 St. Lucia's most august decision-making chamber, the House of Parliament, remained without a deputy speaker for nearly five years until the Pierre administration assumed office in 2021. Prime Minister, Hon. Philip J. Pierre and government legislators have taken steps to ensure the business of the people of St. Lucia in the lower House of Parliament is conducted in conformity with the Constitution and standing orders of the House of Assembly. This constitutional amendment is to end the violation of Article 46 of the Constitution that has taken place for more than five years in this honorable House. The Prime Minister has sought Parliament's approval to amend the Constitution of St. Lucia to ensure the position of deputy speaker is compulsory occupied as has been the convention for more than three decades before it was discontinued. And you know, the tragedy of all of this is that when you see you have to amend a document like a constitution to protect the country from an individual like the former Prime Minister who became the Prime Minister of this country, albeit on the basis of the support of the majority of the people of this country. We now face the situation where we have to protect the Constitution of this country from that kind of eventuality, that kind of problem. For the simple reason that he disobeyed, he disregarded with impunity a convention that had existed in this House that is the opposition had declined the nomination of appointing a deputy speaker. The responsibility was that of the government of the day to honour the letter and the spirit of the Constitution. Parliament's approval of the Constitutional Amendment would guarantee the election of a deputy speaker and also ensure the position is filled immediately or no later than the following sitting of the House. So to clarify it, Mr Speaker, we're doing it the right way and that is the difference between us and them. The deputy speaker may be elected either from among the members of the House who are not members of the cabinet or parliament secretaries or from among persons who are not members of the House. From the office of the Prime Minister, Rihani Yazudo.