Mr Speaker, I rise in support of the motion presented by the Honourable Prime Minister and Parliamentary Representative for Cass Trees East, seeking the authorization of this Honourable House to borrow an amount of U.S. $128,294 from the Export-Import Bank of the Republic of China to provide budgetary support for the fiscal year 2022-2023. Mr Speaker, I want to thank the people of St. Lucia for their patience in waiting for the government to secure the funding to implement many of the programs outlined in the budget address of 26 April 2022. Mr Speaker, I rise in support of the motion presented by the Honourable Prime Minister and Parliamentary Representative for Cass Trees East, seeking the authorization of the motion to borrow an amount of U.S. $128,294 from the Export-Import Bank of China to provide budgetary support for the fiscal year 2022-2023. Mr Speaker, it would be unfair to the Prime Minister and the other Honourable Members in this House for me as Parliamentary Representative for Babu Lu not to support the budget and the mechanisms available to finance this budget. Mr Speaker, when I used to watch on television presentations in the House of Assembly, I used to hear on the opposite side, but since I became a Parliamentarian, I realized there is no opposite side because if I say opposite side, I'm seeing members of the government sitting there. So we just have one side. We have a Parliament all inclusive, a government of national unity. Mr Speaker, I say this, Mr Speaker, before I explain a little further on why I see the justification for this borrowing. When my colleague on this side, not opposite, is still with us, speak to no difference in this borrowing to what the last government used to do. There is no difference, Mr Speaker, because when you borrow, you borrow. But the difference is what will the money be used for. That's where the difference is. How will the money be used and who will participate in the decision on how the money is used. That is the difference. Mr Speaker of Revenue and Expenditure for 2022-23 is very clear on how this government plans to raise the necessary revenue to finance the budget. For example, Mr Speaker, let us have a quick review of how the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance plan to finance the budget. Mr Speaker, it is important for you to note that this budget was passed on the 26th day of April 2022. And this is the first time the Prime Minister is coming to this house to borrow money to finance the budget. That is after seven months, Mr Speaker. I admire the skillful manner in which the captain of the ship has navigated in these turbulent waters of economic tidal way. Mr Speaker, the budget speaks to external borrowing, and in the estimates quoted $425,387,524. Bonds, $79,795,995. The estimates also speak to tax revenue. Money government is expected to collect from tax. $1 billion, $2 million, $435,979, non-tax revenue, $133 million, $888,321, giving a total of $1 billion, $150,324,300. The budget spoke to capital revenue of $10,688,200, grants to the tune of $176,680,881. And a total expenditure of $1,842,813,200. The budget also speaks to capital expenditure of $493,202,600. Projects to the tune of $24,837,100, recurrent expenditure of $1,349,610,600. Mr Speaker, when you speak to this money, we have to find out where is that money coming from. And when you look at the revenue that government collects on a regular basis, we have to borrow in order to fulfill the needs of the people of St. Lucia. Salaries alone, Mr Speaker, amounts to $358,492,445,341,756. Wages, $53,813,946, wages and allowances, $22,030,844, which covers 33.99% of the budget. Mr Speaker, I represent the ministry of the public service, home affairs, labour and gender affairs. And government has to service that department. And under the public service and gender affairs, government has to raise $48,583,100. Under home affairs and the budget for national security is also there, amounts to $120,1600,000. Under the department of labour, $2,594,100. Now under home affairs and national security, the recurrent expenditure which is what government has to service on a monthly basis is $120,11,600. On capital expenditure, the government has to raise $9,914,900. The public service and gender recurrent expenditure is $48,583,100. And on capital expenditure, $9,671,400. Under the department of labour, $2,594,100. And on projects, we have $25,000. Mr Speaker, I raise these figures so that the seduction public will understand the amount of money that government would need to keep this country going. And therefore, it can be collected through tax. Some people may give us some gifts called grants and government has to borrow for us to provide the services that our people need. Mr Speaker, we have promised and we have started to deliver to the people of St. Lucia. Do you know that this government inherited a huge debt which the taxpayers in St. Lucia have to pay? The value of borrowing, Mr Speaker, is to ensure that you live decades ahead of your time and enjoy the future before you actually earn it. The revenue to live the lifestyle that you want. And that goes very simple where you borrow money from the bank to build a nice house. You are living in a very modern house using toilet facilities, air condition and everything and you have not worked for it. So you are living ahead of your time. What this does, you have to work as time goes by to repay that debt. But you are already enjoying what you would have to work for. It will take decades for you to do that. And Mr Speaker, I understand the economics of borrowing because I know when I built my home 30 years ago, I only finished it after 20 years. But I had already enjoyed everything that a house after building it for 20 years would have given. Some people will tell you, Mr Speaker, that they have to save their little money. And I saw a friend of mine save money and she never lived to enjoy the house because she worked so hard and she did not have time to live the house. So when this government borrows money is to ensure that solutions enjoy a quality of life long before they have earned the money. Mr Speaker, the most important thing is to ensure that there is transparency, accountability and public participation in the way the government is using the money it borrows. That is the difference between this government and the last government. It is committed to account for the money we are borrowing on behalf of the people of St Lucia. Money we borrow and the huge debt is there for us to pay. And that is from the taxpayers. And this is what St Lucia must understand that any time government borrows, it is on their behalf because they will be the ones enjoying it. Their business is to ensure that the money is used for the purpose and that is our responsibility. Mr Speaker, are you aware that this government has agreed to pay the majestic and leat workers? These workers are saying thanks to the government, the prime minister and his team of competent men and women in this house who are the courage to separate this long outstanding matter. Mr Speaker, especially our women who toil in that majestic place for years, there is a lady who worked for 30 something years and she got nothing after the industry was closed. And after almost 18 years, this government had the courage to secure the money to give this people their compensation. Mr Speaker, the prime minister is putting money so that we can get soft loans and grants for our people to start their little business. Mr Speaker, we are using the money in the country to help innovative, upskilling programs after COVID. Mr Speaker, the government has to get money to enhance security and promote justice. We are providing vehicles, training, repairing police stations, fire stations so that our men and women who work in the protective services will have good conditions of service. That is what government borrow money for. Mr Speaker, this government paid salary increase which was promised to them by the last government. Mr Speaker, government will be paying millions to public servants in back pay. Mr Speaker, on page 64 of this budget, and as a typical principal and teacher, I go by the books. And the Labour Party had a manifesto and the prime minister uses it as his Bible and he asked us to follow because we promised the people to deliver and we have to follow what we promised them. The prime minister prepared his budget and we can take this budget and start ticking what have we done for the people and not going around and doing things. We have a mandate to fulfill and we will follow the books. Mr Speaker, on page 64 of the budget address, the government has been providing relief measures to citizens in this country. Well Mr Speaker, as we speak right now, I know that the Babono constituency and all constituencies in St. Louis are getting a good grooming exercise. When I passed this morning, I saw haircuts going on and beard cutting up where they are cleaning Babono.  It's already so clean. That is what the government used the money for. And the people will be paid, they will have a good Christmas and they will be able to take care of the family. The money is going back in the people's pocket, not to create a few millionaires. So later they can have the business, they can have the big business, they can open the business and big ceremony. The chance is to put a portion here. For the education issue, I have a table. It is not possible for young people to go and get a millionaires. Mr Speaker, this money which is being borrowed today, I want the constituents of Babono and all constituencies in the other constituencies to understand that government is actually fulfilling its mandate and to ensure that they are taken care of. Mr Speaker, I did not promise to do a lot of things for the people in Babono because when you put things in writing, they hold you to it. And in that manifesto, we identify five things we said we would be doing in Babono. And when the Prime Minister borrows money, I know part of it will reach the Babono constituents. And one of the things we will work towards, we have five years, we have a year and almost a year and a half gone already. According to the Prime Minister, we have an expiry date. So we are not there forever. Whatever we have to do, let us do it for the people. One repurpose on youth space at the Babono Primary School to increase access to early childhood education and adult education program, Mr Speaker. And I got a letter from the SSDF that they are getting ready to start the work. Thank you, the work is beginning. We promised the Babono people, Mr Speaker, to establish an ecotourism project campaign which will include total-watching, outdoor camping, bird-watching and hiking in the Débara community that's the first area we started. And the Minister of Tourism told me to send my proposals in. Am I correct, brother? If I open, you can open. So there we are seeing, Mr Speaker, the monies are going in that direction. Mr Speaker, provide Wi-Fi access to the communities in the constituency. And so far, Mr Speaker, we have been promised 270 homes in Babono. We'll get Wi-Fi and so far they have started. And all constituencies are benefiting from this book which we call the Flow Bundle. And people who did not have access to internet, they are already getting access to internet. This is what government puts its money to. Provide access to land under a land rationalisation programme for housing and agriculture. The people in the Talvan area, they are celebrating the government for giving them land they have been living on for over 30 years. And now they can have title to the land, Mr Speaker. Re-develop Babono Central with the view of improving access to services provided by the multipurpose centre. Right now, we have developed a vision to upgrade Babono Central to a little town. And Mr Speaker, when I saw that I got goosebumps, so in January we'll be unveiling this big vision that we have for the Babono Central. Part of the money that government borrows will find its way into the constituency where the people will get some satisfaction. Mr Speaker, we were successful in bringing back Babono Day. Mr Speaker, that is a community that must always dying and we are bringing it back to life. It was a huge success and the big success about it is that it was incident free thanks to the police and the security men. Mr Speaker, some of the money borrowed have to find its way to the Babono constituency to improve the quality of life for our people. Mr Speaker, I want to applaud my cabinet colleagues in the manner in which they are carrying out the work with a passion for their constituencies and their respective ministries. Minister is putting 110% effort and sweat to get the job done. Mr Speaker, we have a hard task master. This prime minister is not easy, but we are responding with team effort. I am very confident that we are going through and if he could have held on for seven months, he was afraid, they say, Phillip Pehe. Instead of Phillip Pehe, they were saying Phillip Pehe. He was afraid of the Madi Pwete, but now it's not Madi Pwete. It's Madi Banuipunosafei by Semuna Mr Speaker. That's what it is. They are not putting Banuipunosafei for us to do what we have to do for the people. And Mr Speaker, with the additional financial resources, I am reassured that we will not disappoint our people in this country. Mr Speaker, I am left with no choice but to give 110% support to this motion in supporting the prime minister borrowing US $102,128,294 to finance the 2022-2023 budget. I thank you Mr Speaker.


Today we're going to be conducting an aerosol operation under night conditions and also doing some sling load ops as well. The purpose of the training is, if I was to train, and we're an aerosol division, so we're out here today to keep that heritage alive and make sure that we're proficient and ready to do our job when we need to. We're going to be sling loading 119ers Q50 radar system and an A22 cargo bag in addition to about 200 personnel. This increases our readiness by practicing as we fight. So if we were to deploy, we would be doing aerosol operations and we need to practice that before we were to actually do them. The sling load ops for 3 through 20th is super important because we need to be able to move our guns and our equipment quickly. Using the aerosol capabilities that we have, we're able to move around pretty quickly and make us more capable and more effective. I think it's been a great example of two units working together. We've been in constant communication with the cab. They've been super helpful in giving us guidance and I think because of that this is going to be a very successful operation. Aerosol!


set the tone for the national effort. The first outstanding service award is presented to Mr. Otis Warren, Jr. Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States. Well, thank you all very much. Secretary Pierce and ladies and gentlemen, I'm delighted to join you today as our nation observes the 16th anniversary of the law that guarantees one of the most basic American rights, the right to fair housing. Just a generation ago, nearly one in 10 Americans were forced to live lives that were separate and unequal. Most black Americans were taught in segregated schools. Many could find only poor jobs and toiling for low wages. They were refused entry into hotels and restaurants. And across the country, when they wanted to buy a house or rent an apartment they were too often told they weren't welcome. That glaring injustice gave rise to a dramatic movement for civil rights. Men and women of integrity and courage organized boycotts and rallies and marches. And often they were beaten and imprisoned, but they remained devoted to their cause. Work with the faith. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., told his followers that unearned suffering is redemptive. The struggle for equality of rights moved our nation to the very depths of its soul. Throughout the land, people began to treat each other not as blacks and whites, but as fellow Americans. 1968, an historic civil rights bill was passed and it is title eight of that act that we honor here today. The opening words of title eight were simple but profound. It is the policy of the United States to provide within constitutional limitations for fair housing throughout the United States. From Maine to Hawaii, title eight made it unlawful to discriminate in housing on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin. No American could ever again be denied housing because of the color of his skin. The law was soon amended to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex as well and it became crucial in protecting the rights not only of black Americans but of all minorities including Hispanics, Native Americans, Asians, single mothers and others. And today our country is more committed to fair housing than ever. State and local fair housing laws that are substantially equivalent to the federal law have increased from 23 in 1979 to 82 today. At the national level, the Department of Housing and Urban Development under Secretary Pierce has aggressively investigating complaints of housing discrimination. Perhaps most important, our administration has proposed legislation to give the fair housing law tougher enforcement. Among other changes in the present law, our legislation would impose civil penalties of up to $50,000 for a first housing discrimination offense and of up to $100,000 for a second offense. Allow individual as well as pattern or group complaints to be referred to the Attorney General. Allow complaints to be filed up to two years after the alleged offense and would extend the protection of the Fair Housing Act to the handicapped and disabled. Despite the importance of these government efforts, fair housing can never become a permanent way of life without the involvement of thousands of contractors, realtors, building managers, and others who make up the housing industry. And that's where HUD's public-private partnerships for fair housing programs comes in. In partnerships in housing, local realtors, chambers of commerce, and other committed groups and citizens are conducting fair housing campaigns at their own expense. On behalf of all Americans, I want to give my heartfelt thanks to those Secretary Pierce has presented with awards and to everyone who has participated in the public-private partnerships for Fair Housing Program. Celebrities for Fair Housing is another program that's going to have a powerful impact. When people like Phyllis Hyman, Arthur Rash, Melba Moore, Harry Belafonte, and so many others talk about the importance of fair housing, the whole nation listens. I know something about that, because I found out years ago in Hollywood that if you don't sing or dance, you wind up as an after-dinner speaker. All these well respected and well-loved celebrities were going to give so freely of their time and talents to the cause of fair housing. I want to say a heartfelt thank you. Ever since the passage of the Fair Housing Act during this month in 1968, April has traditionally been Fair Housing Month. This April let us once again dedicate ourselves to the great work of assuring fair housing for all. And let us continue that work until fair housing becomes a permanent reality in our national life. I think that's all I want to say and thank you and God bless you. Sam's just told me I got to go.