 Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development, Honourable Alfred Prospe, has expressed in his humble opinion the importance of St. Lucia's marketing board past, present, and future. The St. Lucia Marketing Board continues to make advancements in fundamental areas to ensure the objectives of the organization are met whilst attempting to generate the competitive edge in the agriculture sector. According to Agriculture Minister Honourable Alfred Prospe, the St. Lucia Marketing Board plays a critical role in assisting farmers of this country. Minister Prospe is one of the leading advocates for St. Lucia Marketing Board's existence and has pledged his support to making this entity bigger, better, and more competitive. The St. Lucia Marketing Board has been in existence for approximately 54 years. So that tells us the value of the marketing board because it's about food security. It's about helping our farmers, ensuring that there is a reliable market available for them to sell their produce. But we understand now the marketing board is facing tremendous challenges. The marketing board is faced with competition by massive stores and hotels. No more can our farmers rely solely on the marketing board when they have to sell their produce because they can decide whether they sell to Massey, which I was told is offering a better price for the produce. Whether they want to go straight to the hotels where they can get even more than what Massey is producing. But the marketing board continuum will always be a very important entity to the ministry of agriculture and St. Lucia as a whole. We must ensure that our farmers and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector continue to rely on the marketing board as one if not the main entity for sale of their produce. And I just recently appointed a new board of directors for the marketing board. And I am hoping that this new board will identify all the issues affecting the farmers in the sector to ensure that the marketing board continue to live up to its mandate. Most recently, the St. Lucia marketing board strengthened its human resource skills by providing training for some of its employees in the area of post harvest handling and food safety of fresh produce for marketing. This was one of many strategic undertakings as the board seeks to provide international standards and re-emerge second to none in the agriculture sector. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development reaffirms its support to the farmers and the St. Lucia marketing board. From the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development, Miguel Morissette reporting.