 St. Lucia is one of four small island developing states in the Eastern Caribbean to benefit from a German-funded project to lay the foundation for the successful introduction of sustainable financing mechanisms for marine protected or managed areas. The Suframarine Management Agency, SMMA, is the local beneficiary of this undertaking by the German Agency for International Development, GIS. The project includes maximizing SMMA capabilities to draw down funds from the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund and other regional donors, also human capacity building, and drawing up national plans of action. Project manager for the GIS financing program is Dr. Hammond Volcker. He presented an overview of the project during a virtual ceremony to formalize technical cooperation between the SMMA and GIS. Mr. Rikki explained a lot about the revenues that are possible together from tourism, but besides that, and we have seen in the COVID-19 crisis that these are very volatile. So from one day to another, tourism almost went down to zero. So this might not be the only reliable or should not be the only source of revenue for the marine protected areas. This is why we want to support the SMMA in accessing funds from the CBF, the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund, or other donors that are active in this region and the sector, yet to diversify the sources of income. During the ceremony, Dr. Volcker was officially welcomed by the Government of St. Lucia through Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Barrymore Felicium. The official wished Dr. Volcker all the best during his tenure on the island and pledged a technical support from the Government in the rollout of this project. We strongly endorse the technical cooperation agreement between GIS and the SMMA. So that support is there and we'll commit the technical resources to make that possible. There is a need for more robust financing platform to ensure SMMA performance and protection of the marine space. We therefore welcome this initiative. It is timely now. It would have been perhaps even a little better if it had taken place before COVID-19. But now we have it here. We are pleased to have that support and the intervention of GIS, providing the support for laying the foundation, and it's important for us to make the distinction. We are going to be laying the foundation for a sustainable financing mechanism. This when successful will provide the SMMA with the financial stability required to properly execute its mandate and boost performance. GIS's support to the SMMA precedes this 2021 Sustainable Marine Financing Program. It is a progression from the Caribbean Aquatorrestrial Solutions Program in its phases one and two that lasted until 2020, supporting marine managed areas with infrastructure and management tools as well as improving climate resilience through systematic resource management. SMMA Executive Chairman Ricky Alexander says the agency looks forward to the continued engagement with GIS. It is important to note that existing financial contributions are well below requirements and reveal a strong disparity in collection and user payments. All of which affect protected area performance. Establishing sustainable financing for MPAs is thus an essential exercise to help marine protected areas reach its effective management capacity. This is why the formalizing of this important partnership with GIS is critical as one of the important mechanisms to enhance the sustainability of the SMMA. The German Agency for International Development, GIS, has been providing support to St. Luccia and the Eastern Caribbean since 2013. It currently works with 120 countries globally and is funded mainly by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Corporation and Development. For the Government Information Service, I am Jesse Leos reporting.