Title:جلسه بعد از ظهر روز دوم روز جمعه ۹ دسامبر ۲۰۲۲، بحث بودجه ۲۰۲۲

مناظره بودجه ۲۰۲۲ روز دوم جلسه بعد از ظهر جمعه ۹ دسامبر ۲۰۲۲ مجتمع وزارتی خدمات اطلاعات دولت، باغ گیاه شناسی Tanteen، سنت جورج تلفن: ۱۴۷۳۴۴۰۲۰۶۱ ایمیل: gis10grenada@gmail.com تلویزیون آنلاین ۲۴ ساعته: http://www.gistvgrenada.org
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قسمتي از متن فيلم: Foreign thank you Mr Speaker and pleasant afternoon to all so speaker I rise in support of the 2023 estimates of Revenue and expenditure as presented by Minister of Finance at this honorable house it’s a speaker so I begin I think that did yourself and Flow are missing out on a great business opportunity

Because since nine o’clock yesterday morning what I’ve been hearing everybody asking for credit okay Mr Speaker I’m honored to represent the people of Saint Patrick West in this honorable house and I think this opportunity to extend greetings to my constituents and gratitude to them for having elected me to be their voice

In the law house I wish to thank also The Honorable prime minister for investing in me the portfolio of foreign affairs trade an export development I was to thank my cabinet colleagues but in particular I wish to say thank you to the hard-working staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs trade and

Export development for the support that they have given me in the five plus months that I’ve been entrusted with that portfolio thank you also to all of granita foreign for your continual expressions of love and support and thank you to my immediate family my wife my dad

I only have one of my kids living with me so thank you Marseille so speaker the theme for this budget towards Vision 2035 people-centered transformation laying the foundation for resilience empowerment and growth brings into greater Focus the vision statement and the mission of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs trade and Export development

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a lead agency responsible for managing grenada’s external affairs Ministry provides leadership to grenada’s diplomatic missions overseas manages and maintains Granada’s diplomatic Network including the provision of services to other agencies represented overseas and deliver services to diplomatic and Consular representatives in Grenada so speaker

We’re cognizant that our world is now more interconnected and interdependent than ever advances in science and technology have spread economic growth and improved the quality of life of Millions at the same time same connectedness that empowers individual citizens increases the risk and volatility in the International System

It is clear Mr Speaker that in a more competitive world or domestic and international policies will have to work together to maximize our national brand and international influence the conduct and management of the country’s Foreign Relations will need to improve significantly it’s a national trade and Progressive

Foreign policy will continue to play an important role in opening external markets for trade job creation and promoting sustainable development for economic growth to achieve these goals the government will reevaluate its foreign policy in order to establish the country’s Global trip prior priorities and pursue robust reciprocal bilateral and multilateral trade

Taxation and investment relations through Regional and international trade agreements in pursuing this agenda government has expanded a mandate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to include trade and Export development this new foreign policy approach will embrace the themes of opportunity security and strength they recognize that an outward looking Grenada

Fully engaged with the world is essential to our future security and prosperity the government’s starting point is that we should approach this period of transformation with confidence because we are fully conscious that Grenada has a strength to shape its own future consistent with this philosophy the ministry’s Strategic priority areas

Identified to advance the transformation agenda During the period 2023-2025 R A reorganizing the ministry and professionalizing Foreign Service B fostering beneficial trade and Foreign Relations see promoting the national interest through resource mobilization and the enhancing export promotion with a focus on value addition and diversification we have been allocated a budget 14 million

۷۷۷ ۰۰۰ ۷۰۰ no sense to carry out the plans and programs of the ministry in keeping with these strategic objectives foreign speaker the diplomacy is an instrument of National Power essential for maintaining effective international relations and the prime remains through which Granada defends its interests responds to crises and achieves its International goals

The Foreign Service Mr Speaker is an important profession principally responsible for safeguarding granular’s interest in the community of Nations by managing diplomatic relations with other countries and international organizations this government recognizes the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a key driver of the transformation agenda and has committed to providing the necessary

Tools to Aid in the delivery of its mandate therefore Mr Speaker recognizing the human resource deficit in the ministry we have secured the release of critical positions within the ministry that were previously frozen these positions will be filled in the first quarter of 2023 and will allow for

The strengthening of the protocol and concealer policy on Research trade and Export development and diaspora divisions and honorable member for return of Saint George I wish to assure you that the diaspora office is Alive and Well functioning we have had to relocate it due to problems of leakage and roof

Electrical Works to be done and so on so it’s staffed and it will be beefed up and in the same thing I’d like to thank you for your valuable suggestions all of which are taken in the spirit that they were given this will allow us to better stop our diplomatic missions overseas

So speaker the rationalization of the Diplomatic missions has been identified as a key priority area for government Grenada has currently eight diplomatic missions and five consulates abroad the missions are in Beijing London New York Washington DC Brussels Caracas Havana and Moscow the consulates are in Toronto Port of

Spain Miami New York and Dubai again of Saint George you’re thinking about the Dubai Mission coincides with our ideas for that so I think that the whole saying you can take a boy out of Mississippi I can’t take Mississippi out of him out of him Given the importance of the work that these diplomatic missions are mandated to perform it was mind-boggling to discover that our missions were woefully understaffed and underfinanced in most cases there was just one diplomat so speaker upon the student office government issued a recall of all diplomats with a view to assessing all appointments

And I must add that that was done in a manner that safeguarded the dignity and the humanity of all of the incumbent diplomatic Personnel nobody was summarily young out of any posting we have observed there are well several appointments were made and some of these persons who are credited to our missions

Many of them were not resident diplomats serving the missions and were not involved in the actual diplomatic work of the missions Mr Speaker grenada’s diplomatic missions must be at all times at the Forefront of government’s efforts to identify new and emerging sectors and partners which can Propel and expand the Grenadian economy

Mr Speaker this government recognizing the importance of the work that our diplomats are required to do has committed 2.5 million dollars for the rationalization of our diplomatic missions in 2023 the ministry will conduct a comprehensive review of the operations of our existing missions and identify strategic locations for the

Establishment of new missions in keeping with governments priorities and interests there’s no secret Mr Speaker that diplomatic missions are expensive to maintain funding diplomatic operations must be an investment for which we can and must reap great rewards we must stop our missions appropriately and allow them to go forth in service of

Their country sowing the seeds of development with diligence nurturing the plant and reaping the Harvest for the benefit of our nation at this point Mr Speaker I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to all of the outgoing diplomats for their service to our country Mr Speaker in 2023

The ministry will begin the process of professionalizing the Foreign Service in transforming the face of Grenada government has recognized that the Diplomatic knowledge skills and competencies that are critical to a fully functioning Foreign Service will be in Greater not lesser demand since assuming office the ministry has received tons of

Applications from grenadians home and abroad expressing the interest in serving the country in the Diplomatic field government is proceeding to carefully analyze these applications with a view to selecting the best candidates for the job at the same time in pursuit of our transformational agenda we’ve been challenged to be more flexible

To adapt and learn at a much more accelerated pace and Achieve results that matter with that mandating mind the ministry is committed to the overarching goal of professionalizing Foreign Service we are also committed to developing a strategy for employment opportunities abroad and an international organizations targeting professionals and the youth this is very

Critical not everyone will be able to find a position within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs however if we prepare our people to train them well then there are several International organizations un OS and so on within which they can provide valuable service and help to lift the profile of our country

This or God the ministry in 2023 will begin the process of trading current and prospective diplomats in an effort to recruit retrain retain and sustain a diverse culture of diplomats ready to move Grenada forward in 2023 and Beyond Mr Speaker the Foreign Service Israel’s Frontline more than ever

We need our very best people our Grenadian people the ones who see past the horizon the ones who are courageous Innovative and resonant the ones who show initiative good judgment resilience and perseverance we’ve always had those employees Mr Speaker it is a Grenadian tree but we have also lost too many of them

It is now more important than ever to attract and prepare a new cohort of diplomats for the future we understand such attributes are often best hold through real life experiences Mr Speaker the reforms we are launching are designed to build capacity and experience so speaker in pursuit of our Endeavor to

Deliver excellent service to our nation we commit to retest re-evaluate and refresh policies and programs constantly as we seek to move forward a Foreign Service geared to and equipped for the future will not be built in a day but we are committed to that transformational goal Mr Speaker extensive International engagement is a

Key foreign policy tool for promoting grenada’s inclusive and sustainable economic growth and promoting a rule on the global stage government therefore will continue to pursue a robust strategy of Engagement with bilateral and multilateral partners including new ones in support of our agreed upon development priorities these engagements will serve to mitigate

The country’s vulnerabilities build resilience and maximize opportunities for sustainable development Mr Speaker we all know the value of good friends the good book reminds us about a friend that is closer than a brother Mr Speaker Grenada has been blessed to have good friends and good relations with many countries

These relationships have been pivotal in fortifying government’s response throughout the covid-19 pandemic and in supporting the implementation of programs across government and Mr Speaker talking about covid-19 pandemic it would be remiss of us not to acknowledge and Express gratitude to the many governments originally and outside as well as International agencies and organizations

That have come to ore at that critical Junction foreign this year government appointed five new diplomatic envoys received new ambassadors from Vietnam Colombia Palestine and Indonesia and granted agreement for the accreditation of ambassadors from Ecuador Mexico Romania Japan and Austria to Grenada Mr Speaker in 2023 the ministry will lead governments

Charge to forge deeper relations with countries on the African continent at the bilateral level we have already examined a list of countries in Africa and the Middle East with which we do not have diplomatic relations and we’ll be moving to engage and establish diplomatic relations with key

Countries during the first half of 2023. again honorable member for return it seems as if you have never left the establishment of relations will be the first step in government’s plan to build a foundation for sustainable socio-economic and political engagements as well as Partnerships Mr Speaker or efforts to reaffirm the bonds of

Ancestry and friendship between Africa and Grenada will complement the initiatives that the Caribbean Community has already begun with Africa likewise Mr Speaker government intends to fully utilize or Consulate in Dubai to strengthen or Outreach in the Middle East our engagements in the Middle East will be kept primarily at securing

Opportunities for enhanced cooperation through trade tourism and Investments we have already begun the engagement with several key countries in that region recently our ministry was able to coordinate the visit of a team from the ministry of Tourism headed by my good friend honorable that Los Angeles

To visit to a coordinate visit of team from the ministry to participate in the world travel and tourism council’s 22nd Global Summit in Riyadh Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia is among the fastest growing travel and tourism economy in the Middle East and we intend to learn from them best

Practices as it relates to the tourism and other related Industries concurrence with our desire to explore New Frontiers we will continue to engage our traditional friends and will conduct in 2023 a review of the technical cooperation agreements we have with our friends in the asean region with Latin

America from Venezuela to Brazil to ensure that they are also in line with the transformation agenda of government Mr Speaker Regional integration is another major pillar of government’s current policy Trust Grenada earlier this year served as a chair of the organization of eastern Caribbean States discussions are on the way with the oecs

On matters of foreign policy coordination honorable member for the town of Saint George seem to have been privy because you’re right on point with us good good at the level of character Mr Speaker government will continue to fulfill our responsibility for the ICT portfolio and this time Mr Speaker we have a leader

Who genuinely knows about ICT or leader doesn’t have to deal with hard copies and properties anymore we will continue to Champion the call for progress towards achieving the CARICOM single ICT space government would also work seriously with member states to find a solution to improved Regional Transportation Maritime as well as air

My Ministry stands ready to implement governments mandate to enhance cooperation and increase participation in The Wider Caribbean forum through increased engagement with the association of Caribbean States Curry forum and the community of Latin America and Caribbean States select as well as Alba The bolivarian Alliance for the peoples of the Americas so speaker

Multilateralism is a recognition that common problems are often best sold through Collective action but the benefits of that action accrue to everyone United Nations 17 sustainable development goals represent the world’s most comprehensive plan for planetary health and human development the 169 targets that flesh of the goals are ambitious precise but achievable

And the 224 indicators aim to describe the who what where and when of a global vision first for a sustainable future together they set out a roadmap for the five PS people planet peace prosperity and partnership Mr Speaker my ministry will also Drive transformative change through our leadership of the United Nations

Sustainable development goals more than ever the sdgs need sturdy political will and brave political leadership to ensure the ambitious promises are delivered more than ever the sdgs need bold leadership to bridge The Divide between the world as we find it and the world as we would want to see it

While foreign policy professionals will ensure that the sdgs are intertwined wherever possible and appropriate into the very fabric of trade agreements mediation processes political dialogues and negotiations over the mandates of international organizations in July of this year Grenada presented its first voluntary National Review at the United Nations

High-level political Forum in New York the 2022 high-level political forum was convened under the auspices of the United Nations economic and social Council really that’s first voluntary National Review focused on seven sdg goals goal four quality education goal five gender equality goal a decent work and economic growth goal 13. climate action

World 14 Life Below water goal 15 life on land and goal 17 Partnerships to achieve the goods so speaker some of the structural challenges faced during the implementation of the sdgs must be addressed to ensure grenada’s Pathway to sustainable development these structural issues and challenges include lack of adequate financing and

Access to finance limited individual capacity and inadequate monitoring and evaluation systems in response to these challenges government is exploring with the United Nations the development of a national e-strategy with a view to improving efficiency access coordination and sectoral coherence Mr Speaker our partnership with the UN will also give us greater Focus

On coordinated public sector management through Innovative approaches and tools for building capacity to generate evidence Monitor and evaluate programming this will be complemented by efforts in at promoting more balanced sustainable development policies for the advancement of the scg targets towards the 2030 agenda additionally Mr Speaker my ministry will continue to work with

All stakeholders to implement the outcomes of the ninth Summit of the Americas held in June of this year of particular interest at the action plan on health and resilience in the Americas accelerating the clean sustainable renewable and Just Energy transition and digital digital transformation government has recognized the Strategic

Value of the diaspora to the sustainable development of Grenada up to this point economic remittances have been at the core of the diaspora’s contributions to grenada’s Economic Development and it has been the most visible area of contribution from the diaspora however as Government we see the diaspora as

More than just a milking cow and we are taking steps to engage with them in a more meaningful and qualitatively better way the greatest sustainable development plan identified it ask for as a key stakeholder an assistant Grenada to achieve some of its core goals therefore the ministry will continue to work

Through its embassies consulates diaspora organizations and the international office for migration to implement strategies outlined in the Grenada National NASCAR engagement policy via its Five-Year Plan so both of the work in this area government has established the Grenada diaspora advisory Council comprised of Grenadian professionals with expertise in their respective Fields whose mandate

Will be to assist government in forging strategic strategic links between our Grenadian communities abroad to advance government’s transformational priorities and to this end I wish to specially commend two brilliant young Grenadian women who live in the United States Miss Shonda kador and Miss abiola Jeremiah who took it upon themselves to launch

That initiative to begin to reach out to fellow professionals and get them organized in such a way that we can leverage the capital the knowledge and the skills that they have acquired abroad over the years so speaker did ask for advisor Council will work in collaboration with our diplomatic

Missions and submit to government advice with an emphasis on long-term planning as outlined in the budget statement on Monday will be a useful resource for Citizens interested in supporting National initiatives Mr Speaker government is cognizant of the impact of trade as a catalyst for growth socioeconomic development and poverty reduction

The international monetary fund IMF in its April 2022 World economic Outlook noted that while international trade was affected by the covid-19 pandemic in 2020 the recovery a trade was surprisingly quick government has identified a trade and Export sector as key to the transformation of grenada’s development agenda

Part of that new vision for trade and Export development is a fostering of an efficient light manufacturing sector and competitive agribusinesses producing a diverse range of food and agro-industrial products for domestic consumption and for export expanding agribusinesses and the Agro industrial sector will be a good foreign exchange earner while creating new employment

Opportunities Mr Speaker within the first two months of assuming office the ministry held consultations with Caribbean export whose mandate includes implementing a range of innovative and focused initiatives designed to facilitate Caribbean businesses expansion nationally regionally and internationally into high value markets while taking advantage of special Market access

During our talks we requested assistance in reviewing our national export strategy to ensure it captures it captures the transformative vision of the government Mr Speaker the ministry will continue to aggressively pursue Market access opportunities for the export of goods and services in 2023 work will continue in 2023 with the

Manufacturers and small average processors to improve the quality labeling and packaging of their products Ministry would also work with our local exporters to receive International certification recognizing the importance of valuable products the ministry will undertake the following initiatives in 2023. Market studies on your products and exploring new markets

Work with potential exporters to improve Market access collaborate with the Ministry of Agriculture in product development and strengthening the services provided to other processors at the produce chemist lab increase participation in Regional and international affairs the ministry together with the private sector will host the main ingredient Expo to coincide with greatest 2023

Independence celebrations in 2023 Mr Speaker Grenada will continue to participate in both Regional and International Trade four to ensure that benefits are derived for our citizens and Enterprises and to help expand our trade the transformation agenda demands that we place significant attention to the service sectors in order to provide

Employment opportunities and earn foreign exchange the focus areas will be the creative industry information and communication technology Services Health and Wellness yachting and Marina the educational services and Professional Services so speaker the Ministry of Foreign Affairs trade and Export development is that present involved in simultaneous negotiations at

The World Trade Organization the WTO under the Doha development agenda at the oecs and CARICOM levels and other bilaterals with the Dominican Republic Cuba Colombia and Costa Rica in 2023 Grenada will continue to actively participate in the investment facilitation for development negotiations which credit are signed on

To at the WTO to ensure that grenada’s interests are well protected additionally the ministry will seek to advance the implementation of the economic partnership agreement between Curry forum and the European Union signed in 2008 and a recently signed economic partnership agreement between Curry forum and the UK in 2019. Mr Speaker

Trade facilitation reform and implementation of the WTO trade facilitation agreement will continue to be a major Focus for the ministry Ministry we’ll be collaborating with International Partners such as Global Alliance hometel that’s the United Nations conference on trade and development and IFC to improve trade Logistics in Grenada the interventions will focus on

Achieving tangible results reduction at the time required to import export documentary and procedural simplification electronic payments and generally improving the trade clearance process these reforms will improve the doing business reports trading across borders indicator for Grenada the lowest score on that index the more difficult it is for you to attract

Quality investment that is why we are putting extra focus on that additionally Mr Speaker the covid-19 crisis is pushing more consumers online and accelerating the adoption of e-commerce this will require further digital adaptation by medium small and micro Enterprises msmes in this regard assistance will be provided to encourage and support the

Establishment of the necessary e-commerce platforms to support msmes in terms of online payments and marketing the ministry has started work with the Caribbean export development agency in District in this regard Mr Speaker the Granada Bureau of Standards established under the standard standards Act of 1989. is the main entity

Responsible for the development of raila’s National Quality infrastructure the National Quality infrastructure is essential to the development and transformation of our economy and the well-being of our people as a government we must ensure that our service providers manufactures agroprocessors entrepreneurs and the general public especially our young people have access to Affordable and

Much needed quality infrastructure services this would make the business competitive and sustainable ensure our Grenadian products and services can access both Regional and international markets and maintain their presence in these markets it would Inspire and Foster innovation provide an Avenue for job creation and improve the livelihoods of our people

The bureau led the process for the development of the National Quality policy and is also leading the way in its implementation to this end the bureau obtained grant funding from the CARICOM Development Fund CDF under the project enhancing exports through the strengthening of the granular Bureau of Standards to expand

Its Laboratories and and to introduce new services to support our manufacturing and exporting sectors the bureau’s analytical laboratory is the first lab within a national standards body in the oecs to obtain ISO IEC 17025 accreditation this was supported through the 11th EDF program being administered by the CARICOM Regional Organization for

Standards and quality cross-cue Mr Speaker the government of Grenada is committed to ensuring the development of the National Quality infrastructure and will be providing additional support to the funding received through the CDF for the expansion of the bureau’s physical infrastructure foreign welcome back leader of his Majesty’s loyal opposition

A couple years he was saying you can’t sit down I was wondering that’s why his seat was always empty good good good welcome back welcome back we are also committed to supporting the bureau in implementation of the EU csme cdb project agri-food sector development and strengthening of the national food

Safety system in Grenada in 2023 this will see development of capacities in ha CCP for the bureau Ministry of Agriculture and the mnib this will support the implementation of the exploitation of fresh produce Act and the national export strategy to ensure that safe and quality produce leads our Shores in addition Mr Speaker

Or farmers and key stakeholders in the food value chain will receive training in post-harvest handling technique so that we reduce losses when harvesting our fresh progress the bureau has been working with the international atomic energy agency iaea in establishing the regulatory infrastructure for the monitoring and safe use of radiation sources in Grenada

To this end the bureau along with our Ministry of Health and other stakeholders is actively participating in Regional iaea projects government is committed to supporting the participation of these entities and to seek and provide resources that result that would result in the establishment of a regulatory infrastructure that meet International standards

Quality is a key ingredient for a transformational process the SFO essential that will strengthen the bureau through the provision of the necessary resources to ensure that this entity functions effectively and efficiently and is equipped to provide the needy quality needed quality infrastructure services we are the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Trade and Export development remain steadfast in our efforts to protect and preserve our country’s sovereignty while keenly executing government’s policies both at home and abroad once again I thank my stuff at the ministry of Foreign Affairs trade on export development the team at the Minister of Finance who worked so diligently over time

Some Minister of Finance I hope you consider a little calculator for Christmas for them of this budget Mr Speaker I’m happy to be the Minister of Foreign Affairs trade and Expo development but my primary job is to represented people of Saint Patrick West they’re not giving me the job

I don’t think you would have had the option of hiring me so I wish to thank from the bottom of my heart the people of my constituency who have stuck with me over the years you know that you have been able to count on me whether

I’m in Parliament or not in fact for most of my political career I’ve been out and I’ve never stopped because to me it’s not so much about handout being in Parliament but and all doing what he can to help move the thing forward Hey look foreign Patrick has earned the unenviable distinction

Of Plumbing the debt the depths of poverty in Grenada and we are not happy about that I do not think that my honorable sister from Saint Mark is happy also or is happy either that she said she shares her Parish shares that dubious distinction with Saint Patrick

But I wish to assure people of Saint Patrick both West and East right that brother Cornwall and I will be working double heart to ensure that we put Saint Patrick on top not only on the map but in every other way imagine I said to my people I campaigned in a yellow shirt

As an NEC candidate when I get a job which I have I will be the MP for everybody I know that I’ve got some blues from some of my members and supporters because they find some people who they consider nnp still getting a little contract still getting a little devotion and I

Keep saying to them folks we have to break the cycle we cannot be talking about transformation yet trying to imitate the old ways and that is why Mr Speaker I feel especially happy having listened to the contributions of The Honorable member for Saint Andrew Northwest remember for the town of Saint George

Unfortunately due to unavoidable commitments I did not hear the honorable member of San Andreas Southeast but by reports she too made a sterling contribution and Mr Speaker I would like to call on all of us whether we are serving for six months or 38 years to show some respect to uplift

The level of debate and the decorum of this August House the last time I checked Mr Speaker the Constitution mandated that to be a member of the House of Representatives one must first attain the age of 18. I’m sure that the Child Protection Agency knows that once you cross 18 you’re no longer

A child so speaker I wish to remind the house that the late Harbor Bliss once said that it was kicked to get is from a dying donkey I wish to add to that Mr Speaker that the hardest lap to get is from a child so speaker one campaign we assured our constituents

That they would not have to wait like the world cup or the Olympics four or five years before they could see us again and in Saint Patrick West and East we have already begun to fulfill that promise that was one promise I was able to make boldly because I knew I knew it

Was not going to cost me more than a little gas change so brother Cornwall and I we have already begun by hosting a major town hall meeting at the Saint Patrick’s Anglican School in October and we intend to follow that up by going into the different villages in both

Saint Patrick east and west and engaging all constituents in that manner giving them the opportunity to hear from us but also to question us question us to hold us accountable and to make their suggestions the thing don’t belong to Denison it’s not mine belong to the people Mr Speaker

I also promised the people that they would see a clear distinction between party and government and to that end we have maintained our NDC Saint Patrick East and West office jointly we serve a little big sense official pay for it some Good Samaritans help us out to the

Water bill and the electricity and so on sometimes we have people volunteering sometimes we get a little something to give a little stipend to somebody to stay there for us and we keep the MP’s office sacrosanct no party work is conducted at the end this is Saint Patrick West office

None whatsoever no canvassing nothing you can’t see nothing yellow except maybe somebody right Mr Speaker every Thursday one Salmon Island I resolved that day to interact with my constituents from 8 A.M to 11 30 a.m I’m at the office to receive constituents who have complaints grievances requests sometimes advice and after lunch

I go out into a different Community every Thursday knocking on doors being on the blocks listening to the people seeing firsthand the issues that they face because there are certain things you will never be able to find out by sitting in an office from eight to four

I have also begun to engage different interest sectors of my constituency recently I met with the Saint Patrick Council and they say that talk is cheap some people like to talk about love some people they come to your house they give them a plate of food

They say whoa it is nice but all the food goes in garbage that is all talk some people like to talk about ICT and Cricket foreign I met with the Saint Patrick Cricket Council and they are so happy that that was the first time that an elected MP took time off to meet with them with the executive of this hotel boss Association and that has already begun to bear fruit because they have agreed that starting December 18th

Scheduled bus service from success to St George’s will resume on Sundays and public holidays I plan to meet next with the business sector of such as and Patrick in a white assets and we have already floated a proposal which is getting some traction I don’t think I want to let it back

Fully out of the cap fully out of the bag yet but if you think such as Specky wait for the first quarter next year the community organizations ngos for the Cornwall and I will be meeting with all of them with a view to looking for Solutions and problems facing our beautiful Parish

This coming Saturday at 8am members of the communities of Mount Rodney on Craven and surrounding areas will be invited to a beach clear in the montrodney area we are Keen to revive the spirit of volunteerism and Community involvement Mr Speaker if for clearing a little landslide in front

Of your door you have to wait for a government contract something has gone terribly wrong with our country and we have to revive that Spirit of maroon of community-mindedness so speaker Primary School football and Cricket I can’t even say it was on life support but because I do not want to claim

Powers that only that are bested only in the Almighty I cannot say that I’ll be resurrected in primary schools football and Cricket in Saint Patrick but working with the coaches with the ministry of sport and education measures of sport and education the principles of the primary schools in

St Patrick and I’m sure that the honorable member for Saint Mark will be happy to know that Samaritan Presbyterian school will be including in that brother Cornwall and I have been able to secure 410bmp just allow me to remind you that you have 10 minutes more in your allotted time thank you

Mr Speaker brother Cornwall and I I’ve been able to secure assistance to provide 410 cricket and football uniforms for the six primary schools in Saint Patrick and Samaritan Presbyterian in Saint Mark and brother tell us what sister Gloria Thomas gender affairs the girls will be equally represented in adventure so speaker I have walked the length and breadth of Saint Patrick West for more than a decade and I’ve seen things that I’d prefer did not exist however we cannot pretend and when we see issues and problems we have to tackle them front on we have to see human beings and not

Always be counting votes I went to a little community right on the border between Saint Mark and Saint Patrick Westmont Williams there can’t be more than five houses there and not more than about eight votes but Mr Speaker when I saw that the people there had to put stones

To go across the river to get to their homes or to get back into civilization I said to myself now for once in my life I’m going to make a political promise I’m going to promise them that once I get elected the first physical project

Would be in that little area and I am pleased to announce to this honorable house that I was able to secure funding thanks to the People’s Republic of China cool earrings a pedestrian bridge for that area and hopefully we can have it finished before Christmas that would

Be a lovely gift to the people in that area Mr minister of Works Mr Minister of Finance I made him another promiser that eventually we are going to have a moderable bridge collecting them because there is some serious Farmland on the other side of the river that we have to open out to be able to exploit Mr Speaker

The people of Darby have long been taken for granted neglected having established a home in that area nearby North Alexander I know firsthand the trivials of the people of those communities Darby and Prospect one of the burning desires of the people there is to have a playing field and a community resource center

We are not close to getting that be a reality yet but I’ve been able to make initial contact with the owners of a parcel of land and if we’re successful in that we are quite confident that within the first NEC term the people of the avian Prospect will have a playing field and

Community resource center of their own stay tuned we call cities and Saint Patrick the historical capital of Grenada and the cultural capital of Greater also we have produced more Calypso and Soca monarchs Junior and senior level male female Carnival Queens per capita than any other part of Grenada including caribou

And one of the burning cries of the people of Saint Patrick is to have access to a proper cultural facility I’m pleased to announce that government has begun negotiations with the owners of a property the location of which I will not disclose yet if successful

We should be able to close a deal in a not too distant future and the people also tellers and Saint Patrick will have access down the road to that multi-purpose Cultural Center so speaker big things are good but sometimes the little things may call the difference I went campaigning in a little area

Called leader in Monterey and the road was so terrible there that in my politician’s mind the first thing I came we are not exactly but I designed a little survey document over the years that I travel with and almost to the last person the most burning issue there was they won a

Street light yeah street light so Mr Speaker we have already embarked the process of bringing light to the dark areas of our constituencies simple things providing street lights residents of Saint Patrick West are now finding it that it is not moving a mountain together street light in stock so speaker I said to

The then prime minister in waiting I brought a Cornell and I will fight to make sure that Saint Patrick got its fair share of the pie and he assured us that we did not have to fight and I can attest to that I wish to say thank you to the prime minister

Thank you to my ogbss Smith for acceding to the request of brother Cornwall and I the discip office be relocated to such as and soon that will be around Prime minister has beaten it beating me to it but very soon we’ll be embarking on a project of Road signage in Saint Patrick east and west having to stop and ask somebody where this place is is killing time and it’s wasting money the amount of gas you have to burn

Making wrong turns they tell you the place they nearby a whole truck when you reach there the scrap metal dealers to the Trap the night before you’re lost so signage is a priority in Saint Patrick I’m pleased to announce also that the hilarian home which was devastated by

The covid-19 and may the souls of all the residents of that home rest in peace many of them are more people that I grew up knowing and sadly they did not make it through the pandemic the home was forced to close thanks to the effort the efforts of the

Members of the board of the Hillary and home it is going to reopen its doors if it hasn’t done so already and I’m pleased to announce that government is going to resume the subvention to assist the home in taking care of the needs of our elderly population not only of Saint

Patrick but from other parts of Grenada yeah it’s all well and he said Patrick both east and west we have a situation where healthcare services are sadly lacking brother Cornwall and I wish to assure the residents of Saint Patrick that we are working with the honorable minister of Health a genuine man

To redress that situation and hopefully the not too distant future the newly refurbished monk Ridge health facility courtesy of the previous administration hopefully we’ll get it up and running so that the people of Snell and the corner mount rich and lafortune will have access to that facility without having

To put more pressure on a complex incidents or the Hermitage medical station so Mr Speaker it has been challenging first five to six months but I must say that I have enjoyed the challenge that I’ve enjoyed the support of my constituents there is one little thing sometimes I’m a little bit confused in

My shot visits to the house Mr Speaker because on man on Wednesday I heard a member so speaker may have 120 seconds please on Monday The Honorable member of ascent George Northwest described the budget as empty and then an expert he said that most of the policies in it are from his party

So as a great Beast would stay stop confusing me now and The Honorable member from the town of Saint George has regettably regrettably stepped out but he spoke about hastening the Cannabis legislation Mr Speaker I don’t know if he wants to consider that of The Honorable member from Northwest

Because I distinctly remember the member saying hanja over me dead body a verbal member from the town please Doc is my good partner and Mr Speaker I close by commanding you for handling the Affairs of the house in an United manner I wish to commend my colleagues on this side here

I don’t believe that anybody coming into Grenada for the first time would believe that nine of us are rookies in Parliament and Mr Speaker since everybody’s taking credit I must take some a few years ago I was a deputy leader of the national Democratic Congress and I

Was entrusted with the task of helping to build the youth up and when I see honorable member for carico and PD Martin with Verve and vigor when I see the Poise the dignity of The Honorable member from Saint John what I see the confidence and the composure of the small acts from Northeast

I want to Mama guy myself and say I had a hand in that department so once again Mr Speaker I close by thanking everyone for this opportunity and I pray that we continue to deal with each other even when we disagree in a civil manner thank you foreign Patrick West I

Before I invite the honor prime minister to give his closing the marks I just wish to acknowledge the presence of why I consider to be the guitar plus I haven’t seen Commission on my team but we have with us here it was in my beauty top grass or they have gpf

And I can see also the top brass of the of his majesty prison welcome gentlemen and I’ve seen one lady I hope I’m not missing anybody but gentlemen and ladies honor prime minister Thank you Mr Speaker present afternoon to you Mr Speaker and the distinguished members of the House Mr Speaker is my thank you humbly honored to rise to close the debates on the estimates of Revenue and expenditure for the 2023 budget cycle Mr Speaker I want to start first by acknowledging that although She is not with us that you want to remember force in Andrew it’s Northeast certainly on my own behalf and on behalf of all of us on this side of the house to wish her well and to wish her enjoyable new tide season and her presence was obviously missed and we look forward

To her return and not to distant future when house meets again and although she was not here herself I think the owner remembers are particularly from Saint Andrew raised some of the issues that are being shielded I wish to be raised so although she’s absent I thought it would be important for us

To know that Mr Speaker I want to start by picking up with my colony and distinguished quality for Saint Andrew sorry St Patrick West ended by thanking each member of the House for the civility the orderliness and the high quality of the debates and exchanges over the last several days I think the Parliament the Parliamentary leads and democracy is alive and well and it’s alive and well because of the wisdom of the people of PT Martin Grenada and ensuring that balance was returned to democratic process ingredient and I want to particularly Mr Speaker singload all right the MP versus Andrew Northwest

Or in my view perhaps making a historic presentation at this at these debates for her honesty for genuineness and authenticity in our presentation because the other side has largely talked about doing to give credit and I’m not sure I’m not digital but we can give credit we can complement

And we ought to be encouraging that type of behavior hencefully she criticizes us she gave Council she gave advice someone would have noted as to the challenges that we would face as we seek to address our roles as MPS and our rules as cabinet ministers she admitted and I

Think this is important Mr Speaker she admitted that elections have consequences she admitted that an electoral process is a competitive process she was not a hypocrite she did not suggest that elections are not consequences if he didn’t then I would be sitting on the other side I mean honorable leader of

His Majesty’s opposition will be sitting here so to suggest that when an elections take peace and that there is a change in government that there will be no change or that there will be no consequences if it is hypocritical and to suggest that simply because of the natural consequence of that change

That is fear and that is victimization and that people are so whole living under some kind of Gestapo dictatorship is dishonest and so when we talk about bipartisanship when we talk about working together we need to first start for a place of honest and so I want to give an example

The Honorable member was in Andrews said Andrew salty suggested that by a simple process of multiplication that if we average that 60 or 40 or so people were sent home from Saint Andrews of these and we multiplied it by 15 and 690 people have been sent to

It’s a two because we want to pee in this picture that some of this Administration is firing people left right and said Let me Give an example Mr Speaker why this is false let’s take the beautiful patch of sin David and let us be honest with our people

The entire government of the former administration because they all they have 15 MPS the government was run out of the constituency offices the constituency offices were also the Parliamentary offices and so everything that you needed it was routed through that office and I’m not making this up there’s a

۲۴-page document approved by cabinet that deals the four cabinet that deals with special products it tells you if you want the systems with the glasses you have to go through the enemy if you want tuition for your child you go to the MP’s office and the MP officers

The MPS offices were the constituency party offices that is one of them the people who are given work housing coordinators and we can single certain Ministries social Community Development and housing as to the bulk of the largest was situated and in the next office was the office of the Prime Minister

That’s where all the special projects were situated so if you want anything you go through the MP’s office and you hit it back to the MD’s office it’s not the impe’s money it’s tax placement why was that done to give the impression that you are behold in 20. so housing coordinators

The supervisors of the environmental wardens I didn’t know this concept existed did he washing the bathroom toilet breaks they were all ran out of a political office that is what happened Mr Speaker I’m the MP for sale need it I have not changed deceived officiency I have not changed the housing coordinator incidentally

No nnp operatives 1000 coordinators is still giving out materials as she wishes to our wishing wishes no Mr Speaker you know I have not done anything because I appreciate that assisted that was designed conceptualized and implemented on the leadership of the league of Majesty’s opposition uses ordinary people sometimes as Canon

Father for politics so I appreciate that if they lose their jobs that is the families and themselves who would be on the red line I’ll be honorable George Marcus I fully appreciate that why do you think Mr Speaker there are certain themes that run through the presentation of The Honorable leader the bushing

Not people poor people not people poor people so the love for poor people is the love to ensure that they remain in his entire in his entire three and a half hours rebutter to the estimates of Revenue and expenditure he did not mention education once he did not mention education once poor people

Vulnerable upon vulnerable so Mr Speaker raise 120 people 20 000 maximum we do not need to create class Warfare we do not need to say to our public servant if you get the pension the devotions can’t get the job we do not need to say to the teachers

If you get the dog salaries the C program cannot continue or goal our goal should be to seek to collectively move all of us forward and when we talk about laying Foundation Mr Speaker we are not suggesting and obviously it is intellectually dishonest to suggest that we are seeing that Creator began on

The 24th of June 2022. when we conducted the campaigns and I asked people to take their phones out and pay tribute to those who had gone before who do you think we are recognizing when we made the decision to pay attention who do you think we are honoring it is because we recognize

And I’m saying we because I take it that The Honorable members on the other side recognize that we stand on the shoulders of awful parents and our profilers who built really so don’t invent an argument that was not me I do not suggest that throughout the tenure of the new

National party that nothing was done in fact I searched the entire budget speech the word nothing appears twice and everyone will basic Microsoft understanding you’re going to find and type nothing it tells you the page numbers twice foreign says despite the fact that the government has spent over the last five years

Close to a hundred million dollars on housing and housing assistance that nothing substantial and they would hear substantial can be shown for it and next time when nothing appears in the document is when I indicated that the administration knew that drill it needed significant generation expansion capacity and did nothing to address it

Mr Speaker I’m happy all members are happy and I’m sure grenadians are happy to give to all past Administrations including the past administration the immediate pass and the administration starting from 1995 under the leadership of the honorable Majesty’s opposition all the credits follow the accomplishments and for the Human Service to the people

Of Korea but if you serve you subject yourself to public criticism if I saw I subject myself public criticism and criticism from members on the other side I expect to increase them to be criticized I want to criticize because how else am I going to grow how

Else are we going to learn if you do not say you should think twice about this so I welcome the comments by the member from the Thomas in George I welcome the comments from the member for the constituency of Saint Mark I welcome the comments from The Honorable member was in Andrews Southeast

Our delivery was elegant and she made a point and I accept that we do with you we too will make mistakes their job is the point still their job is to corrected and if they can make suggestions and we work on that so the suggestion that simply because the speech made references

To what we viewed as failings of the past is not a logical extension to suggest no we suggested no less suggests that an Administration which has been voted in by the citizens of Greenland in the wisdom time and time again did not help to contribute the degree

That we have today so Mr Speaker this is a budget about the future it is not a fight about the past and so we need to focus Mr speaker on the resilience and the empowerment of all people and so let’s talk about the importance of all people

Let us talk about why we need to move greater forward with all people and Mr Speaker I will read a letter from a gentleman whose name is Valentine Whiteman and the white man name forms in David with ring a bill he’s the bread of Jocelyn right now never met him

Even today I’ve never met him in person and he writes it gives me great pleasure to congratulate you and your Administration on your victory in the recent election your campaign has focused on the need for change and already these changes have been have begun government can only do so much

But with the help of other people so much more can be accomplished thanks to your Administration ordinary citizens have begun the Monumental tasks of installing street signs at every intersection in Grenada the project will be funded with the NGO donation and cost the government nothing the first signs are about to be

Installed at Latin Junction Cindy Mr Speaker that is what hope does that is what changed us that is what employment does it galvanizes the people to take charge of their country and move forward so let us go to some of the communities in Saint David Mr Speaker NBA Live Church

In a state of distribute really can’t be a mother said to me you know if we can repair this place in the event we have another 12 in 19. and we had internet there I’d be happy to stay there with the children of other parents in

The village so that these kids can have access to the internet so that the schooling wouldn’t be interrupted I said to her it’s a brilliant idea we will work on it I wrote the Catholic church and asked for permission so at the building couldn’t repeat a group of well-meaning citizens in

Saint David got together we have discussions with his Excellency the ambassador of People’s Republic of China they’ve agreed to fund the renovation of the building so that the citizens of blank as part of the community project can renovate the building and get internet in get furniture in and so that the

Building can double not just as a preschool what is a hurricane shelter as a community center for people that is what it is about Mr Speaker the empowerment of people but it’s about our community spirit it’s about the initiative of people in the community Mr Speaker the residents of Saint David

Unprompted on their own from Barrett to Windsor Forest to Dogma to Syracuse have been on the weekends going out and cleaning up foreign Ty centers which have been unattended to Derek broke numb or destroyed with the hope that once we finish the Bay line of community center we go from Community to

Community to restore all community centers is therefore near the budget right no but we will find it will we find the funding yes we will sign the following because the people are prepared to do what is required to take back their communities and to move the development of their Community as well

So when we talk about empowering people it is not just a mental concept it is a concept that allows all people to know that they have the right to determine the type of community the type of villages the type of constituencies that they will live in so Mr Speaker

It is easy for us to come in Parliament sometimes and perform at each other take a little become everyone and that’s fine but I recall this after becoming political leader of national Democratic Congress I was invited to be on the headlines and I did an interview I was shown a video privilege

And I was asked to respond to it and my response was that it was comedic relief and that the houses apartment should be used for serious debate on issues that affect the people and that is what this budget is about Mr Speaker so the hard working public servants who have put this budget

Together from all organ Ministries and we are mindful Mr Speaker that open house has not as yet it is to decorate that is a changing government in the middle of the budget cycle and with very limited time that they were able to recognize that there are some foundational shifts that need to occur

And so yes I am Unapologetic that our Focus will be on Healthcare and on education Unapologetic that our Focus is on agriculture and food security I am equally Unapologetic that we there are members of this office need to work together to meet Grenada peace and so whether it’s Community levels at Parliament

Whether it’s exchange of ideas or whether it’s public debates Mr Speaker that is where the focus needs to be but I also want to make it clear that I will not stand here and have suggestions made that when I speak to the nation I’m intentional lying or misleading the public

So when I said I told him Mr Speaker and it pains me that I have to address the CC Bible and address it that 140 000 U.S laws were sent to the nnp stocks in George constituency office by the same gentleman who paid 150 000 US dollars to the government of Grenada

On condition that he was made an ambassador at latch Mr Speaker I did not make this one and since the honorary of his majesty opposition is suggesting based on his rocks made in his heart because that I’m making it up I will release the receipts the 140 000 US Dollars was paid

To the end episode St George office it’s not dangerous the receipt will be sent to the Integrity Commission they will be sent to their value these are bodies and the police these are the bodies who are charged to investigate so Mr Speaker let’s make it clear this matter was brought to attention because

The gentleman and other family members of the former Administration contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and acts that is the gentleman was not going to be confirmed as an ambassador of life he wanted his money back And the gentleman indicated that he paid 290 000 US dollars 150 and 140 is 290. it is clear that 150 went to the government of Greater and 140 went to the NP south central office do you think Mr Speaker as the prime minister of this country that I’m proud to stand and admit

Thank you that he said this one she was selling diplomatic passwords 450 thousand dollars the technical fund which was established was largely funded by that no the question is this a policy we should possible or not let us have the debate I’m okay to cast those questions

Or anybody I’m saying that is the fact you can defend or you can explain why it is you chose what you do so Mr Speaker it is regrettable that I was challenged to prove the obvious when the focus should have been on the estimates of Revenue and expenditure and I’ll give examples

Mr Speaker we spoke about the best program The Honorable leader says couldn’t find it in the estimates of Revenue expenditure well it’s at page 325 and you can find it best is the acronym the long version of it beautification etc etc and Mr Speaker I made this point because

Saint Patrick East made this point and I want us to to recognize this and it goes back to mindset and focus foreign you can see today when we cut the grass the title sits there somebody picks it up and eventually just dump it somewhere and yet we wish to promote

Sustainability we should promote agriculture we should promote organic farming the focus therefore has been horrible we take this grass and make it part off a national composting project that allows us to have organic footage of uh fertilizer sorry to help our agriculture that is as soon as you need it that is

Why when we talk about your Imagining the the the the bushing it is not just the bush but it also is that the machine is actually leading to landslides because there’s no trading there’s no supervision as to whether or not on certain areas you should in fact cut Bush doing cutting it

And so you need training you possible today you will see that the drains are cleared and the stuff is sitting there and it will rain thankfully it hasn’t it will just go right back in the drain and so yes I was already pointed out this so this is the required and maybe a

Ways to improve it we should be improving it and mainly because we say we want to improve it it’s not a criticism it’s not a suggestion that you did not do anything but what’s the point of getting elected into office if your goal is not to try and improve d whatever you meant

Then you should not have offered yourself this is if you’re Mr Speaker if we do not have aspirations if we do not have aspirations for betterment as a nation if you do not have aspirations for improvement as a nation then we should not exist as a civilization

And so let’s talk about our Focus historically look at the amount of money that has been allocated for the bushing comparing the farm labor support take the estimates for the last 10 years look at the annual allocation for the bushing and compared to farm labor support and ask yourself the question

Devotion involves almost the same type of work as a family of support in simplistic terms you’re cutting bush but what is the consequence of cutting Bush for formula support as opposed to cutting Bush for people who are vehicles don’t get pushed to scratch it if Mr Speaker the policy and focus was on

Farm labor support or agricultural production or ability to feed ourselves or food Security will be significantly enhanced so yes when you remember Thomas in Georgia you could cut the bush long today and tomorrow which goes back up on the farm well isn’t that the same thing that happens thank you foreign

What is our policy do we wish to grow do we wish to move our people all the poverty or do we wish to keep them in poverty so that we can say we love poor people not people Poor people Mr Speaker and medical education The Honorable member for Saint George Northwest is where he is because of Education we have the same alma mater presentation Brothers College of the University of the West Indies see you soon it is education The Honorable member for Saint Mark is a

Medical doctor it is education the honorary member for the Tonga saying George has had multiple carries he’s alive it is education The Honorable MPS was in Andrew Northwest Southeast it is education that is why we are here today and so the question was asked ourselves if it is good enough for us

Then surely it is good enough for the majority if not all of our citizens and so we may fall short in our achievements but the goal the aim the aspirations should be to educate our population and given the youthfulness of bring leaders of population Mr Speaker that is what will bring the translation

And it is not just academic education it is why we talk about the skills training and addressing the Gap and the mismatch between what happens in our education and lack of skills training and what happens in the job market Mr Speaker when I grew up in Saint nudes

Two houses from my grandmother’s house there was an institution called the Anakin skills Training Center in fact the building housed the American troops and the troops of the RSS and other Regional troops who came together in the aftermath of the collapse of the revolution I also two hours away from it so any

Helicopters blew flew over my grandmothers galvanized would lift up they close all the language the young boy you were excited because you’ve seen helicopters they threw smoke bombs smoke out the place it’s called combat the place was spent survival The Truth combat just that point to defense was so that you

Could try and grab it many of us and local Stars trying to catch combat because the barbed wires well you’re young and you’re Fearless Mr Speaker that building became the elegant skills Training Center carpentry masonry mechanics many of the skilled men from Saint David in particular went to that Institution

That institution is normal the building lies in rooms it’s a bush opposite is an old estate owned control directory so yes Mr Speaker I intend to approach the African church I did speak with you I intend to speak with other charitable organizations he doesn’t always have to be Government funding

There’s a whole win in Europe an entire wingman you know built by trust from Barbados called Mario holy Trust charity the entire Hospitality was built by the trust all citizens are educated enough so where does awareness speaker there’s a way it doesn’t always about money and The Honorable member for saying

Judge me that cleared sometimes you have the money if you don’t have the will if you don’t have the desire to see your people improve it doesn’t matter whether you have money what you use the money to start them coming every month you give the impression that you’re the

One dispensing manner from him we cannot move our nation for it if we continue with that style of politics and that style of governance so yes I have moved all these special projects out of the prime minister’s office because I do not want a young man

Or a young woman to believe that he has to come to bed me for tuition assistance for that he has to beg me for his scholarship I want him to understand that it is tax salesman and every government has a tuition or a scholarship program should be highly known publicized by the

Government on GIS on social media MPS as well so that people know and that’s the system of government we intend to run Mr Speaker and we must follow that way so that citizens and constituents from Northwest Saint George and from the Thomas in George don’t feel

That you have to go to a party office and gravel to get the benefits of the state largest Rich taxpayers are being born so Mr Speaker transformation does not move we don’t send our children to school because when we enter Primary School you become a doctor at Primary School

There’s a reason why you have the first degree Masters and then the PhD there’s a reason why you were preparation Primary School Secondary School time ccnn University you plan and you work towards those goals it is why the body talks about 20 35. it is a Reformation that you need a plan

It is a recognition that you need a vision and that you need to start to work towards it so when we talk about laying that Foundation it is that Foundation to take us to 2035. it is not understanding that we want more or for young people not less to have access to University

Education it is the understanding that if we are going to improve our Health Care system and get us to a point where we are a first-class healthcare services that allows us to Market that as part of our medical tourism you need to plan to build a hospital use the plan that

Says you will educate over the next five six seven years X number of nurses doctors Etc Mr Speaker and preparing for a meeting with the president of humor and it’s either delegation will the team of the minister of Health I asked the question if we did not have help from our

Brothers and sisters in Cuba what would be the state of our health care and I want religions to understand for two reasons first we truly appreciative of the help that we are getting from our brothers and sisters but also to understand the dangerous place we are in because we are almost becoming

If we are not already there dependent on them for healthcare Mr Speaker the response to the question was that we have 21 2-1 specialists in Grenada and 18 Canadian specialists you have someone here are PhD in statistics so he understands what that means it means that the majority of our specials are here

Because of the Cuban collaborative effort so if they were not there it means we would lose more than 50 percent of our capacity and we are already struggling even with them so the question is do you sit on your oils and accept that is a sovereign state

That is acceptable or do we recognize that you need to have a plan that takes you to the point where you start building your own capacity and of course there are many challenges we face but let’s take the nurses Mr Speaker I listen to the response of the overview of our Majesty’s opposition

His Majesty’s opposition and it almost seems bewildering to me that he begrudgingly accepted was a good thing to pay the nurses an extra 500 is an honorary it is just one of the many things we need to do to address not just nurses but all of the persons who work in

Health Services we are under staff we have on the capacity they are not working in the best conditions they clearly would like to be paid more and we wish to want to pay them and we are sat somewhere and you have to accept that it doesn’t matter to me who created the challenges

I’m okay classical Solutions on who’s created the fact is this is what we are faced with so how do we move forward we need to trade bonuses we should debate the policies some of the members on this side have believed including the minister of Health teams

Very strongly that we need to have our own nursing school again we should have that conversation as a nation and December we have a whole nursing school again or whether we work out an arrangement with SG that ensures that our capacity is ramped up significantly

So if we go that in five years we hear a thousand nurses then we need to start training and no we need to director education policy if scholarships areas to prior to us in nursing in medical field Etc that is what planning is about necessary that is what anticipation is about

I’m not saying anything here that it’s new many people’s revolutionary government because they will not elected democratically they are new what were some of the shortcomings of the society they recognized that coming out of an agrarian society coming out of colonialism that education was key that’s why I don’t need secondary school

Education free it is why we decided that you cannot move forward as a society if half of your population women don’t have access to education so Mr Speaker any country anywhere in the world that wants to make progress most focus on educating this population as a priority

Or then you will be stopped in that vicious cycle where you never move forward you have a group and you never developed and those of us were all sitting there who benefited from education can personally testify to us and so I want to move the next training program that is linked to education

Which is the mining program and I want to see this message because what’s good for the who’s good for Uganda and the ultimate test of our sincerity when we talk about bipartisans working together is to ask ourselves this would you send your child to the money program

Would you want your child to be on money that is the question he was asking and if the answer is no if the answer is no then we have a collective responsibility to make sure that our education and training system does not give our young people in a

Position after they spend 15 years in school you go to school from the time you treat yourself you come out at 18. and then one person we have into this you have to go another three one programming or two thinking that lasts for another 10 years and you’re working

For seven eight nine and twelve hundred dollars Mr Speaker like The Honorable member from Saint Andrew Northwest maybe it’s because I guess my parents use or I wear the stress well or because people hate you a lot people have this illusion that somehow we want

To go to school I grew up in a house that had no electricity foreign yes it was a blue bio from wherever he got it you went down half a mile to the standpipe to get water to put it in the barrel not just for yourself but for 15 people

In house as well two bedroom wooden house it’s a little concrete no because so many grandchildren have passed through it and it’s still sitting right where it is underneath the road some people talk about Trump you walk to school you came back to school so now

You you go into magazine teeth that is what the average religion did in the 80s and 90s cartoon children of course they don’t know anything about that so what happens to visit my grandmother I take them and I say this is called George branchcon this is

This is where we used to take the water from all right helium Corner this is Santa the Senpai by Royal Gilliam I think he’s still there George Branch one is not there and there’s one by Young School not too far from the same skill screening Center that I talked about foreign so yes

I would have been a young boy when the rural electrification program was taking place and so I understand you need to want to constantly improve and strive and so I completely empathize with honorable minister personal Southeast Southwest sorry and Northwest when we talk about it but I’m saying we are not special

That was the fate of the Irish religion so many times we talk about love for poor people you think I grew up and I considered simply because I didn’t have water or electricity but I had to go tiger and I consider myself oh no I didn’t consider myself

And I had a mindset that I was booked another mindset that I was vulnerable even if I slept on the flu my mindset was not I was poor my mindset was that there are opportunities because I was going to the same English with my Catholic School

My mindset was that even if I thought I had a bad God would be like they didn’t even have Road they had to be like go to Africa they did not even have road to get up with it so Mr Speaker poverty is not something to be embraced

It is something to work your way out of so when I went to this individuals there’s a man named Dennis of blessed and deceased memory you know nice house nice one he’s a Soviet lovely family you felt welcome you know class you never felt simply because they might

Have been materially better off that you were less off there was a man by the name of Michael Andrews lived on top the hill spectacular view nice big hopes you never felt you’re the farmer he was a lawyer you know land with his workers just like everybody else there’s another gentleman maybe miss

Andrew you walked my brother he was an electrical engineer there’s another one Mr Taylor Swift or former governor general his Excellency Daniel Williams were very good friends he was principal of the school he’s a bad Law College okay very bright man but as a young boy you asked yourself

Okay they seem relatively successful and you ask why they were educated if that’s it it didn’t matter where he came from you recognized that your root out of material poverty not mental poverty was by educating yourself so if we as a nation we want to spend our time taking State resources

And constantly throwing it into programs to manipulate our young people and to manipulate our population to make them feel that we are their gods and to use them as political Cannonball then or development will continue to be stacked or tribalism will continue and it is the next generation of

Grenadians will be paying the price for it in time to come and when they sneak on laughing well Mr Speaker the examples wrote the Caribbean a bombed in Jamaica Mr Speaker The Honorable prime minister Mr Andrew holness at the Colorado State emergency it to 10 areas you know why Batman youngsters criminals

Have most of anything and the state itself has in these areas if you want to understand what poverty was what ignorance does Trinidad Mr Speaker that the seed has little or no control we know what is going on so Mr Speaker yes as a country we can do better

Yes we need to be honest with ourselves we’ve only been in office for five months or a job and that includes all of us sitting in this office it’s the aspire for betterment for all people we certainly deserve and should be criticized and should be canceled

And when we drop the ball we should be told but Mr Speaker I’m not interested in demonizing anybody there’s no need to people are perfectly capable of doing that to themselves and not interested in firing people employment it’s where I have left persons who clearly are political operatives to continue operating

But if you are going to create change we will create Improvement we also have to be honest if you are people who are in political work and I’ve been paid to the state resources should be able to continue and that is why elections are consequences so Mr Speaker to the people who needed

No Doubt you have elected me to serve you I commit to do my best in doing so I certainly will fall through other times however you have the assurance that it will be about the employment of the parish of sin even and so we will start with our community centers

Because it’s about Community First we will start with the education system the only two secondary schools in Saint Louis Saint David by numbers is the largest constituency for electoral purposes yet we only have two secondary schools one of which is in dire need obviously of repairs even to continue at the school

And so yes the prior Administration has been working and we will continue to do so to get the new Secondary School built there are no training skills training facilities permanent skills trading facilities and so yes we will strive to ensure that we can bring back permanent skills trading facilities in San Diego

And I speak about Community Mr Speaker because I read this letter on the signs as one example there were examples there’s a Mr Gilliam a Grenadian living in Canada he’s retiring next year he met me even before I became prime minister he was going to be retiring he was going

To bring five welding machines back together and all he wanted his assistance with a place so that he can bring his expertise his experience and his own equipment to train Young when in welding his only requirements is that he had to do an hour of the ocean and there are conclusive examples of

This and that is the community Spirit we are talking about this enables no matter was being repaired one week before school had to be reopened we were told the school will not be ready because the condition of the school was far worse than the contractor had been led to believe

It was not the Ministry of Education at first it was the community members who mobilized I went to the Bellevue Community Center on their own to start cleaning up start poor washing to start painting using their own resources their own time and effort to try and get the community

Center which itself wasn’t at the program state ready so that other children can start school that is the community Spirit Mr Speaker that we need to support encourage and many so the challenges are great we didn’t ask yourself because we have another illusion that it would be easy so this is never easy

And I’m sure we’ll learn it’s probably a template shop what Mr Speaker it is why I’ve said we need to serve I need to give other the opportunity to serve we need to know let the next generation of grenadians know that political service is not resolved for the few

That political source is in fact open to all of us and to ensure that happens we must strive to make sure that our behavior in political office is one that encourages the next generation of religions to want to serve Martin Luther King Martin Luther King son mountain top

Not because he just wanted to be on top of the Mountaintop because he wanted to see the vision where was he taking the nation of the United States when it came to race relations and the disadvantage made it all to people who looked like me and you Mr

Speaker that is why he wanted to go to the Mountaintop he didn’t want to go to the Mountaintop just to go to the mountain dog here we want to go to the Mountaintop just to remain on the Mountaintop and he certainly didn’t want to go to the mountain dog to prevent anybody else

From getting into the Mountaintop so Mr Speaker I don’t know if holding the office of prime minister is among the top if it is I can assure the people of PT Martin character and Grenada there are eight others here who can gladly get to the Mountaintop an idea this

On quality of the presentation from the other side that error is on the other side it gets into the Mountaintop is synonymous with the Office of Prime Minister who also speaker and not to be given an opportunity to get so Mr Speaker I only want you to tell me

That I’m getting close to the time that is allotted you after this amount no I don’t need to know exactly okay I spoke for three hours when I presented the budget out of the little wisdom I’ve learned in like his name went to speak and knowing when to stop

And so Mr Speaker I think what is really left for me to do is that knowledge that I would not be here first without the announcement of the people of Cindy without the support without the encouragement without the courage because undoubtedly for someones of our political experience

And given the history of our politics where sometimes it seems the criteria for services that you just need to toil and toil and toil and toil and toil rather than asking whether it’s of marriage whether it’s the right thing to do it requires some courage for them to

Take the chance on me and so first I want to thank them for doing this second I want to pledge them my commitment to serving them and to working with them so yes transforms indeed yes to improving Cindy yes to addressing many of the issues we need to address

And we can take simple issues Mr Speaker CNB doesn’t have a fish market he doesn’t have a meat market it is not a market period and a market in simple terms is a place where buyers and sellers meet The Exchange foods and services so what are some market for medical services for food

For poultry for Meats for fruits and vegetables one does not exist so I certainly pledge to work with them towards making this happen or playgrounds they don’t exist we are pastors we are playing fields when I smile more messages Bellevue but you know parks for children Daniel swings little cycle tracks

So yes I pledge was walking over the extended period to make those things happen together because we recognize that we do need males in our communities we do need Mayors in our villages we do need people who will step up and say I am going to Heavenly and organize my community thank you

Not because they want to exercise poor or because they want to play the ending it’s the only way in which the communities will move forward in the current control our system of government what do you have all the resources are concentrated administries how then do you Empower all communities

If we do not Empower people so if I’m an MP what’s wrong with the average person saying I would like to be able to help organize Windsor force of incense and bring people together to see how we can address the issues that impacts us what is wrong with them saying to the

Mpmv the portals in Syracuse are there you need to fix I will write you if that’s exercise of mirror Paul they should exercise it and yes they should be able to suggest to me that these people you are employing are taking them away today proper manner they are the ones we lifted us

So I in fact do want to encourage all the citizens agreeing to act like males to act like you care about the services Maybe and about the state of your communities and the issues that impact your communities because at the end of the day the 15 of us are just 15 people

Or a season to quote The Honorable member for the Thomas and George will quickly pass and we need to trade the legislation of religions about what service and limitations and I’m saying trade because that is one of the shortcomings of all political systems there is no political tree there is no succession plans

There are no transition plans and we need to do more than just identified if we are entrusted with leaders of War we need to make the effort to fix it and I will say this because there’s a tendency to act as if the nine of us were sitting here

I’ve been in power before we have it and so the criticisms also reflects on the former NDC Administration and it is out to be criticized too so Mr Speaker when you insinuate that people are children you are insinuating that the young people of each month you do not have the right

To take part in the leadership of the story but if you didn’t learn that the young people have the rights perhaps in the leadership of this country then it is clear that your rolling curve has flattened out leadership is not resolved for people with experience the greatest periods of change in this

Country were made by leaders who are no experience so read the history of The Following part of green I don’t know and you understand that Revolution and change is not made by people who hold our follow and so I’m going to end Mr Speaker by repeating

This is not a fight for the past this is a fight for the future of kitty magnificent thank you and that Journey has only no the vision to 2035 is over a decade a week and so this generation of grenadians are required to work together are required to accept that prayer

Should be given by Praise Is hope I require to accept that when you are criticized you should not take it personally and you should use it as an opportunity to grow and learn and we as Leaders must accept that if we’re in public office that we should aim to have high standards

Of behavior in public office and that when we drop the ball well we should be criticized and condemned for it and we should be asked to do better so Mr Speaker the budget is not just numbers it’s about future policy Direction of this country it’s about the need to recognize

That you have to pay attention to our environment and that there’s a relationship between our environment and our energy consumption and the type of energy we consume that is a relationship between energy transition and cost of the energy there is a relationship between the price of energy and our future Economic Development

That is a relationship between our education system and our environment and the type of energy we will consume do you think Mr Speaker at our education system right now is producing persons who can work on our own Farm do you think our education system is producing persons who can work foreign

Persons who are prepared to experiment with hydrogen as a form of energy do you think prior to the introduction of coding and also making a budgetary allocation for it that our education system was producing several hundreds or even tens of programmers and callers do you think for education system with

Only 18 doctors is producing sufficient doctors nurses and other Allied Health related professionals to staff our health care needs and if we know that is not happening we ought to take the necessary measures to make that happen and if we know our fully import bill is over 400 million dollars

They’re clearing is a speaker we need to invest more in agriculture clearly we need to say to a young men and women that agriculture is our future foreign security is our future and so this body is designed to begin to address those issues do we take the safety of Greener for granted

Two tourists were gone long in Saint Lucia this week they’ve been living in Saint Lucia for the last 20 or 25 years one of them died the other one thus far has not yet to come to his injuries do you want to take the safety of Grenada for granted

Do we not accept that there is a direct link between poverty and crime between poverty and ignorance between poverty and anti-social Behavior do we not accept there are Security Services need to be supported need to be better resource better trained and that succession planning or Toyota you know Security Services and that

Necessary resources particularly technology should be used to assist them in not just responding to time but to ensure that the community sees them as one and the same and that it is not the police against us and us against the police to ensure that our safety and our security as a nation

Is not just preserved but is enhanced Mr Speaker there’s been no succession planned for leadership within the police force and I’m not talking about the position of commissioner police I am saying leadership collectively those are the kinds of issues that we need to talk about in a bit

Is the training modules for police officers appropriate given the change in Behavior given the use of Technology given cyber crime given Financial crime are the things the police officers doing traffic immigration should the police be dealing with this or should they be in civilian hands so that the police can

Focus on core competencies of policing and I read those issues to say Mr Speaker we’ve only been an office in fact in five months and I raised it with one of the honorable members on the other side we have today responsibility for the big range we always like to blame everybody else

We have to take responsibility it is we have to put the mirror up and ask ourselves foreign the situation let’s take an example for governance when it action happens no minister who is his office prepares a brief minister for incoming minister not one not out of personal obligation to see what God but

You know I was there when I came in and there was no Bridge from the other one so you know what out of conscience I don’t know whether we win or lose so let me prepare something to say whoever becomes the next Minister these are the

Things I dealt with this is what is happening these are the issues that you may need to address it does not I’m not bloating anybody I’m saying it doesn’t happen another country we need to talk about those things how else are we going to improve the governance and the transitioning of who

Also economics of continuity we can’t just rely on the public focus on the single servants because the reality is that there are things that growing in the cabinet room there are things that go on amongst policy makers that is not aware so as a society do we say well method so

We leave it so there I remember for Saint George Northwest talked about the fact that this cabinet met and gave itself a two thousand dollar increase well let’s talk about this let’s talk about hypocrisy of this and this is the challenge we face it you know the prime minister of

Singapore and I’m quoting him that if you want government on the cheap you will get government on the cheap let’s talk about it we collectively give the population the impression that Ministers of government make a lot of money they do not the salaries thousand dollars plus some travel and workers

That is the truth if you compare that for example what the judge or the highway makes sixteen thousand dollars it is almost three times the judge’s salary speak the truth have it a bit get the population’s view are we going to suggest to a population that leadership of the country is a

Regular job or we will accept that it is difficult that is challenging and that you actually need people who are competent not just people and population like and that there’s a question of remuneration matters and probably every civil servant who’s appears makes more money than a minister

But no one needs a piece and say boss takes the root boss there’s a boss the child is I want a scholarship but let’s put the mirror up is the only leader of the opposition he’s been the Prime Minister for more than cumulatively two decades is he prepared to have an audience discussion

About this or is it because he doesn’t need the money so the rest of the ministers to help with you and I’m saying this is the speaker and I’m saying this I’m not saying this because I need one I know I’m saying this because as a matter of

Principle we need to start talking about the difficult things so that we can collectively come to consensus positions in a bipartisan manner so that we can move Grenada forward and stop playing cheap politics so the population will see you give yourself everybody so continue to grind and accept the salary that you know

Is not deserving of the position and de facto I’m going to say it encourages corruption foreign ers because we need to clearly distinguish between office and personalities there’s no protocol in in USCS at all about how you treat your former prime ministers there’s none and so I understand perhaps

Why some prime ministers want to hold on to the office of prime minister for their life because if someone opens your door for you for touching one interrupted years it’s hard to go back talking to open your own I understand I understand that for the last 13 years

Your life has been strong with people doing everything for you it’s hard to as the honorable Mia Motley put it sharing an experience she had with a former prime minister where the past they drive you up to the funeral at the front yes I understand so there’s no protocol in peace

Without no discussions about college please I should say well I met it like that Korea has been independent country for 48 years then fellas before didn’t attempt to fix it why am I getting involved in this one is it because I recognize myself because there’s a distinction between office and personality

And so if you are going to improve the governance of the country those are the things we need to talk about and talk about them openly discussion our hearts so I highlight those things Mr Speaker to point out that is and I’m not suggesting by any stretch of

The imagination that we here are suggesting we have the answers to most all of them the answers reside within our Collective wisdom as religions if we can all take part in the election we can certainly all take part in the governance of our country so Mr Speaker we are free budget consultations

We will continue to have post budget consultations and budget implementation and our budget is a plan the law requires for the bill to be approved and plans are not set in store the circumstances change and we require to adjust villagers it requires us to come back to the house we’ll come back

To the news it requires us to go back to the people we will go after the people so we need to ensure that our population and I’m told that a number of persons looked at the budget deviates this year who haven’t done so in advance we need to encourage

We need to encourage persons to submit submissions about what they think should and shouldn’t need to debate it to discuss it so that we can get the full service of the ingenuity the creativity and the talents of all religions not just the 15 I was sitting in his

Honorable house so Mr Speaker I thank you for indulging me I know it’s Friday afternoon I’m a wealthier religious position and therefore we have to have regard for the rights of others I want to commend you for your job in keeping all of us on a Thai

Dish I want to thank the clock and he supports staff for all of the processes extended to all of us members of the House who are ensuring that debates took place and I certainly again want to thank the people of Saint David the people of PT Market Grenada for giving this balance team

The opportunity to serve the people of Grenada we certainly commit to doing our best we commit to being inclusive we are happy the whole discussions with members on the other side on any issues that they think their input that didn’t wish to make the input on

As the MPE was in Patrick West said we are the government for all grenadians I’m not interested in who you voted for am I interested in who your family voted for because at the end of the day this country belongs wanted thank you very much our prime minister members let’s say make one

Okay I remember as we have sat have witnessed the debate the exchanges and the another prime minister has just closed it a bit the question propose is whereas the necessary to provide for the substance of the state of Grenada for the year 2023 by means of an appropriation Act

Be resolved that he estimates of Revenue and expenditure for the fiscal year January 1 to December 31 2023 be approved honorable members the question is that the estimate of Revenue and expenditure for the fiscal year January 1 to December 31 2023 be approved all those who are in favor say aye

Those of the country review say no indeed the eyes have it our prime minister Mr Speaker I’d beg to introduce for the first reading a bill for an act shortly entitled the appropriation 2023 bill 2022. no idea foreign prior to uh asking that the bills go through the stages uh there’s a further

Motion I’d like to move before we get to that quiet another prime minister thank you uh Mr Speaker I’d beg to move the motion 14b standing in my name which reads resolution for the purposes of section 56 of the Public Finance Management act number 17 of 2015.

Aware section 56 one of the Public Finance Management act number 17 or 2015 Hereafter referred to as the ACT provides in the area that no money shall be raised on the credit of the government of Grenada except on the authority of the this act or under an act of parliament or a

Resolution of the House of Representatives around section 56 2 of the app provides in the area that the Minister of Finance may borrow when authorized by resolution of the House of Representatives money on behalf of the government of Grenada in any form and from any legitimate Source

On terms and conditions to be agreed with the Creditor whereas it is sort of provided that the amount shall not exceed in the aggregate the some specified in the resolution and whereas it is expedient that the Minister of Finance be authorized by a resolution of the House of Representatives

The borrower on behalf of the government of Grenada monito and among not exceeding in the aggregate the sum of 350 million East Caribbean dollars to meet current expenditure requirements now therefore this result that the House of Representatives hereby authorizers the Minister of Finance the borrower on behalf of the government of Grenada

Money to an amount not exceeding in the aggregate the sum of 350 million East Caribbean dollars for the period January 1 to December 31st 2022. foreign for estimates Revenue the appropriation bill it’s a logical approach to give finality to this important thing the motion to raise money is an important one

But it should come after and my advice tooth does not have to be taken but I have a responsibility to say it the record will show but I’m advising the prime minister’s Minister of Finance and he already got up and moved the appropriation started the first reading

And assuming of the bills so I thought it was a logical way to go I assume that we will do both this afternoon I don’t know that will take long to do prime minister suggest honestly that that that’s what we should do okay that is what I was doing prior to the

Intervention so yes let me ask you this question um you’ve just indicated what is the preferred approach you’re just looking into the house what is the preferred approach I was just offering advice to my younger colleagues you see me I’m saying so my question is um the Motions that will be moved

Mr Speaker I already read uh first that the blv um definitely so I’m happy to go ahead um at the end of the day we need to pass the bill so I’m happy to to move with the bill and then we can address the motion after okay no problem

So uh I don’t know Mr Speaker whether you want me to reintroduce all right thank you Mr Speaker uh Mr Speaker I beg to introduce for the first reading a bill for an act a shortly entitled the appropriation 2023 bill 2022. a bill to make profession for the

Population of the Sun not exceeding one billion 350 million 465 256 Eastern Caribbean dollars to the service of the state of Grenada for the period January 1st to December 2020 for for January 1st to December 2023 shortly entitled appropriation 2023 bill 2022. uh Mr Speaker I beg to move that the

Relevant standing order of the house is suspended to enable the bill to be taken through all its stages at this city I remembers the question is sorry honor remembers the question is that the Reverend stand in order and the house be suspended to enable the bill to be taken

To all stages of this city all those who have that opinion say I I love you contrary opinions you know I think the eyes have it the eyes have it Mr Speaker I beg to move the second reading of the bill foreign members the question is that the bill be

Read a second time hello prime minister Mr Speaker I as there has been extensive debate on the bill um I would obviously be asking that emotion to put for the vote the motion that will be taken as well the second time hasn’t been good I remember oh sorry well Mr Speaker um

The medicine Financial rate is indicated that most of the issues have already been highlighted and debated but since um the Prime Minister made certain comments in his winding up that gives me the opportunity Mr Speaker to correct some statements that were made that’s uh for the handset purposes and full record Mr Speaker

Hour of thought that we would have heard something you see when I spoke earlier on I spoke not only of someone has been in this house but who has had lots of experience and matters of international nature of financing for small states so I gave what I perceive as my experience

And I thought that advice because this is my country this is our country not individual person says it was rightly said by a number of members including the minister Finance that we have a responsibility to this land foreign of major addition to permanent positions in the public service the record must show

That I spoke about this not with any intention of political events because you may not have politics in this but it has implications 201 permanent positions plus additional resources for contract positions additionally so another expenditure increasing the expenditure of the country to millions of dollars a serious International implications for this country

And I I offer an advice it doesn’t have to be careful it does not happen Mr Speaker it doesn’t have to be cake Mr Speaker but our responsibility so speak up Boston the physical responsibility law and I think it’s something this is something the country has signed on too

So until we decide we are not we we’re going to get rid of it then we have to live with our laws because people are watching I’ve been called Mr Speaker have been called and I have to warn of the seriousness of this so when I go on record and anything

Happens later this country is financing then I can see I did my part Mr Speaker the physical responsible says you don’t go beyond nine percent in terms of the wage bill that is in there with the four percent increases that have been accepted the appearance of the government is

Planning for four percent decreases across the board with the police and prison Services already at accepting that they will accept it but if of course any additional part of the public service gets more than that they expect to get that too so that was not the final position

But with a four percent increases across the board it would mean that the government is now at the point of the nine percent max limit the fiscal responsibility lower it ever means that the unions will have to agree there can be no more discussion and any further increases Beyond four percent

That is a serious matter so if the unions do not agree the government may have a problem the alternative is that the government may decide to give Mr Speaker I’m speaking as a point of advice the government may decide not to fail these positions or some of it that’s a choice

Either the breaker rule or the side alternatively I don’t have to give that advice but I say it for what is worth Mr Speaker I’ve heard a lot about appears that we are making decisions to to increase poverty or or make we’re happy about poets in the country

And that we are partners of poor that’s the implication of what I heard I’m saying every country has people who are on a poverty line with the United States as I think a member for Saint George’s Town pointed out we don’t want it we can create it but I

Would like to see a countryhood who would say that they will never plan to prepare for the deal with those who are marginalized and in on the poverty line so making the point that the eight million dollars cut in seed and other programs for poverty dealing with poverty in this country

It’s a serious issue the issue of the abortion program is not just about about the cutting grass in the world it’s much more than that the implication that this this money is that these people receive in some countries you have what you call social welfare some countries that you have social welfare

They provide monthly stop Monies to people the government takes that responsibility we don’t have that here so these people it’s not just they give some productive work but at the same time they’re on something Mr Speaker that can help take care of the basic needs these are people without that they

Will be begging and and asking us for all sorts of things and we have some of us would have to be under pressure but the state has a responsibility to help Mr Speaker Mr Speaker I also want to point out I heard I heard a statement made about constituency offices

And people have to go up and the first constituency office to beg for people bad people and all the prime minister’s office special projects and we become IP level came to me begging me the Prime Minister office for patterns then they never came to me Mr Speaker would come to my office

That’s the constituency office and that’s their responsibility people of different levels people who don’t even support my political organization we listen someday I offer advice sometimes I can’t give them anything but I have advice that’s their responsibility and I don’t think we should reduce the importance of this Mr Speaker throughout my entire

Presentation I spoke about education I don’t have to use the word education but the instances that you have mentioned about empowerment in several areas imply education and not only that we already decided that if the former minister of Education would elaborate so in effect

For it to be said that I I was I trivialized education when prime minister himself knows and he pointed out with all that I would not be here and I feel strongly about this business speaker Mr Speaker I also want to make the point and this is extremely important to me

I cannot alone Minister Finance to get away the statement made about this foolish ambassador only 290. this is the speaker the point I made was that there was reported from the prime minister’s statement about a cabinet conclusion and I was the chairman of that cabinet about 290 and I’m saying this is

Certainly not true and that I asked the Prime Minister When I Call On Him I didn’t call him to explain about money I don’t know about 140. don’t worry about this it’s what I’ve heard so I’m saying that was not what I came out to talk about I asked about the

Cabinet conclusion that talks about 219 and I know this does not exist and if anything shows up it means that somebody interfered with the capital conclusion because I was chairman of the cabinet and that is absolutely false and we can’t get away from this and I

Was saying to my friend and and prime minister that you can’t do this because the implication is that people might perceive us the same point is making our people saying we we’re we’re behaving as if we we encourage corruption if we don’t pay people properly you are letting people perceive continue

That perception that all cap members of government who is trying to steal from the taxpayers and that is wrong and that’s the point I was making I wasn’t talking if I was somebody Ambassador blog we were not selling passports and the Prime Minister said the government knows being accused by

Some people some of their own supporters of selling passports I will not indulge in that the Prime Minister should not go in that direction people make commitment to help the country in several areas that is part of the conclusion and the document this is no private document it’s part of the government position

Policy philosophy as other countries do it all over the world that point ambassadors at large because they cannot afford to appoint ambassadors all over the world but we said you must make a contribution to a technical fund and I see the government is using the technical fund right this

Thing is so bad why are you using the money give back all the money so I’m saying this is important so that was one of the condition so I was taking the position that is 150 there’s people playing addition to the commitment that they have to make the country on a

Regular basis so the Minister of Foreign Affairs will see to it that they meet those conditions and if they do not meet it like we have accepted that the Ambassador position should be should be withdrawn accordingly but the commitment must be there Mr Speaker Mr Speaker

Also so I want to debunk this thing about 140 because let’s assume somebody did ask someone representing us to help with the election campaign wait no there’s the prime minister or does the nmp explain why he got millions of dollars during the campaign then they ask people

So we are not talking about some constituency may have sought the help of of of a person but to put that as part of their commitment to the government and that is fraud and that is the issue so I want to be clear we are not debating about 140 150 and

The Prime Minister must not twist out we are debating that there is a cabinet conclusion for 290 and the chairman of the candidate who happens to me myself then is saying that it’s false because every single person for 10 years before that paid 150 in addition to the

Commitment to the country so I don’t know how it could be changed for one individual Mr Speaker also will make the full point many of the things I said I didn’t come here to be praised by anybody when we go outside could have a drink we

Could laugh you could do all the fun when we come in a serious business so when we make statements about issues that we see it should not be no hard feelings I have seen sometimes when they come here we talk some people pass through them but they face hard

You know that’s that’s Parliament what we watch the parliament in London have we watched the parliament all over the world people people criticize each other in Parliament and you see them drinking the next time having a social drink they do that and there’s no issues with that Mr

Speaker so a major the issue of major development was said in the prime minister’s own budget speech since 1983 there was no serious development that’s why I spent time to inform the honorable members on the other side because as he said many of them are new how the

Foundation was laid and whom it helped in the foundation that is why I made it was quite Mr Speaker and also I do want to point out there was an issue of course I mentioned about Mountain Top you know it is sad I would just advise the prime minister he’s new

Keep the debate at that level you’ve seen one thing that you don’t want us to go in in that direction but then on the other hand every time an opportunity comes unable to tell us what Mike is on at a giving away thank you Mr Speaker Mr Speaker most respectfully I

Submitted this honorable house that day debate relative to the discourse on the budget has been concluded budget debate has been concluded and as such we are discussing the bills and the bill for consideration at this time Mr Speaker is that of the appropriation there is Mr Speaker Mr Speaker identical Mr Speaker

Is the member is implying that I have no right to continue speaking on this motion no this is but I’m just making the point Mr Speaker it is Mrs Mr Speaker it is very clear that we are witnessing are we bottom another rebutter we should The Honorable member for Saint George’s Northwest

Should keep his comments appropriate to that of the bill under consideration which is the appropriation bill and not be extending a debate which has already been closed thank you I have I believe that the opposition Mr Speaker the member I just make this point the member want to tell the leader of the

Opposition what he should say in Parliament relative to a bill Mr Speaker I I find this very difficult to understand the present second reading of the bill is about your poor patient build every aspect of it is relevant and do I have to explain this and I’ve been want to be taught here

About the fundamental rules of the parliament of this country and Mr Speaker I’m sorry but I want to make this point the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance made this point about Monkton top and in pain that here the present opposition leader is associated Mountaintop where the Prime Minister office a prime

Minister of the country if the if they leave the prime minister is has to be clear it must understood when Martin Luther King spoke he when he spoke Mr Speaker he was talking about the travel the trials that he went through that is what he was talking I wasn’t talking about

Some positions and I just want to be clear what is happening to you Mr Speaker you hear the kind of comments that have been made just Mr Speaker also I heard this question about the two on two thousand dollars increase in people’s salary that’s part of the building

That two thousand dollars is part of the bill we’re discussing the appropriation bill I heard it he said that we need to have at the point was being made it was not just about the two thousand dollars the point was being made Mr Speaker when I spoke

Or was it fact of the process and yet I did not say whether it should be two thousand or one thousand or five hundred or three thousand somebody still miss it wrong oh it’s not about that Mr Speaker it’s about how we reach to what the decision

Would be that was I was advising how in fact I was giving that advice I never said 2000 was too much or one thousand whatever and I wanted to be clear so these are important points and therefore Mr Speaker I made this point because I think it’s extremely important Mr Speaker so advice

That in future Mr Speaker or we do respect each other we say things here when we feel that there’s a responsibility that we have and that we hold the Ali too we make this point not to put down anybody my whole presentation about responding to the comments of speech given and I

Pointed it out and laid the foundation for it it’s unfortunate that some will take it personally I don’t take it personally whole thing Mr Speaker I thank you thank you to honorability of the opposition no unable members the question is that it will be read a second time

Are those who have that opinion sky because of the country opinions say no I think the eyes have it the eyes have it therefore are not shortly entitled appropriation 2023 bill 2022 Mr Speaker I’d beg to move that the house resolves itself itself into a committee of the whole house to consider

The bill caused by Claus or part by part the question is that is Honorable house resolves itself into a committee of the whole house to consider the bill Pause by clause or part by part all those who have that opinion say aye those are the country reviews you know

I think the eyes have it the eyes have it unable house is now in committee close to appropriation people are still appropriation other members Class 2 forms part of the bill yeah I was in favor say aye aye the country of your opinions you know

And our members we I just seek to make adjustment to get some clarity here on this document Foreign [Laughter] foreign foreign members class two forms part of the bill all those who have got opinions say aye because of the country views you know class one class clause once your title on our Members Plus One forms part of the bill all those in favor say aye

Those of the country review say no the eyes have it schedule and remembers class schedule sorry honorable members scheduled forms part of the bill all those other opinions say aye the contribute say no and our members the bill was passed by unanimous opinion the eyes have it

Mr chairman I’d beg to move that the house resumes and that the chairman of the community reports on the progress of little foreign of the community reports progress on the bill as many as of that opinions AI or the contrary say no I think the eyes have it the eyes have it

I have to report that the bill was considered by a committee of the whole house and passed without an amendment Mr Speaker I beg to move that the Chairman’s report be adopted the question is that the Chairman’s report be adopted as many as of that opinion say I

Of the contrary opinions you know I think the eyes have it Mr Speaker I’d beg to move the third reading of the bill I remembers the question is that it be read a third time the question is that being be read a third time and pass as many as other opinions say I

Agriculture your opinions you know I think the eyes have it the eyes have it so bill for an act shortly entitled appropriation 2023 bill 2022. Mr Speaker I’d like to introduce for the first reading a bill for an act shortly entitled the 2023 budget loan authorization bill 2022. foreign when someone else

An actor authorize the Minister of Finance about from various sources the amount of 350 million Eastern Caribbean dollars shortly entitled 2023 budget loan authorization bill 2022. foreign Deputy speaker I beg to move that the relevant standing order of the house is suspended to enable the bill to be taken through

All its stages at this city honorable members the question is that the bill be read a second time all those who have named opinions say aye here another second time oh and yes okay speaker I believe my is okay sorry honorable member honorable members the question is that

The relevant standing order of the house be suspended to enable the bill to be taken through all of the stages at the city all those who are of that opinion say I on the contrary opinion cine the eyes have it their eyes do have it Madam Deputy speaker I beg to move the

Second reading off the bill honorable members the question is that it will be read a second time honorable minister Madam Deputy speaker I think again the budget loan authorization bill is connected obviously to the appropriation bill and I think there was extensive debate um on it I have nothing further down

Thank you honorable prime minister honorable members the question is that oh sorry I I shouldn’t hit uh Deputy speaker that the purchase loan authorization is a money Bill and I do have the consent of the government generality proceed thank you honorable prime minister honorable members the question is that

It will be read a second time all those who are of that opinion say I of the contrary opinions in a I think the eyes have it the eyes do have it girlfriend actually entitled 2023 budget loan authorization bill 2022. thank you I’m Deputy speaker I beg to

Move that the house resolves itself into a committee of the whole house to consider the bill caused by colossal part by part honorable members the question is that this honorable house resolves itself into a committee of the whole house to consider the bill Clause by clause or

Part by part all those who are of that opinion say aye of the country European cine I think the eyes have it the eyes do have it this honorable house is now in committee close to authority to raise loan the question is the question is that Clause 2

Forms part of the bill all those who are of that opinion say I of the country opinion CNA the eyes have it the eyes do have it schedule honorable members the question is that the schedule forms part of the bill all those who are of that opinion say I

Of the country opinions in a the eyes have it the eyes class one short title foreign members the question is that Clause 1 short title forms part of the bill all those who are of that opinion say I of the country opinions in a I think the eyes have it the eyes do

Have it then committee so he said yeah chairman I beg to move that the house resumes and that the chairman of the committee reports progress on the bill I’ll never remember I have to report that the bill was considered honorable members the question is that this honorable house resumes okay

Honorable members I have to report that the bill was considered by a committee of the whole house and passed without Amendment honorable prime minister speaker I beg to move that the Chairman’s report be adopted honorable members the question is that the Chairman’s report be adopted all

Those who are of that opinion say I of the country opinions in a I think the eyes have it the eyes do have it honorable prime minister thank you madam Deputy speaker I beg to move the third reading of the bill honorable members the question is

That it will be read a third time the question is that it will be read a third time and pass as many as of that opinion say I of the contrary opinions in a the eyes have it I think the eyes do have it a bill for an actual the

Entitled 2023 budget loan authorization bill 2022. Madam Deputy speaker I beg to move the motion 14b standing in my name which reads the motion should have been done before this is going to indicate that to the foreign just a little matter for clarification could you please approach chair s so um

So I become should become thank you madam Deputy speaker I’m Deputy speaker I wish to back to move the motion 14b standing in my name which reads resolution for the purposes of section 56 of the Public Finance Management act number 17 of 2015. whereas section 56 1 of the Public

Finance Management act number 17 of 2015 and after referred to as the ACT provides in the area that normally shall be raised on the credit of the government of Grenada except under the authority of this act or on an act of parliament by resolution of the House of Representatives

Whereas section 56-2 of the ACT provides inter-alia that the Minister of Finance may borrow when authorized by resolution of the House of Representatives money on behalf of the government of Grenada in any form and from any legitimate Source on terms and conditions to be agreed with the Creditor whereas

It is fully provided that the among shall not exceed in the aggregate some specified in the resolution and whereas it is experience that the Minister of Finance be authorized by a resolution of the House of Representatives the borough on behalf of the government of Grenada money to an

Amount not exceeding in the aggregate the sum of 350 million East Caribbean dollars to meet current expenditure requirements now therefore this resolved that the House of Representatives hereby authorizes the Minister of Finance the more on behalf of the government of Grenada money to an among not exceeding

In the aggregate the sum of 350 million East Caribbean dollars for the period January 1st to December 31st 2023. honorable members the motion has put by The Honorable prime minister reads as follows whereas section 56 1 of the Public Finance Management act number 17 of 2015 hearing after referred to as

The ACT provides Italia that no money should be raised on the credit of the government of Grenada except under the authority of this act or under an act of parliament or resolution on the House of Representatives whereas section 56 2 of the ACT provides entirely that the Ministry of Finance

May borrow when authorized by resolution of the House of Representatives money on the behalf of the government of Grenada in any form or from any legitimate Source on terms and conditions to be agreed with the Creditor where and whereas it is further provided that the amount shall not exceed in the aggregate

The sum specified in the resolution and whereas it is expedient that the Minister of Finance be authorized by a resolution of the House of Representatives to borrow on behalf of the government of Grenada money to an amount not exceeding in the aggregate the sum of 350 million Eastern Caribbean

Dollars to meet the current expenditure requirements now therefore be it resolved that the halls of Representatives hereby authorizes the Minister of Finance to borrow on behalf of the government of Grenada money to an amount not exceeding in the aggregate the sum of 350 million Eastern Caribbean dollars for the period

January 1st to December 31st 20 2023. Mr Prime Minister uh Deputy speaker is part of the budget loan authorization bill um and again it forms part of the process for the Appropriations for the budget and so I have nothing further to add to it honorable members the question is that

This House of Representatives hereby authorizes the Minister of Finance to borrow on behalf of the government of Grenada money to an among not exceeding in the aggregate the sum of 350 million Eastern Caribbean dollars for the period January 1st to December 31st 2023 all those who are of that opinion

Say aye aye of the country opinion sinning the eyes have it I think the eyes do have it em nine on opposed private businesses item 10 questions foreign the questions standing in my name but do I I just want to make a point that there are 10 such questions

And I did receive I’m not making the question is that let’s do the question that to the Prime Minister but yeah tens of questions I received the answers to the 10 questions just a few hours ago so I have not had the time to examine them so I’m not I don’t think

We should need to go through understanding and asking the same but 10 times here so I just acknowledged the receipt see if the prime minister at the time you spend enough time this afternoon already um acknowledge the receipt of the answers in the further later if another session

Have any additional questions asked on the quote on the on the answers given I will certainly do so but I don’t I just accept officially to to show you my Deputy speaker to the Prime Minister accept the answers as given at this time later on after examine it I may have

Additional questions okay uh I also want to reach the point because I recognize that The Honorable leader of His Majesty of opposition has pointed out that he only got the answers a couple hours ago um we did send them on Tuesday to the clock and the speaker raised it with me

Earlier today and I suspect for some reason maybe there was not a checking on the emails to forward it in time so that um The Honorable leader optimizes the opposition would have had the time so I just want to kind of make the note that the administrative process that

Department needs to pay attention to make sure that many of those companies and all the same day so we will have this situation so thank you thank you honorable prime minister for the response and I take it that this matter is resolved for the moment and we shall proceed thank you item 11

Urgent questions under the provision of standing order number 20. item 12 statement by ministers item 13 personal explanations item 16 request for leave to move the adjournments of the house on matters of urgent public importance foreign thank you madam Deputy speaker Madam Deputy speaker I wish to move

The adjustment of the House Sanitary honorably of the opposition Madame Deputy speaker um standing on this motion of adjustment I I just need to make this point that I understand to remember of saying George’s South East and leader of government business there may be additional um session Before Christmas

I am not sure that I’ll be able to make it so if if I am going to try to to find the the adjust my schedule to try to be here but in case I do I just want to take this opportunity Madam Deputy speaker to wish all members of this honorable house

The best Christmas they can have in this in this time and of course a peaceful loving happy prosperous 2023 if I get a chance and I’ll be here I will expand on what I just said I wonder what you could thank you thank you honorable leader of the opposition

And before I put the question I just have a couple comments honorable members This Time by consensus on both sides at the request of the leader of government business there has been a request for change from the 14th for the sitting to be held um on the 16th of December Friday 16

December instead of what is it 14 December and we have all concurred so members do take notes and I expect the clerk and his team would um issue notices accordingly to replace the previous notice also members I want to commend all of you 15 members for your department for any in your presentation

Than during this whole two very long day of sessions and and I think we all stayed until the time that was necessary to complete the nation’s business at this time so compliments to all of you thanks to the staff and everyone who has made this possible I look forward to I

Found the debate very very stimulating very interesting and it was good to see they made them um debates body debates from the presentations on the government side and also the um how shall I say it the more seasoned debates from the others but sometimes you couldn’t tell on the debates or of a

Good nature and I hope that the public would have listened and more importantly that the message about the people and the nation that that would stay in our minds and that we would conduct ourselves and that we will carry out the duty of of all positions to the benefits

Of our nation so honorable members I know for the question the question is that this um holds that adjourn solid eye all those who have that opinion say I of the contrary opinions in a I didn’t think anybody would see me thank you members this honorable host

Not a journal where do I knock that anywhere

ID: 2s9YbVyprCQ
Time: 1670622671
Date: 2022-12-10 01:21:11
Duration: 03:30:16

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