 The ministries of Education and Infrastructure have collaborated on a project to upgrade two schools in the Castries Basin. Upon completion, the schools will serve as shelters during times of disaster and emergency situations. Hermadi Mark reports on the plans for the new school buildings at the Gordon and Walker Memorial School and the Vidbutai Primary School. A contract signing ceremony was held between construction and industrial equipment-limited prudies construction and the Government of St. Lucia. This signaled the commencement of works to improve the infrastructure of two schools in the Castries Basin. The purpose of the new wings at the Gordon and Walker Methodist and Vidbutai Primary Schools is to provide a conducive environment for students and teachers. Michelle Charles is the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development. For us, it is more than just concrete classrooms and furniture. But most importantly, it is about the kind of future we can create for our country, starting with our little ones. It's about giving students and teachers alike a reason to wake up and go to school on the morning. It's about creating a safe space for our students who may not otherwise feel safe elsewhere. An important consideration being made in the design of the schools is the ability for their youths as shelters during a disaster and emergency situations. Honourable Dr. Gil Rigabet, Minister for Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development explains that the existing structures will be transformed to smart schools. For us, education is certainly more than fine buildings. Education is more than smart schools. And my colleagues are already beginning to smile behind their masks because when we say smart schools, we mean schools that reflect a fine-tuned understanding of multiple intelligences and the need to cater for children who are differently abled and who are superlatively intelligent. We recognise too when we speak of smart schools, we speak of the infusion of technology. We speak of the need to embrace renewable energy. We speak of the dual purpose that many of our schools on Ireland serve, which is that not only do they serve an educational function, but many of them are also emergency shelters and that therefore compels us more than ever to ensure that they are also climate resilient. Minister for External Affairs and a parliamentary representative for Cassidy Central, Honourable Sarah Flood-Bobra noted the importance of a conducive environment to learning. Housing affects almost every aspect of life. It affects health, it affects education, it affects overall well-being. School housing leads to abuse of children and families. You simply can't raise healthy families if there is poor housing. And what does housing have to do with what I'm talking about here today? A school needs a home. Schools need good housing. And we've known for so many years and decades in fact that we have excellent teachers, that we have people that are on par or perhaps even excel many others. I mean we are well known for having per capita the world's highest number of Nobel laureates. The works within this project for Vibhutai Primary School comprises of the new construction of a three level reinforced concrete building consisting of a total floor space of 13,571 square feet of teaching and administrative space. The lot of the Vibhutai School is 43,044 square feet which will accommodate the new structure. The works at the Gordon and Walcott Methodists will consist of a two level reinforced concrete structure. The site works will include improvements in the perimeter fencing, improved vehicular parking conditions and improved site access on the northern boundary and refurbishing of the existing septic tank. Honourable Stephen Singh King, Minister for Infrastructure, Reports Energy and Labour and Parliamentary Representative for Castries North said one issue he hopes will be remedied at the Methodist School is the port drainage system. There is one issue at the Methodist School and that is the issue of the drain which runs through the compound of the Methodist School. I recall many years going to attending Methodist School and Renault will remember how that playground flooded and we were marooned as a consequence of the inability to get out unless your parent had a vehicle capable of navigating through the flooded playground. I would hope that at some stage probably in conjunction with the Ministry of Infrastructure that we can address that situation if it is not yet considered in the design for the construction of the Methodist School. The plans include improvement of the drainage system for both schools. From the Government Information Service, I'm Hermadi Mark.