council. I am Joanne Cooper, the public relations officer for the Senusia branch council. So at this point we will hand over to Mr. St. Rose. She will speak on the theme for this year and I also encourage you to view her engaging, very engaging address on the ICAEC Facebook page which can easily be found ICAEC or Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Eastern Caribbean. At this point over to Mr. St. Rose. Thank you Joanne. As we celebrate Accountants Week I wish to bring the public up to speed with respect to the rule of Chartered Accountants and to remind our members of the critical role Chartered Accountants play in economic development. The theme of this year's conference as you heard, the theme of this year's Accountants Week as you heard earlier leadership, ethics and integrity, road map to greater transparency and accountability, continued from last year as we at the ICAEC have formed the view that the matter of ethics and integrity resonates deeply with the ideals and goals that we as Chartered Accountants hold dear. As such later on you will hear that we have engaged the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants, the ISBA, to deliver a presentation on the matter of dealing with ethical dilemmas and that will take place on Thursday. As I have said before accounting is dubbed the language of business but it is more than that. It is the global dialect of trust, transparency and truth that transcends borders, cultures and economies. Our role as Chartered Accountants is indispensable. We are the custodians of financial accuracy, the guardians of fiscal honesty and the architects of economic resilience. We influence decisions that impact not only the present but the future of our communities. And speaking of the future it is vital to reflect on the evolving landscape of the accounting profession and consider the future directions we must embrace to stay relevant and effective. Several pertinent considerations demand our attention and I would like to touch on just a few of those. First, environmental, social and governance considerations have taken center stage in the business world. The accounting profession must play a vital role in ensuring that financial and non-financial information is accurately reported, providing stakeholders with a comprehensive view of an entity's performance. The responsible handling of ESG matters will shape a sustainable future and we must be at the forefront of these efforts. Another critical aspect is the sustainable development goals, SDGs. As guardians of financial integrity, we must advocate for and support the integration of SDGs into business strategies and reporting. This alignment will not only benefit society and the environment but also drive business sustainability and growth. Furthermore, the responsible use of artificial intelligence, AI, is a subject that demands our attention. As technology continues to advance, accountants must understand the ethical implications and the potential impact of AI on financial reporting and auditing. We must be proactive in harnessing the benefits of AI while safeguarding against misuse. In closing, we are reminded that the future of the accounting profession is in our hands. We are indeed the craftsmen of our faith and by addressing these pertinent considerations, we can shape tomorrow today while never straying from the path that has been carved by our commitment to the public interest. I urge all accountants to continue to do their part in safeguarding and shaping a financial world that the public can rely on with confidence. And now we go over to Suan, who's our vice president, who will speak on the activities. Thank you, Madam Piero. Okay, as mentioned earlier, we commenced our week of activities last week, Friday, with the president's features addressed. Saturday, we invited members along with their family and friends to a fun, exciting nature walk to Fort Rodney. Very enjoyable. Yes, Sunday, yesterday, we dedicated that day to offering prayers for the profession. Tonight, we let our hair down with a night of fun and games which will be hosted virtually via Zoom from 7.30. Tomorrow, we dedicate that day to accountants giving back in various forms. In St. Lucia, we will be hosting a session where we invite the public to come in and receive a presentation on budgeting, as well as have the available chartered accountants answer their questions. We hope that the public will take advantage of this opportunity where they have access to accountants, chartered accountants at no charge, to answer their questions. We encourage small, medium-sized businesses to come in. That will be hosted at the Book King Conference Room at the Unity House in Morris Avenue, San Susie, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, we have our business conference. It will be hosted over two-half days, virtually as well, where we have a suite of relevant, exciting, interesting topics that will be delivered by an esteemed group of presenters from the International Federation of Accountants, IESB, as the President would have mentioned, and also members from the Integrity Commission across the region. We also have a TEDX speaker, leadership and business coach, and an emeritus professor in accounting who would be available to present on those two days. This conference is open to both members and non-members, the public at large. Friday, we dub Pollo Shred Day, where members are invited to wear their branded institute's t-shirt with pride and share photos on social media. On Saturday, we close off our week of activities with a cocktail reception at the Harbour Club. This is the only event which is exclusively for members and invited guests. At this reception, we will be honoring an individual in each of the islands, because it will actually be hosted hybrid, both in person and virtually, where we'll be recognizing an individual from each of the participating islands for their contribution and continued support to the accounting profession. Individuals are encouraged to register to attend any of those events with the Institute at email address ICACSLURGML.com, or the Institute can be contacted via telephone number 7284039. WhatsApps are also welcome. The Facebook page also is available for any additional information on any of our activities. I'd like to especially thank the Association of Chattel Accountants, ASDCA, who have come on board as our goal sponsor, and also the firms of EYNPWC as our silver sponsors. Thank you. At this point, before we wrap up, we'd just like to encourage people into the accounting profession. We want people to know that the Institute is here. We have the expertise and training to help persons who may want to, you know, start a career in accounting, or who have already started and want some guidance to know how to further their career. Accounting is a stable career. It can be rewarding. It's, you can be employed in almost every sector. There are accountants at the base of every business and every organization. And there's the public sector, there's global development. I mean, the pathways just don't end. We encourage all young people who, you know, want to run their own business because we know that's, you know, the basically the desire of many young people now. Being an accountant is one of the best ways to ensure the success of your own business. It's business is not just about selling or collecting cash, you know, have to know how to budget, how to manage your debt, how to be aware of your expenses and to lower your risks. And these are the sort of things that accounting teaches you what to do. We also need more accountants in the public sector. We need to make good fiscal decisions. We need to promote integrity. We need to provide factual information to the citizens of our country. So please, as you said, contact us if you are interested. You don't need to do accounting at the CXC level to become an accountant. You can learn and get into the profession starting at the tertiary level. You don't have to have a degree. You can enroll in ACCA and do self-study. And there's also, but there is the option of the associates degree and further professional exam at Sir Arthur Lewis. So we do want young persons, new people to consider this profession. Contact the secretary to be guided further. We can be found on Facebook, search for ICAC or the full name Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean, of the Eastern Caribbean. And we ask that you do follow us this week, see the activities like the Facebook page so we can get more reach on social media. And yeah, we would really like persons to participate in Accountants Week in whichever way they can. I'd like to thank the press for coming. And there are any questions? We are ready to answer. I just, if you don't mind, I just want to, I would just like to encourage the public to attend the conference on Thursday and in particular to attend the session that is being delivered by Professor Thomas Scaldron as he speaks to methodologies and tools that can be used in predicting business failures for small and medium-sized entities. And I really want to make the plea for our business coming here to attend this session because I think it is very important and is very relevant to assist entities in looking at the path that they are following and so that they can put effective strategies in place to address any potential failures. Thank you, Joan. Thank you very much. We do have a good day. We would like to invite the press now for some refreshments outside.