Title:جلسه سه شنبه ۲۰ ژوئن مجلس نمایندگان

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قسمتي از متن فيلم: Foreign members of this honorable house that they may wisely deliver it for the good of this country and for the glory of thy holy name please join me as we said Lord’s Prayer together Our Father Who Art in Heaven thy kingdom come thy will be done on

Earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and let us not into temptation but Deliver Us from all evil for thine is a kingdom the power and the glory forever and ever amen pray ing

This other blouse no commences item three both of the legions or a formation of a new member item four confirmation of minutes leader of government business Mr Speaker move the confirmation back to move 30 minutes of the meeting held at Department chamber of Montreal St George apartment chamber on the 23rd of May

۲۰۲۳ be taken as read honorable members the question is that a minute of the proceedings of a season of the House of Representatives held at the parliament chamber Mount values and Georges on Tuesday 23rd May 2023 at 9 00 a.m be taken as well as many other opinions AI

Or the contrary opinions you know the eyes of it lead of government business the speaker back to move 30 minutes of the proceedings of the Satan of the House of Representatives held at the parliament chamber on Glendale St George’s on Tuesday the 23rd of May 2023 9 A.M be confirmed foreign

Yes Mr Speaker they have Corrections to the minutes um just to point out that after the sectional questions or when I stood to ask the legal government business business they questioned about the Labor Commissioner after that point in the minutes the statement that followed in a minute

Indicated that I pointed out that that I wanted to have minutes the answers to the questions before this before the certain of the house that’s what the station before it was submitted to the house that’s not what I said I wanted to have it before the house meets

Yes okay now before it was submitted so that’s a question okay at the end of that paragraph okay that is the that is the okay a point I was making and in other words before we get here all right you want to have a responsible questions if you need me just short explanation

Because I wanted to be able to preview review the answers so that if I have follow-up questions I can do so but if I get it doing the house before the house meets familiar then it will happen it wouldn’t help me so it could be submitted to the house to

You at any given time that’s not my problem okay okay all right so before we meet I must have the answer all right all right so it’s an amendment today mates all right and that is is noted um once the minutes is corrected we can have the minutes confirm so um

State of government business but your main question yeah accepted yes okay yeah I didn’t hear it okay all right so do you have got my business just um move the motion for for the confirmation okay yeah thank you Mr Speaker so Mr Speaker we accept the recommendation for change and I know

Move that the minutes be now confirmed thanks honorable members the question is George on Tuesday 23rd May 2023 at 9 00 a.m be confirmed all those other opinions say aye of the country opinions you know the eyes of it indeed yes of it em five messages from the governor general

۱۸-۶ Announcement by Mr Speaker honorable members hey president good morning I have a few bits to say first of all um I received word from honorable Joseph Anna that he is out of state and can’t be attending this particular City I’ve also heard from honored Peter David

MP4 Thomas and George who has a pressing engagement and is unable to attend to this city by way of announcements as well I well I have not seen honorable Kirin James I’m I’m informed my Club season here I’m assuming that’s my delete all right so she passed informed that she is unable

To be here with us all right um thank you Mr Speaker Mr Speaker um honorable Dennis Cornwall Minister for finance is attending a meeting on behalf of government so it’s presently out of state similarly um honorable Kirin James and Joseph Andrews all of them are on government business as mentioned earlier thank you

Very good all right thank you very much leader of government business but but just to remind members that um training foreign Parliament we all are human beings and for whatever reason sometimes we may miss meetings but um try to inform the parliament before if you can if you have an emergency

You’ll have much of a choice but try and inform Parliament before that you are unable to be here at the city all right thank you only have government business um may continue in our previous City in The Honorable leader of his majestical position raise the issue of the programs committee and um

Remember that I would look into it in short order and I I did research and examine the standing orders and and form that they the committee as is properly constituted in terms of having members from good houses um section 69 subsection 3 um bullet I I and a speak to that right so

In terms of the standing orders and the suitability for membership in the public house committee members from both houses Parliament may decide to put on those folks there so um I thought I would just bring this attention of the members so we are clear as to how we position

And um even honorable member has some other information that I don’t have I guess you would receive me at some point sometime I want to finish the announcements yeah yeah all right um to see also the department that that um in September of this year we will be having the

Parliament Outreach there and the plan is to have A Member of Parliament visit a secondary school that’s the plan right so in secondary school because all together I believe we have approximately 80 schools so since it is just about 22 high schools Parliament things it is easier for us to really Outreach

Among our secondary schools so for caracal Mr Andrew Madison and another member because we have two high schools up there right but the idea is to do this Outreach um all the members of parliament will be at a particular school at the same time on the same day

This is one of the things that we’re supposed to do as Parliament have an Outreach in the community or in our schools and since our youth our children is the future Parliament decides this year that the Outreach will take place among our secondary schools right just

Give me the heads up so you keep your calendar open it will be in the second half of September we have to first confirm the principal Association and then give you the exact date right and I think those are the bits of announcements you may proceed item seven presentation of petitions

Item 8 presentation of papers and reports from see their companies foreign private business item 10 questions Mr Speaker extend us questions number one that which involves covet economic support to The Honorable Minister of Finance this question is standing and Mining I don’t know that I have to read the

Question it’s already there and of course and as they stand in order quite right they would say do I have a member is absent he may designate someone else yes that’s all right if that is the case then we need to know okay that is the this is sorry um

So thank you Mr Speaker Mr Speaker in the absence of the honorable member for St Patrick was who is the minister for finance I will indicate on his behalf that uh written responses to the questions uh fully honorable Minister for finance were provided to the class of parliament

Uh yesterday afternoon I am aware that there was nothing to receipt of the email so I can’t see whether the answers were forwarded in time to The Honorable lead of uh his Majesty’s opposition thank you all right um I myself I’ve just seen the responses right so um it actually came in

Yeah the Prime Minister said but I just saw the copies go go ahead build up the opposition this is like correction from what the honorable prime minister pointed out he said they represented for Saint Patrick West in Saint Patrick East yes that’s honorable um Dennis come on we want you to change constituency

Overnight all right thank you yes you may the next question number two is addressed to The Honorable Minister Finance again this is involves traveling of members of government uh another prime minister thank you Mr Speaker Mr Speaker similarly the responses were also provided yes yesterday afternoon yeah thank you our prime minister

Do you love the opposition like that us the next three questions to The Honorable minister of infrastructure and civil aviation etc etc in question one is about the Western Main Road project question two and question three Saint John’s River thank you Mr Speaker Mr Speaker the written responses to the questions have

Not yet been provided I do have the answers however um I certainly prefer to have them sent in in writing um so that the honorable leader of his Majesty’s opposition can obviously deliver it on him and then if he has any follow questions you can do so I don’t

Think it would be convenient for me to stand and respond to each other to have the formal responses and yes I I agree with that um um because the the degree questions have so many sub questions on them um it could take us a long time to try

To answer them here I have no problem with you providing The Honorable leader of the opposition with the original response that has have been done thank you Mr Speaker I expected that question number one the last setting which is to the minister leader of government business would have

Been back in the order paper because it was not answered at the last session oh they question answers to enable commissioners in fact I did point out through my staff that Tony Clark that um I expected that that would be back on the other people for answers at this sitting because what

It was not answered but did you receive a response the question was not answered Mr Speaker that’s what my point of making that is different response um it’s one thing to say to the house that question wasn’t answered and it’s a different thing to say whether or not to

Receive a response on the member that’s what I’m trying to do ascertain well I mean saying that I’m only interested in the answer to the question I’m not interested in a response I’m stressed an answer the questions or question was asked and I expect an answer that’s all I’m saying and you don’t

Receive an answer no answer okay well the desire of government business would have to provide the office of the Europe position with response to the questions asked all right um I will send you you finish your questions the what you made I received literally uh literally attraction from the middle of government business

About the question but no answer all right um is that interesting choice of what unability of evolution uh I I I cause our members uh about how your church together no trash in the house hey please all right give me continue my business thank you Mr Speaker Mr Speaker I just

Want to inform the house and the leader of the opposition that I did receive late last night um a response um for the question asked and that will be forwarded in due course okay thank you thank you very much all right let’s move all right Jimmy living Provisions are standing order number 21

Notice of questions item 12 statement by ministers without government business thank you Mr Speaker Mr Speaker I just wish to I’ll be at this honorable house on the ministry or the Department of Housing within the Ministry of Social and Community Development housing and gender affairs Mr Speaker some time ago we

Concluded about it and it was subsequently made before this honorable house four years of outstanding work the finally of audits for 2022 is currently being contemplated Mr Speaker in respect of the Housing Authority of Grenada we continue to try to bring structure to the organization we recognize Mr Speaker that management was

Very weak and still it’s and so the board of directors has moved into add staff very needed so in this context Mr Speaker a new finance manager and HR manager is being installed at a Housing Authority of Grenada as they continue to restructure the organization to bring some semblance of order

The financial performance has been extremely weak over the past few years and they appeared to be no constructive and so Mr Speaker we sought to put together a business plan for the proper functioning of the organization that business plan Mr Speaker having done an evaluation of the various processes

The original business plan that was submitted became irrelevant and so a new business plan had to be redone to Focus on all the important elements of the organization to ensure that proper attention is speed to the various Revenue generating units and there are five or six of those units Mr Speaker

And every single one of them have been generating losses good for the housing authority of prenator basically they have been surviving on government intervention basically and this cannot continue to happen Mr Speaker the various house insights we have conducted through the use of a consultant a study of all the various sites

All sides and a report have been submitted to the cabinet foreign speaker there’s an issue regarding title similarly for the non-formal side and so Mr Speaker we have to dig a little deeper into these two sides to hear from the residents with a view to regularizing the living conditions the buildings

Most of those villains are in a deep lapidated conditions filled with moles on the inside in some cases or in most cases rotten railings and in some cases railings have fallen off these high buildings which pose I mean Danger to the use of these millions users of these villains water has been penetrating

The building from the roof on some instances which cause electrical shock to some of the residents sewer water apparently backs up into the face basins and so on creating very bad condition for people to live in so there has been quite a lot of it so the report has been submitted Mr Speaker

We would now need a cooperation of residents from all the various sites so that we can begin to structure a homeowners association on all of these sites and people would need to contribute Mr Speaker towards the insurance and towards the upkeep and maintenance of these sites government will be prepared

To do its bad but in order for this to be fixed there must be a partnership because we’re talking a lot of millions of dollars first sight because these are large sites so Mr Speaker we continue to work with the Housing Authority its board and management to make this happen

We are happy to report though that day like alone waste management site or the sewer system is complete and sometime in July we will be able to officially commission the site it’s a site to behold Mr Speaker after spending 1.2 million dollars we are happy to report that the site is complete

The residents are happy and there are no foul sent on our future the distribution of the units Mr Speaker continue to be something of great interest to the cabinet I am being questioned every single week that we meet about the distribution of these units but we must get it right

So we have sought to install Cabinetry closets into these sites because when we visited some of the other sites we recognized that people moved in and they did not have any place to put their clothes or the grocery and after 10 years groceries still on the ground closed still on the ground

Still in boxes as the case maybe so we have been doing that we’re also going to ensure that there’s a homeowners association on every one of these sites and that people contribute towards simultaneous and upkeep of these sites what we are doing Mr Speaker we are partnership in the People’s Republic of China

For the Deliverance of these housing units so we have to do our part we do not want to create a situation A Ghetto situation we want to ensure that when people move in there they understand that their conditions for living and that they have to conduct themselves in an orderly fashion so that

We have a community of people living together as opposed to just individuals occupying 11 space so Mr Speaker we continue to do that and we hope that within a few short weeks we will be able to really get the process going the application process has been completed

We still await the committee to submit the report so the cabinet can give this final blessed so that the process can continue and so um I wish to simply say to all the applicants everybody could not succeed I will not be able to succeed but Mr Speaker

We’ve had quite a number of applications submitted but only a limited number of housing units we try to be as Fair as possible to ensure that people are treated with a sense of dignity that when these houses are distributed it is distributed in a way that is equitable affair to people

Thank you Mr Speaker thank you honorable leader of government business I am a prime minister thank you Mr Speaker Mr Speaker in the absence of the minister for foreign affairs The Honorable Jose and peoples in Patrick West and could have a great stand Mr Speaker I wish to announce that

The 4th of July 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the funding of Carlton by the Treaty of sagaramus which was signed by the founding fathers of character who for the most part in many respects were also the founding fathers of the respective Nations that first started Carlton uh bearing in mind

Obviously the bright field attempts at the West Indian Federation Mr Speaker Dominica is in battling common chair of CARICOM uh but the honorable prime minister of Dominica Mr Roosevelt has viciously acceded her requests by the government of Trinidad and Tobago that in light of the 50th anniversary of skycom uh that kind of

Meeting should be held in Trinidad to coincide with the 50th Anniversary celebrations uh to commemorate the 50 years apart from swimming and in honor of celebrating and recognizing the continued work and the password towards Regional integration to exclusive eyes amongst our brothers and sisters within the CARICOM fraternity try comments

Informally agreed or false subject to domestic agreement from the respective cabinets to have the 4th of July 2023 declared as a national or public or bank holiday in respective territories Mr Speaker I’m pleased to announce that cabinet has so agreed and so I’m in hitting publicly for the first time

That the necessary formalities would be done to us for Excellency the government General to declare the 4th of July 2023 as an official bank holiday to Mark the 50th anniversary of Tourism now Mr Speaker we intend to announce a series of activities to commemorate the 50th Anniversary we obviously will be asking

All members of the House as well as members of the senate members of The Diplomatic home and the general public to join us in celebrating this historic moment the road to CARICOM the route to Caribbean integration has not always been an easy one but I think unquestionably Mr Speaker we are better off

Because of character and in the context of greener in particular given our own sometimes turbulent political history we have certainly benefited from being members of the oacs and from being members of character and I think we owe you that of gratitude to all of those in past who

Have I helped to support and maintain grenada’s democracy and bringing this freedom and so I’m indeed honored and pleased to be part of the 50th anniversary celebration of fathom thanks Mr Speaker thank you to honorable prime minister and MP for Saint George are this thank you Mr Speaker

Mr Speaker good morning to you and staff and all honorable members Mr Speaker at the Department of Youth in the military of Education Youth Sports and culture I would like to update uh this honorable host on the status of the money program I would say Mr Speaker that we are

Satisfied that we have completed our proper internal audit of the program we have seen several Chinese results for our transition into permanent jobs and that is still ongoing it’s a process that is still ongoing the NTA uh has been able to complete the future concept which will deal with the transition and

The shape the program will take thereafter uh they will present to the cabinet in short order on this and we will complete another round of meetings Mr Speaker with the private sector Representatives which is to see that government’s policy towards this is not to promote the provision of Free

Labor or subsidized labor to the private sector or the private sector themselves must be able to take the young people provide permanent jobs for them so long as we provide assistance and training skills Etc and so we are satisfied that the private sector has been receptive thus far and

Will give us the affirmative to commence the full skill operation of transition of the young people uh Mr Speaker we still do have some challenges with the program uh two such challenges are that in the audit we were able to discover workers who are as senior as 72 years and

Several are over the age of 60 and so we need to fix that Gap and fix that problem so that we can be able to deliver an energetic program and a program that is going to fulfill Mandate of building our young people into model citizens so that they can be productive

We also have another problem with the program will in which uh May of last year 1200 young people were just added to the program in fact they are yet to receive placements simply because no Provisions Ascension were made for that placement to occur and as such We

Inherited some challenges with that so A number of them are actually home and I cannot conform to date whether all the 1200 are home receiving stipends but they were added to the program without placement and have not commenced their series of training but nonetheless Mr Speaker the intentions are clear we have

Not disbanded the program we intend to build the Grenadian young people into excellent modern citizens and the truth is that we have commenced the Alternatives such as expanding the creative economy and allowing for that to take Roots so that our young people can find meaningful jobs and we have also

Implemented or rather commence the implementation of Tibet skills which we ideally believe will be the alternative the challenge that we’ve discovered is that again the department of you was not equipped with the necessary capacity to deliver such a program and therefore ultimately it would have ended as it did

And created this problem that we have today where young people have been training over 13 years and do not have the question of job security so we are confident that with uh more time passing we are going to correct this issue and promote what should be and not what was in the past

Thank you Mr Speaker thank you to remember for Saint George Maris and I noticed the light of the MP4 okay thank you Mr Speaker of course honorable members Mr Speaker I just want to give a brief update um things happening in karaku um but you know before I start Mr

Speaker the sat on a sad note and use the opportunity as Member of Parliament and also Minister for cargo and pretty mad Nick um to extend condolences to the family of Royal Council Leslie and brave boy who passed to be early this morning and

Of course I know the family well and I I visited this Leslie and not too long ago I believe on on Sunday at the hospital in karaku and it’s sad too here this morning that just transcended so may your soul rest in peace and let me just put on the record of sympathies

To her family Mr Speaker you know a lot has been happening in karaku the first thing that I want to report I recall last last time sitting here I recall talking about our licensing unit which was in grenade at the time and had to be set up on Ireland I’m happy Mr

Speaker to report that the licensing unit is now up and running and I printed my license in Carrick my laminated license in Caribou he took less than 10 minutes to it took less than 10 minutes to print and I just I I wanted I want to bring some context to this so

That people understand Mr Speaker the the drivers of karako and PT Martin Mr Speaker they paid for the for the license the laminated license and had to come down to Grenada prefer to be printed or had to wait months before receiving the license the laminated license

This has been a cry of constituents for many years many years and I’m happy that as Member of Parliament and as Minister that my Ministry along with Ministry of National Security collaborated together to make this a reality so that no longer the drivers had to we have to wait months before

Receiving their laminated license and in some cases even been threatened by police officers to give them a ticket because they only had a receipt in some cases the ink was washed away on the on on the receipt so those days are now over and I’m also happy Mr Speaker to report that

The ministry of Cairo Community Affairs now have a electrical inspector attached to our ministry the division of Public Works Mr Speaker again let me bring into context the people in karaku had to wait months before an electrical inspector could come from Grenier to inspect electrical problems in karaku which slowed down the economy

Bad business and I’m happy to report that within one year of being in office that we have addressed this problem Mr Speaker if that is not transformation well then I don’t know what is Mr Speaker I’m also happy to report because I believe the last summer we were here I talked about

The issue that the people of character epidematic have been faced with regarding the unfortunate situation at our power plant Relic happier might report that while we’re not out of the woods that we are no longer faced with the block of the blackouts and the load shedding that

Um greenlek and the team of workers that really has has not restored electricity 100 of the island is now back up and running and I’m very happy for that the team acrylic must be commended along with the cabinet for standing side by side with the team in

Character to ensure that this has this happened so I just want to please on record Mr Speaker you know looking through the budget 2023 budget Mr Speaker we made a number of bold statements in terms of what we intend to do for karaku and some of the things that the ministry was charged

With doing and Mr Speaker I’m happy that some of the infrastructural work that we said would have happened in karaku are taking place the Winwood Fish Market with some of my cabinet colleagues along with prime minister visited over the weekend um is well on the way I mean if if you

Look at a present presenter that’s there it’s dilapidated mold all cracks all over and wind would be in one of the areas where they have a number of fishermen Fisher folks who’ve made the decision to build a brand new fishing center and not just a brand new

Fishing center you know Mr Speaker but a fishing center um a transformative fishing center to our modern fish Center which also includes a jetty for the fishermen of windward and surrounding areas so I’m happy that this project is actually on on stream it’s it’s taking place and

Hopefully within a couple of months it will be completed and I will invite a few of my friends and honorable members here to come up as we open up the fish market up there Mississippi Center up there Mr Speaker I’m also happy that one of the main roads on the island the

Ballet rule which is the main emergency road to our Hospital which has been a terrible conditions this is a terrible condition over the years very narrow cracked up really bad it’s a major major problem and the emergency service there’s a fire along the ambulance hospital has always been complain about

This Rule and something that needs to be fixed and I’m happy Mr Speaker that work is now taking place on the Bel Air route and hopefully in a not too distant future that um Road will be completed Mr Speaker I’m also happy that some of the sidewalks

And dreams around the town is being done uh and Widing widening of of Our Roots and so on throughout the town of Hillsborough is taking place Mr Speaker and I can go on and on and on about all the wonderful things that we’re doing in karaku and pitimately

That is benefiting the people up there and and to think that all of this is happening in one year and sometimes I ask the question you know I I recall that there was a particular political party being in charge of the Affairs of the island for

Almost 25 years and I’m seeing with all of these things that has to be done and we’re doing as much as much as we can in one year and if we can do all of that Mr Speaker if this transformative team which is led by The Honorable prime minister Deacon Michelle the best

Michelle um if you could do all this in one year just imagine Mr Speaker what we’ll be able to do in two terms three terms four terms when the time come around thank you Mr speaker thank you thank you on airbn people okay Martinique and now I invite the MP for

South Saint George to make his contribution good morning to everyone and Mr Speaker I must start by commanding the MP4 karaku and epidematic affairs for the wonderful world that that he is doing in karaku Mr Speaker also let me just report an implementation four character based on our budget

Implementation I can see that implementation rate has surpassed 100 percent Mr Speaker as a government our according to our budget implementation Matrix for today we can see that our implementation rate is approximately 87 percent I’m Mr Speaker let me just we are doing the point that we are seeing significant

Improvement in implementation Mr Speaker and let me just add Again by saying that we lost some funds and we were able to get it back and if it was because the the the the learning agencies saw that we were making significant strides in implementing our projects so I want

To really commend our team for the hard work and dedication and Mr Speaker I pray that we continue to do what is best for the country in addition let me just report on some projects that had zero other implementation over the past five six years but now we have seen tremendous improvements

And I’m talking about oecs tourism project that’s where we will be turning for jobs for Police Headquarters into a tourism site and over the past years since August 2017 we saw an implementation rate of approximately zero percent but today we are seeing an implementation rate of approximately 63 percent

We are on the verge of um I would say losing the the the dg4 project we were in trouble the project was behind also the G Cruise project we were in trouble the project was behind and now we are up to date on those two projects

And I want to personally thank Mr Isaac bhagwan for his hard work on the G Cruise project and we are talking about Mr Speaker huge sons of money so here we are one year after being in government and you can see the tremendous stress we are making when it comes to implementation

I’m Mr Speaker before I leave I want to just say to us as honorable members of the Halls that when we leave we have a responsibility to the people of greniera karaku epidemic to report the truth and I want to address I’m attorney Mr Speaker that you know that bothered me because

You know I think it will affect some people and others ways and Mr Speaker I I heard after we left Parliament um last the member of the or the leader of the opposition saying to members that this Administration lost 80 million dollars and in any other country

We will be asking me to resign and Mr Speaker I know it could be more further from the truth because since 2016 I was making reference to the UK project since 2016. that fund was on the books Mr Speaker and during his reign six years nothing was done

And that was why we lost foreign confidence that this Administration will do different that is why we got back the funding that we lost so I just want to impress that we need to speak the truth when we address our people and we are reporting on these

Things as honorable members of the house so again I want to thank my team for the pushing hand and we will continue to push on to move in a forward and improve our implementation with in the process thank you very much thank you thank you very much mbivore St George South

Is your light still on or never all right thank you cheers okay yes Mr Speaker I under that item to be called the last session that I spoke on this and I thought I explained myself but listened to you this morning I clearly recognize you know you did not hear me well

Or you’re misinterpreted what I said what I pointed out Mr Speaker throughout the parliamentary system and you could check the record through the re they’re all parliamentary system in the Caribbean and outside Public Accounts committee historically it’s been made up of generally members of the opposition for obvious reasons when they are available

And there are in fact members of the opposition and if they are back Ventures members of of the lower house that is we have no government or responsibilities those persons oh can also qualify that’s historic I think I made that point very clear I did point out

And it’s well known that in 2013 and 2018. that we had no such members so the parliament could have just not have any Public Accounts that’s what he could have done no Public Accounts we didn’t think that was the right thing to do so we sought to amend the standing

Orders which are just referred to to give support to the appointment of members from the upper house that’s what we did so that was not customary so what you read was about the new the standards were changed that’s the point and I didn’t point out you could stick to it if you want

Because the parliament has that power do you want to stick with something that is not the norm or the historic position or do you want to do what is necessarily the common thing that’s the issue and I did point out an example of a regional Commonwealth Symposium on Public Accounts where

Members of our government were present and when it was reported that members of the Upper House we were challenged and said well this is not in keeping with the spirit and we had to explain our situation because the apparently did not realize so it posed a problem for the country

We are not doing something which is in keeping with the spirit of the Commonwealth position on Public Accounts so the point you’re making is we could stick we have the power this Parliament has the majority you could stick to the new amended standing order and appoint members of the of the the Senate

But this is not this this subject is not the best so I was just saying we should stick with the what is regionally and internationally accepted but as I said I didn’t say we did anything on present system that we don’t have the power to do but I was advising

That we do all otherwise that’s all I was doing it’s because I don’t want to be it’d be said that if I then was asking something to be done which was not necessarily correct so let’s we could leave it like that Mr Speaker but I I suggest that we to make

The chances we have enough members of the opposition that’s the point I was making thank you honorable leader of the the opposition yes you notice and and uh section 69 subsection three uh section A it says at the end the Public Accounts committee make comprise of the chairman and other

Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate as the House of Representatives May determine right to me this is the operative part here as the house may determine right and um the the Amendments has given us the flexibility to leave it as is or to change and go back to tradition um

It says I’m just suggesting that we go back to the standard what is historically done in our country historically that’s all I was suggesting that remembers we can do what continue what we have but we could also do what was customary over the years throughout my entire

Period of almost 40 year service that is the indication yeah the house unable enough government business thank you Mr Speaker Mr Speaker this particular Amendment to the standing orders was made back in 2002. that is 21 years ago so there has been government changes over the 21 year period of time

Times in which there was opposition and government as well as times when there was just 15 members on the government side only so so much time has passed on this to begin with and secondly Mr Speaker this is not even the place for this contemplation this particular discussion

Must be obtained at the level of the standing orders committee at that committee those recommendations ought to be tabled discuss and if the members of that committee sees fit then to me make the relevant recommendations for change so Mr Speaker I think this is rather simple

We neither here nor there as far as this is concerned the point is we have a standing orders we have standing orders that exist at this moment we must abide with the standing orders thank you Mr Speaker my business all right I see that please just use your your light

No I said Henry is without your light on so I’m not sure that you want to make a point yeah go ahead because I’m going to close on it go ahead okay what was customer over the years there was no member of the Senate until the period where we had 15 seats that’s

One suggestion and go back to that that’s all if members do not want to then leave it like this but I certainly believe it’s not in fact the way we should go that’s all I’m thinking all right so honorable members thank you they are the opposition other members we will

Continue with the public committee as is we will advise the standards committee because I think one of the the issues here is it doesn’t lay down the conditions under which are members of the Senate maybe considered to be maybe cut it as soon candidate for members of the Sun

And others sorry Republicans so my position as a speaker is that we continue without present um committee and ask the others committee to revisit this particular clause and maybe other areas of the signing others right we may proceed oops item 14 motions item 15 bills you love government business Mr Speaker

At the city of June 23rd 2023 we considered the first reading of a bill for an act shortly entitled National Insurance Amendment bill 2023. since then Mr Speaker certain changes was made to the bill and the implementation date for that bill has since been changed from July therefore Mr Speaker

I wish to withdraw that particular Bill a bill for an act shortly entitled National National Insurance Amendment Bill 2023. thank you thank you leader of government business it’s seven planetary that the the bill entitled National Insurance bill as presented by the the member is now withdrawn from from the house

And so that is agreed our government business thank you Mr Speaker Mr Speaker I beg to introduce for its first reading a bill for an act shortly entitled National Insurance Amendment bill 2023. a bill would seeks to amend a National Insurance act chapter 205 shortly entitled National Insurance Amendment bill 2023.

Level government business Mr Speaker I beg to move that irrelevant standing order of the house be suspended to enable the bill to be taken through all its stages at this city honorable members the question is that the relevant stand in order or the house will be suspended to enable the bill to

Be taken through all stages that is sitting all those of that opinion say aye promises because clarification remember I think we did it for us reading already right we did honorable we did the first reading already on the on the last it’s not the one you’re doing now no okay yes yes

He has withdrawn that one oh yeah this is what he said yes it’s the same name so I are you sure I’m not sure what’s happening if we yet just just arrival um lead out to our position can you just you have to go to business yeah thank you Mr Speaker

Mr Speaker to clarify for The Honorable leader of the opposition this is the same bill but because of the changes that were were made we had to withdraw it but it’s by structure and by Essence it is a symbol with some minor inclusions and you will see in the structure of

This bill that is some little changes very small changes including the date of implementation so it’s a simple National Insurance with the same name National Insurance Amendment Bill 2023 same bill same name all right so honorable and people say Ma thank you Mr chair Mr chair um

You will appreciate that we have three bills with almost the same the same name the National Insurance Amendment Bill 2023 and one has number two on it so um it is confusing and and I think the leader of the opposition was correct in pointing it out so that

We do not go further into the first stage of the second stage or whatever and then realize that we’re on different wavelengths so I think that is all that needs to be clarified which one there’s one to do with the the the child definition for child there’s one to do

With the pensionable increasingly pensionable age um and and all of these things so perhaps just a clarification on which one we’re dealing with now now yes that will help that is it that’s it thank you thank you um just by way of content distinguish followers on a blouse

Yes Mr Speaker and I can well understand the confusion thank you so much so this particular Bill deals with the definition of your child this is what we consider in this morning now yes and the other Bill we would only do just the first stage that’s exactly a point yes this week I

Just said okay that’s exactly why I wanted I was asking the question because since we have done the first reading already there’s no need to say we move the standing orders to go forward you made that point that’s what confused me you know but when he was doing this

Building he said that his team move I’ll Stand in order to take it to all the stages we already did for us later go to second stage and then third stage that’s all that’s why I was confused okay you got me now all right um a little bit of clarity here

For the members of the House they the bill that went to the first reading right in our previous sitting is not 100 percent the same bill that is being tabled here right so he has to go through the same process first second and third all right so now that has been made clear

Um may I please take the vote right so honorable members the question is that the relevant standing order of the house be suspended to enable the bill to be taken through all stages at the sitting all those of that opinion say aye or the cultural opinions say no

I think the eyes have it the eyes have it little government business Mr Speaker back to move the second reading of the bill honorable members the question is that it be be read is second time leader of government business thank you Mr Speaker Mr Speaker this particular build seeks to amend the national

Insurance Act chapter 205 which is a principle Act the amendment is intended to preempt and tobolster pending amendments to the national insurance benefit regulations and the national employment injury benefit regulations to improve the benefits available to children of the insured person this bill Mr Speaker contains four clauses Clause one of the bill

Deals with a short title and a commencement date of the ACT for which this is a bill they proposed commencement date on this bill Mr Speaker is the first of August 2023. and related amended regulations are also intended to enter into folk into Force and exactly the same date first of August 2023.

These regulations Mr Speaker relate to benefits available to spouses and children upon the debt of an insured person the original commencement date was for July but of course with the changes the date is now shifted to August 1st Class 2 Mr Speaker provides for the amendment to section two of the principal Act

Which is the interpretation section to revise the definition of a child or the term child the current definition within the principle Act States as follows a child in relation to an insured person includes a stepchild an adopted child and any other child whether born in are out of wedlock

Under the age of 60 living at home of an insured person and holy or party Mountain by him or her this particular definition in its current construct Mrs Mr Speaker poses certain challenges for potential beneficiaries so this new definition that I’m about to share with us this morning seeks to overcome these

Challenges or these problems within the current definition and set in order a new definition that is much clearer and prevents the exclusion of a child who for example does not um live at home as an example and we will see as we go so section two of the principal axis amended by deleting

The definition of a child and substituting with the new definition in this order child in relation to an insured person mean a a biological child or a person declared or presumed to be a biological child be a stepchild C and adopted child or D a person expressly acknowledged by the insured person

As a biological child or stepchild under the age of 18. for the avoidance of Doubt Mr Speaker this section applies in respect of an insured person who dies after the commencement of this act so what is this even to do this amendment Mr Speaker aims to make the definition more precise

By removing the word include and substituting it for means so child means as opposed to a child in groups this Precision in the definition of a child removes uncertainty and adds clarity as to who qualifies as a child for the purpose of NIS benefits on a passing of an insured person

Not worthy myself Mr Speaker in the new definition is the adjustment of the age from under 18 sorry from under 16 Mr Speaker to under 18. so the outgoing definition says under 16. this new definition says under 18. within the current definition the child had to be living at home with the insured

At the time of passing this phrase or condition is not funding the new definition recognizing that there are many children who do not necessarily live at home with their parents within the current definition of the child sorry within the current definition this child had to be maintained by the insured

At the time of his or her passing this phrase or condition is not fun Mr Mr Speaker in this new definition recognizing that there are many children who are not maintained by the parents financially but that should not in fact disqualify the child for benefiting so that covers

The restructure or the new definition for a child cross three Clause 3 Mr Speaker provides for amendment of section 56 of the principal Acts to increase maximum penalty for Commission of offenses stipulated under Section 56. section 56 of the principal Acts prohibits various types of conduct including

Failing to Pay Act or within the time prescribed for the purpose any contribution interests such as the case may be which he or she is liable to be pursuant to the ACT you see Mr speaker we recognize that there are situations in which the regulations of the NIS is being violated and so

We are recommending these changes so as to deter people and our companies from breaking these regulations in other words we are encouraging compliance some Mr Speaker normally make a false statement or misrepresentation or producers or Furnishings a course causes unknowingly allows to be produced or furnished documents or information which he or she

Knows to be false in a material particularly for the purposes of evading payment or for obtaining benefits this Mr Speaker we have to change and the only way we would be able to sort of curtail these types of occurrences is By legislating changes that works in this particular Clause Mr Speaker

We are asking this honorable house to acknowledge first and foremost that the maximum penalties maximum penalties under this particular section of the legislation is too low currently the maximum penalty for these defaults are one thousand dollars and or six months imprisonment this Clause seeks to increase the maximum penalty

From the one thousand dollars to five thousand dollars this is what we are doing we are not trying to change the prison sentence because the answer really and truly it’s not about putting people into prison but it’s really to encourage compliance if you know you’ve got to pay more for not complying

It will be cheaper for you to comply and so we’re asking this honorable house to consider an increase in the maximum penalty for non-compliance for one thousand dollars to five thousand dollars the post humble on Section 56 of the principal Act is amended by deleting the word one before the words thousand dollars

And substituting therefore the words the word sorry five this is a recommendation for that particular section in other words this particular section is asking something very simple change the maximum penalty from one thousand five thousand dollars class four class four Mr Speaker provides for amendment to section 64 of the principal Act

To increase the maximum penalty that the minister May prescribe by regulations for Commission of offenses stipulated under the regulations section 64-2 of the principal Act empowers the minister to stipulate offenses for non-compliance and specifies that these prescribed penalties cannot exceed five hundred dollars and three months imprisonment this Clause Mr Speaker

Seeks to increase again the maximum fine that can be prescribed from five hundred dollars to two thousand dollars purpose to deter people from committing these offenses for reference section 25 e of the interpretation and general Provisions Act chapter 153 confers its general power to every functionary empowered to every functionary empowered to make

Regulations to prescribe criminal penalty is not exceeding ten thousand dollars or 12 months imprisonment unless the contrary intention appears in a specified Act so this particular Amendment says exactly what the maximum penalty is under this particular Act section 64-2 of the principal Act is amended by deleting the word five or 500 sorry

Before the word dollars and substituting therefore the words two thousand before the word dollars so Mr Speaker in essence the changes to this today oh this bill Mr Speaker is a rather straightforward bill we asking for three things or if you sum it up really you look at

It closer it’s really two things one two have a new definition for the word child and to increase the monetary penalties in both section 64. and 56 respective thank you [Laughter] thank you lead our government business and from here is it and people said what’s up I’m going to realize from here okay

Thank you honorable MP4 said Andrew Northwest thank you Mr Speaker Mr Speaker I Rise to place on record my unconditional support for the proposed amendment which is before us this is obviously something that is so basic yet so fundamental that it needs no broad debate indeed Mr Speaker no doubt it will be

Subject to bipartisan not while the amendment is for obvious simple descriptive Clarity it avoids the vagueness that could have been otherwise exploited to deprive children of their worthy inheritance and claims under the National Insurance scheme the amendment consolidates and make sure that no person legally and morally

Regarded as a child can be robbed of any benefits and inheritance through any these Engineers maneuvering and inconsiderate actions Mr Speaker in this regard it ensures the consolidation of the right of children under the act and avoid the fault of this empowerment that might otherwise be pursued having spent my entire political life

Fighting for women and children I am particularly pleased to see the amendment presented here today the amendment also seeks to discourage Bridges by increasing penalties for any breach by expanding the penalties on two fronts and therefore Mr Speaker I want to fully support those amendments thank you

Thank you honorable MP for Saint Andrew Northwest I know I invite honorable Mr Mark to make her contribution thank you very much Mr Speaker as I’ve always demonstrated and whenever there is a bill that is in the interest of the people it will have my full support and this

Bill has presented by the leader of government business is certainly one of those bills anyone anything that can protect the interests of all the children of our state is of importance to the nation Mr Speaker I want to take this opportunity to explain bulletin Happy Father’s Day to the fathers sitting in

This honorable house and to the fathers of this nation through you Mr Speaker I think it is a great honor that God has bestowed upon us to be fathers or to be parents and in this case um I just mentioned fathers but to be parents but it also has an awesome

Responsibility placed on us to I’m curious that that responsibility that Duty that pleasure and to make it a pleasure with dignity Pride whatever um needs to be done Mr Speaker I know there was a time when there used to be bedside registration where the fathers were allowed to go to the hospital when

The mother would have delivered because it’s very difficult to well impossible to doubt or almost impossible to those who is the mother because usually it’s very clear it is not always clear who is the father and so some fathers unfortunately dock the responsibility because um you have to go to certain

Testing to know who is that um who is the father but we should not put children through that because once a child knows that they had to test to see if so and so one of the honorable members on the other side was my father

Or any member on this side you know it puts a sort of negative um connotation to the whole parenting and fatherhood and so on so I don’t know if that continues but I want to encourage to you Mr Speaker our fathers of this nation that when your spouse your

Partner whoever it is is going to deliver then be there and the man enough to sign and say yes I’m the father of that child I know that opportunity was taken by many I want to encourage them I I want to encourage fathers to take responsibility for

The Offspring in a more serious way to attend relevant activities uh concerning their children whether it’s the the parent the PTA day and be part of it part of the children’s activity Mr Speaker I am happy to hear the increase in the penalty and also that the

Um the the the penalty in terms of um prison service Remains the Same Mr Speaker I wish we could we would not have a prison Tom at all but that we would mandate that those fathers have a responsibility to find a job because sometimes people make all

Kinds of excuses not to and then they go to prison the child of course they perhaps don’t make a salary or in the prison and so the child is not better off so I hope we’ll see less and less of prison term and more and more of compliance not even the the financial

Penalty but compliance and to you Mr Speaker I want to urge that our fathers um really bear that responsibility with pride and dignity and commitment to their children so I I give my full support to this bill as presented um by the member and um I I just want to encourage our

Our nation to take parenting more seriously and perhaps um the minister with responsibility for social services can look into teaching people parenting because sometimes it has to be taught sometimes they become parents so young that on both sides they do not even know multiple parenting and I know over past years

Parenting has been taught but maybe we need to intensify and give more support to parents so that they in turn can give more support to their offspring I thank you Mr Speaker for this opportunity thank you very much MP4 said Mark I know I invite honorable and because Andrew Southeast

To make her contribution Mr Speaker Mr Speaker I won’t report this bill that is before us and you know one of the reasons that I I really do support this is that there is still a perception in our society and something we still need to address you

Know in a frontal way you know the Discrimination the separation the referring to the half brother and half-sister and this one was born in marriage and that one was not oh this one is living in the house and that one was not and you know it it brings me

Back and members may recall and every time I see Dr Francis Alexis that’s what I remember um a child is a child every time I see the goodly man that is all I remember a child is a child because growing up as a child I remember him advocating very strongly and the

Passage of legislation in that regard but I’m not sure that we’ve made sufficient progress in that regard that a child is a child irrespective of the circumstances under which that child was born and sometimes you see even as mothers sometimes we take certain positions um against other children that may not

Be always biologically but maybe the the child of a husband or you know a mate and I think it’s something that we have to think broadly about as as a society you know that every child deserves to be seen they already equal but they deserve to be seen as equal treated as

Equal and I really want to say this that fathers do have a responsibility to prevent the circumstances that create this but whatever the circumstances arise whenever it exists we have a responsibility as a society how we refer to them for example I’ve heard people correcting people no no

Um is a half daughter half sister you know and I really want to say this that I hope this bill would further compound the fact would further emphasize the fact that a child is a child and I really want to encourage us to continue to promote this

Thank you very much MP for Saint Andrew Southeast and I know in by the MP4 okay cool Anthony martinek thank you Mr Speaker Mr Speaker I Rise to support the proposed amendments and it goes to show that um this Administration is really and truly people-centered I’m really interested about people

I had to go there and Mr Speaker I hear I I I I Rise not just only to give the support but you know I I I’m hearing a lot from the the the female Representatives my honorable friends on the other side a lot is being said about the fathers the men

But I want to put on record here it might be a bit controversial but I guess sometimes you just have to be but as women to have a responsibility mothers to have a responsibility and women have a responsibility to be careful in terms of who they choose to bring food appropriate to it

You have a responsibility because often times bad decisions are made and then the man always get to believe but females too have a responsibility and I join with honorable and people said marks and my dear friend honorable Emeline pear join with them to encourage men to step up and to be real men

And not spawn donors and leaving our children not in stealing good values which will help them to become better citizens we have responsibility but it’s not just left up to our brothers it has to be a combined effort and again not just left up to the parents

But we should bring back the community Spirit it says it takes a village to raise a child community that Community spirit is is dying and Grenada and as Leaders we have to do something about it but ease of the men a little it’s all of us in this together

And and and and Men Must step up and do what they must do but also women have a responsibility to be very careful in terms of who they decide to be children with I just thought I should just please that on record and I support this bill 100 thank you thank you MP

۴ I know I invite the MP4 Saint George now this is the biggest contribution thank you Mr Speaker Mr Speaker I Rise to fully support the Amendments as presented by the leader of government business uh Mr Speaker essentially all that is said captures this uncertainty of this amendment but I

Want to make two points which I believe are fundamental too in the course of the conversation and while most members have chosen to be micro I will choose the macro in terms of looking at this uh particular Amendment now I think in recent times everyone can agree that we’ve been hearing the need

To do the Reformation to the NH National Insurance scheme and Mr Speaker these amendments based on where I see certainly could be difficult if we did not choose to go the route of reforming the National Insurance scheme and to be able to look after the needs of all of us and most

Vulnerable the second point I want to make to this is that when we talk about social safety nets the need to only defend as the ordinary man will put it handled is something that we must not limit ourselves as policy makers to look at and I reform Mr Speaker particularly to

Social Security which is what this amendment seeks to address to say that the most vulnerable Among Us while the direct exchange of cash is always faster and important but this loophole that was around for a long time is now actually going to be filled and it shows Mr Speaker that here for the

First time in a long time the other government that is not just looking at policies from a transactional political aspect but is looking at it for the future development and benefit of our people and Mr Speaker I think this is extremely commendable I want to congratulate the leader of government

Business I think his ministry along with uh Senator Gloria Thomas uh at yellow house is is doing an excellent job in looking after the interests of our people and certainly with the recent addition we can expect Mr Speaker more people-centered policies that are looking at Social Security the operative

One as opposed to the handouts and as opposed to loose Arrangements which oftentimes result in transaction for political benefits I think this is yeah an ideal policy for the future and it will help take care of the most vulnerable amongst us in particular the children who are born without their uh

Doing and the situation that is created so Mr Speaker with these few words I close to say that I fully support these amendments thank you honorable MP for Saint George notice all right I think everybody has made up government business Mr Speaker I just want to thank members on both sides oh sorry

Sorry to me I didn’t record my support for this honor prime minister thank you Mr Speaker Mr Speaker I support the bill I in fact we should associate myself with all of the sentiments expressed by The Honorable members of those except that I will digress a little with my distinguished MP4

From where I said Mr Speaker the woman always carry a disproportionate amount of people and rarely if anybody needs to step up it’s men and I see that with no hesitation and unapologetically Mr Speaker as an MP perhaps negative every 10 person who I see a woman and I

Cringed the report that in many instances perhaps as much as fifty percent of the cases leaving aside the possibility that some people may not always be telling you the truth there are other significant cases of domestic violence child neglect or child abuse and in almost 90 percent of cases they perpetuated by men

And this is a Scourge that we have to address openly and the disadvantage that children face oftentimes in these situations Mr Speaker it’s too horrific to to respond and so clearly ensuring that regardless and that’s part of where I’m I’m digressing a little with my own effect the circumstances in which children come

Into the world are probably most instances not planned and so as much as we want to see that women need to be a bit more careful perhaps after the first or second time you could perhaps be a little more critical but certainly in many instances on the first occasion

Especially for young men pregnancy is not something they want it’s something that is the consequence of activity that they engage in um but similarly to men or to own up to the responsibilities associated with the actions and not just provide material but actually be parents too their children and I think the

Suggestion from The Honorable mp4c Mark that the teaching of parenting is something that needs to happen it’s something that we need to address because in beer we sometimes in full view of the public you see parents physically mental verbally openly abusing whether it’s pulling them roughing them

Slapping them using language that is not even appropriate for adults and then we expect our children to somehow broke miraculously and and function well in this world so I think the Amendment to the legislation obviously is designed to ensure that we won’t just see a child is a

Child was in fact we ensure that good legislatively and from a policy perspective all children in fact do benefit but I think the broader picture certainly is that to a large extent many of the ills children are confronted with stemming from the fact that men do not take their responsibilities as men and

Particularly as far as of course those who do we have to commend them and hold them up as mentors other men could in fact following the footsteps so again I want to comment uh leader of government business and all members of the House for the hotel bipartisan support of the

Bill thank you Mr Speaker Thank you very much honorable prime minister without government business thank you Mr Speaker Mr Speaker I just want to thank members of The Honorable host for the contribution to this discussion on the bill and I am just looking forward to the implementation of all of these changes that are being

Made at the level of Enis as we continue to ensure that we have a strong and stable Social Security scheme for the nation thank you all right thank you very much honorable members all that members the question is that it will be read a second time and all those who have

Their opinion CI other country opinions say no the eyes have it indeed their eyes have it a bill friend actually entitled National Insurance Amendment bill 2023. they love government business Mr Speaker I beg to move that the house resolves itself into a committee of the whole house

To consider the bill close by close thank you honor remembers the question is that this honorable house resolves itself into a community of the whole house to consider the bill caused by cause all those other opinions say I of the country European say no indeed the eyes have it the eyes have it

This honorable house is now in committee cause two amendment of section 2 of principle Act honorable other members just repeat Mr Clark I cannot lose track Clause 2 amendment of section 2 of principle Act because two other members the question is that Clause 2 Amendment to the

Principle Act form part of the bill or look at that opinion say aye I agricultural opinions say no there is a bit indeed yes of it Clause 3 amendment of section 56 of principle Act I remember is the question is that class three Amendment 56 forms part of the principal

Acts all those of their opinions say aye agricultural opinions you know you guys have it I think guys have it because four amendment of section 64 of principle act Allah remembers the question is that Clause 4 amendment of section 64 of the principal act forms part of the bill all those other

Opinions say aye all of the country reviews say no you guys have it indeed the eyes of it because one short title and commencement honorable members the question is plus one short title and commencement forms part of the bill all those of that opinions say aye All the other opinions I agriculture opinions you know there’s a bit indeed legal government business so chairman I beg to move the house resumes and at the chairman reports Focus the chairman of the committee reports progress on the bill I remembers the question is that the house resumes and the chairman

Of the committee reports progress on the bill as many other opinions say I or the culture opinion said oh the eyes have it indeed the eyes have it and I remember this honorable house now resumes oh our members I have to report that a bill was considered by a committee of the

Whole house and passed without Amendment do you have government business Mr Speaker I beg to move that the Chairman’s report he adopted and I remember the question is that the Chairman’s report be adopted as many as other opinions say aye or the country opinions you know

Indeed the eyes have it the eyes have it a little government business Mr Speaker back to move the third reading of the bill Aria remembers the question is that the bill be read a third time oh honorable members the question is that the bill be read a third time and pass

As many other opinions say aye of the country European say no indeed the eyes have it the eyes have it a bill for an act shopping entitled National Insurance Amendment bill 2023. little government business Mr Speaker I beg to introduce for its first reading a bill for an act shortly titled

National Insurance Amendment act number two bill 2023 . a bill was seeks to amend a National Insurance cap 205 to increase a pensionable age which consequential amendments to related legislation shortly entitled National Insurance amendment number two Bill 2023 oh item 16 requests for leave to move the

Adjournment of the house on matters of urgent public importance thank you Mr Speaker Mr Speaker I Rise to provide some clarity on the new Imani program that The Honorable member for Saint George Northeast reported on earlier this morning Mr Speaker Mr Speaker the new Imani program has been a dynamic

As well as a multi-faceted program that has served the young people thousands of young people of this country for many years of course it had its challenges because we are dealing with human beings and assist them that will never be perfect we can strive for Perfection but Mr

Speaker we must deal with reality Mr Speaker it was mentioned that in May of 2022 a new batch of the program was included and that is correct Mr Speaker because it was a continuation of the inclusion of young people giving them the opportunity to receive that training through the program

That was done consistently on a biannual basis in 2018 we had the inclusion of batch six of the program 2020 batch seven so following that path in 2022 batch 8 was included and after the launch of the program what happens the participants or trainees as we call them will begin

Their life skills sessions and that goes for all of the participants three months of life skills thereafter they will be divided into different categories for placements some would move on to the TV training and I mentioned Yvette here Mr Speaker because the member spoke of it as if it’s something new

No it’s a continuation of what has been there TV training mainly in cvq certified areas spearheaded by the NT the agency that is now proposed to spearhead the overall program other participants went directly on the job for their training and the other participants did educational enhancement whether it’s true attending time CC new

Law or Saint George’s University if there are trainees who were found and there are many who have been formed not having the basic literacy and numeracy skills Foundation classes were set up for them Mr Speaker to hear that the badge that came in in 2022 that is May last year

That they have been home since that time the member has additional support that of two new advisors so if they did not want to continue with the plan that has been there he had sufficient support to create their own plan the house must be given and I would say a better representation

Of support to the young people through this program to report that they have been home and you’re not sure whether they are paid or not is cause for concern Mr Speaker in my opinion I have also heard the member mention on more than one occasion in this house questioning the ability

Of the staff involved with the program and generally at the ministry questioning their abilities again I’m baffled as well as concerned many of the staff members highly qualified and I can speak to the program manager at the time Masters in international business from Saint George’s University plus years of

Experience in leading among managing youth programs other staff members have had or do have their bachelor’s degree in new development so Mr Speaker you are speaking about people who are leading and managing a program highly qualified much more than those who are today setting the policies and leading and managing this program

I expected the member to give us an update as to what is currently happening it was originally mentioned MTA will take over it’s almost one year later and we’re hearing the same thing we need better accountability for this program Mr Speaker also in terms of the transition that the members spoke about

Transition is a continuous process and has been transitioning from the program into prominent establishments that has been always there if it’s continue that is good for the young people that’s the ultimate goal of the program but it is not anything new and we will not accept it as doing as if it’s

Something new that have just started after June 2022 Mr Speaker it’s a speaker so the next time the member decides to report on the program it is not just about talk but get the evidence get the information we cannot come here and give information because of ignorance of what has been

There Mr Speaker that’s all I would say now on this program Mr Speaker but I’m curious to hear about new initiatives as it relates to the young people of this country because they have been looking forward to it and so far nothing new Under the ministry of Youth for them

I guess you are still auditing what has been done in the past so many programs and projects for young people takes more than one year to complete um Mr Speaker I also heard the member for Saint George Southeast responsible for housing giving an update as to what has been

Happening with housing Mr Speaker and providing the house with all the new plans and program and the challenges that they found there I just want to say Mr Speaker that the issues he’s raising the concern he’s raising he will not have to go far to get the information

The then member responsible sits very close with him so I would say don’t go far the information is close to you thank you Mr Speaker thank you MP for San Angelo not if I have been before I said Mark thank you very much Mr Speaker Mr Speaker I want to take this opportunity

On the adjournment to extend through you Mr Speaker commendations and congratulations to one little girl um it’s a mark Emilia Edwards who scored very high in the cpea no reason well after says by the CSC because I have not I have not seen a great but I have heard it from persons who

Should know and I I think um you know I am not here to questions the question the governments um this is honest as to how they deal with cpea results and so on um because that is their prerogative they are the ones who in the driver’s

Seat and I think they have the rights and so therefore it is not my issue here but I just have a concern that those who do well the children and their family may wish to know that how is that done how do we how do I as an MP I cannot speak for

Others others may not be interested um comment them and and congratulate them and maybe um you know offer some assistance whether it’s advice or so on to the family who is having someone going to a secondary school because sometimes the move is not as easy as we may think and so um

You know I think it is useful for us to know how well persons have done and and how we can assist but I am not here to complain on that I am I just want to celebrate this child and all of the others who are now moving up into the secondary schools

I wish them well and um I chose that the schools will be prepared for the the new faces and perhaps increase numbers and I I I I have no problem with a universal movement from primary to secondary but I am mindful that there may be challenges

That need to be dealt with in a timely manner to prepare unconcerned for that move so Emilia Edwards and her family to you Mr Speaker commendations and congratulations on a wonderful performance and to all those who have performed well in the CPE and all those who are at the point where they’re

Moving forward I wish them very well um Mr Speaker um in the last sitting I mentioned a troubling concern and I will not believe at the point um except to just mention that it appears that the concern for the supplies of of medical medical supplies they the the availability of medical supplies

In our at our hospital and the other Health institution has not significantly improved in fact I and again is hearsay um from persons who have gone there to access certain things and that are not available and um you know I I have concerns about that I just want to beg our prime

Minister and our honorable members on the other side who are in government to ensure that measures are taken to improve it and and also to let us know to let this situation um be known to us and it may have been remedied and I don’t know I just want to

Be able to celebrate that we have improved on the supply medical supplies and the availability of medical supplies at especially our hospitals um all three hospitals but in particular general which serves all the different areas in the in the trial and state I I want to beg that we take it seriously

That the members on the in government side maybe have conversations with the minister with the ministry and ensure that there is some improvement because the reality is that regardless of what we may say happened or did not happen in the past this is a new government and they have

Been and there have been very serious promises for improvement in a different way so let us see a transition in that regard so that at least some of us can go to sleep a little bit more comfortable I thank you Mr Speaker all right thank you honorable MP for Saint Mark for

Showing your concerns and of course commending the outstanding student from your constituency I now notice the light of honorable MP4s and John Norris thank you Mr Speaker Mr Speaker I rise on this agreement to congratulate the students of Saint George Northeast in successfully completing the CPA examination as a policy direction of

This government we believe in Universal education and right of a child to access secondary school education second issue I want to raise Mr Speaker as it relates to Hurricane Season we saw recently that tropical storm breath was formed I believe that given the fact that we are in the hurricane season and

Irrespective whether we are in the belt normally or not I think preparation must always be something Central around minds of our people and I want to say to residents of Saint George Northeast the nadma’s district coordinator is very active we have had representation there in the past but in particular this

Wrongs I’m confident that we can do a lot more in ensuring that we alleviate in the potential that we get threatened and also as a response mechanism in the constituency I think we’re going to do much better and God forbid that we are under any threats so I want to please on

Record my commitment as MP to ensure that this is done Mr Speaker I want to address uh the issue as it relates to health care in Saint George Northeast now upon coming in uh one year ago we campaigned particularly on the situation of access to healthcare

It was disturbing to see the reality as the state of facilities it was disturbing to undergo some of the visits repeatedly and the concerns of residents in the area of it but I can report that we have completed one of the medical stations we are now preparing to complete the second

Note of three and we have secured a support in by the way of refrigerators and I owe the honorable members speaking about health care but I want to bring to the Public’s attention a very serious concern in that presently I can’t speak for a prison in Saint George Northeast refrigerators we only

Have one in each medical station and the same fridge that holds a drink is housing medication and other aspects Mr Speaker and please report that we have been able to secure three refrigerators for each of the medical stations which you can gain the separation of that problem in Saint John’s office

And so this is going to go a long way in ensuring we do not continue on that path Mr Speaker I do not necessarily need to rehash any specific issue that was raised by honorable member for Saint Andrew North East but Mr Speaker the mind boggles as to what really

We are faced with here presently I get the understanding that you need to defend your government’s policy so I’m not getting into that but I’m saying as a speaker the present situation of the Imani program as made available information we have only recently changed the coordinator of Youth about three months ago

And we are now at a position with clear understanding as the state of the program the program was not achieving its objectives it was not providing job opportunities the program essential at the cabinet level at the time was listed as a social safety net so I am saying even from a policy

Standpoint we ought not to play these kinds of baseless games let’s Identify some of the concerns the manager of the Imani program qualified never had the opportunity to manage the program was never allowed to access Mainframe information all the likes and we can go on and on or appointment there

Was not a part of the establishment but was just a mask rain to see that somebody is there she had no authority to do anything no one reported her prior to the last general election Mr Speaker the their Administration chose to amalgamate all the supervisors so the same supervisor for Hope and

Power Etc although one Banner serial situation supervisor supervising supervisor that was the situation I want to add some clarity Mr Speaker to this policy that has been exposed on radio stations throughout the country uh particularly promoting the opposition’s agenda now the ministry well measure of Education in sports and culture and the

Department of Youth Sports and culture only has one advisor in the name of Mr Patrick Simmons only one I am not going to engage in any bickering and and you know we wouldn’t bring else to that distribute but I’m saying if we are discussing the future

Of the program which I hope we are we must acknowledge that we had to do an assessment as where the program was and where we are going to take it and we have said clear in the process of upskilling the program there had to be changes to be made so

For example one change that we made was when the 1200 people was just went into different constituencies and this is what we were told at the ministry by the workers of the program itself and just hand-picked and placed on the program before the election they some of them did not have the

Proper requirements to join the program at that level they needed something else before they could go on the program so no preparations were made in dealing with that the vacuum this then created was to say that you ended up with about 1200 people that you had to look after but the

Program itself did not have the question of availability of jobs in the first instance so you was not in a position to exit and transition the current group of people but you went and you just added some created the burden I know is of well you

Know I I don’t know how we can judge to see that program was achieving whatever objected the fact of the matter is Mr Speaker this program was not transitioning young people to permanent employment which is what we want to fix Mr Speaker I can go on and on with this and just

Say it right I won’t get into the details we recently had to have a meeting concerning the future of the Garment Factory and it is a clear indication in my view that former Administration has to get serious and tell the young people what they were doing how they were using them

And stop engaging in this Petty political mantle over these issues Youth Development Mr Speaker in all of you is not guided or should not be guided by political use of young people in political programs that are not achieving their personal objectives so we must be careful with that

So when we talk about youth you see how the facts well we have the facts and we’re going to be releasing the report on the Imani program to the public once you complete every single detail so that the public will see signed by the minister signed by the

Peers what the findings report so let us not go down that road and engage in Petty political exchanges I think we have to be serious we saw different times we have seen generational change in leadership and therefore we must fall in line with that direction I believe Mr

Speaker that as young people all contribution to this is the challenge what was not working and is to ensure that as we go forward in future those aspects that did not work that we fix and correct them and improve our dexterity to be able to deal

With some of the problems that we may face in the future that is how I see it and that’s the philosophy that I want to carry as long as I serve in this honorable house for the people of Saint George Northeast thank you thank you honorable MP4 Saint George Northeast

And I see the light of honorable and before Saint Andrew Southeast thank you Mrs Rico Mr Speaker I rise again this morning to continue our conversation that started um in this house and that is to do with universal education I’ve heard at least three persons mention it this morning

A lot has been said Mr Speaker over the past few weeks about whether people should be um named whether schools should be attached um whether everybody should go or should not go um as a matter of fact the point that was made um or the statement made by my colleague

Um honorable MP for Saint Marks and then I don’t remember which of all member for Saint George’s North East would have gone on to congratulate individuals I am sitting there Mr Speaker and I’m thinking I want to congratulate too but then again we defeated the whole the

Whole purpose of where we are what we are trying to do Mr Speaker which brings me to the point that we have to be always so careful about how we do what we do because everybody around this table can start listing some names of people who we would want to congratulate

And my dear colleague when she said it I thought you know maybe I should congratulate somebody too and I would really love but Mr Speaker then I start thinking um you know who calculated the school who got the score where they got it from and again Mr Speaker I make the point we

Have to be so careful about how we do what we do in relation to this subject because Mr Speaker and I didn’t make the point when I spoke about a child as a child because one of the things that happens sometimes we’re not able to measure is the Damage Done to children

In the process so when I see myself as a stepchild or this child or half child whatever I see myself as it may be difficult to measure what effect that has on me for the rest of my life as on an individual and I’m using just an example it is the same way

Mr Speaker as she said if this child is not able to celebrate or this one is able to celebrate right and then another child might be asking well how much did I come how did she know how much she came Mr Speaker we want to avoid this

And we want to avoid it not in relation to they are well in place because I’m sure they’re speaking from a point of knowledge so they may have gotten some scores reliably from some place right and they can speak to that but the fact that everybody doesn’t have it and the way

That it was done Mr Speaker that is where I believe we want to be extremely careful so my view on this and I’ll I’ll be very um straightforward and blunt about this I have absolutely no issue and I don’t think anybody in Grenada should have an issue with universal education children having access

As a matter of fact if we say access to secondary school I still don’t have an issue and I don’t think we would find anybody in this room who might have an issue Mr Speaker it is the how it is the when the timing Mr Speaker and what are

Those things that should be done before certain things are done that makes it a challenge and makes it a difficulty and which is why we have this perfect example on both sides of the house this morning that points to exactly what we are talking about so I’ve heard some

Very dismissive statements made over the last few weeks parents who Express consults relatives who express some concerns teachers who Express concerns and Mr Speaker that does not help that further compounds the problem because what we ought to be doing is addressing the issue in a way that the

Doubts the question that my colleague MP just raised the question the doubts is no longer there and so Mr Speaker I want to say this that my major concern with this is the how it was done the fact it is likely to have on children who are anxiously for months looking forward to

The results and their placement and a few days before they were told no it’s not going to happen right so I’ll I’ll rest on this but I want to just make the point because I heard um MP for Saint George’s Northeast made the point that children have access

Right and this is great let’s give everyone access right but it’s access the solution and I believe that is what we really want to ask ourselves particularly in terms of the context of the timing is access full stop the solution because we may discover that is not just an issue of equality

But it’s more so an issue of equity Mr Speaker and I want us not to lose the essence and the significance of some of the comments made over I thought someone said well we don’t care we achieve it in one year Mr Speaker we can do and undo at the same time

And we ought to be extremely cautious and let us not be as I said dismissive of a concern so when my colleague said a concern we should be quick to hear what the concern is and how we address it not to dismiss and I’ve heard some very strong dismissive statements over this

Subject as I said I would never stand to say I don’t support Universal education but I won’t be dismissive in that way over someone who has a concern about how it was done so Mr Speaker let me just make a few points as it relates to the subject of equity and equality

When we speak of access when we speak of equality we talk in sameness when we speak about Equity we’re talking now fairness which is what I would like to strongly recommend that we place some more attention on so how do we ensure that every child has that fairness

Or access to that fairness and not just the access so let us just use an example and going back to the the previous administration in office one of the policy decisions taken was that of all teachers all teachers should access Teachers College and there was a planned program I’m not saying and I

Would never ever say stick to the program you can revise you can change you can do whatever with the program but every teacher must go to Teachers College that’s a policy position I don’t think it was strange but not only that that persons who are not yet in the system

Should be given an opportunity to be educated to be qualified as a teacher to be trained even before they go in the classroom so we have a number of persons out there and I pray that they’ll be considered who have already completed Teachers College even if they’ve never been to the classroom

And these things are so important Mr Speaker for example if everyone is going to have access then differentiated learning becomes extremely important so teachers must no longer be teaching everyone access but each child must be catered For individually and this is why differentiated learning comes here and

It’s a skill it’s not something you tell just tell people to do which is why the previous administration would have invested so much in the training of teachers something that should never stop right because you can’t finish that’s a process but the second thing I want to make

Mention of Mr Speaker is the importance of our facilities our schools The Continuous Rehabilitation of breeding expansion and Catering to those needs so I heard my colleague MP from Saint Andrew um Northeast I always have to go slowly when I get the names right men mentioned that cvq is nothing new

Tibet is nothing new and so what we are saying is we want to see it expanding so under our past administration the national t-vet policy was approved at the Ministry of Education UNESCO was very much involved technical people were bought on board to get that work together with the NTA completed

We’re saying now it’s a golden opportunity to build upon that last week I heard somebody say we need a policy right the other thing that’s critical to that Mr speaker is not just having the policy but providing the access so for example when you talk about a new school

And we can take Grenada Christian Academy as an example so speaker before we left office work was done in terms of preparation for the start of construction of that school as a matter of fact we won the point of preparing to have a contractor named right for that project

Mr Speaker but when you look at the design for that school you would see the vision as it relates to Tibet you would see the design as it relates to the policy of not just access but equity and it’s not that this was going to be

The first school in relation to that Mr Speaker and sometimes you know there isn’t the knowledge and that is important to have but Mr Speaker in a number of schools around Grenada in June of 2022 students who are indeed as you would recall students were actually doing Civic use in school

So again I heard recently we must start cbq in schools and we should do General construction because we do need Masons and capitals and so on of course we do and we need a lot more let’s expand but right here in Grenada students were doing cvq in general Construction

Students were also doing cvq in furniture making Mr Speaker and so the point is let us now look at how not be dismissive but let us look at how we can build upon let us look at how we can use what is there to get the maximum because I

Believe for all of us we want a better education system Mr Speaker but if you allow me one minute to just say this the policy position then was that students who did not meet the requirement while you Bill all of those infrastructural support systems while you get ebooks that students can

Go at their own pace differentiated learning that the fast one can go the slow one can do their work and to continue Mr Speaker while all of this was happening Mr Speaker it’s important to note that we cannot just stop there but we

Have to look at what do we do to go to the next level the next step and that is what I want to encourage us to do for example Miss Gertrude Niles I can’t help but Neymar National coordinator for literacy these students were actually taken those who did not meet the grade

The past mark and as teachers were working with them on a program teachers were paid a stipend in most cases retired teachers as well and these students in 2021 is a good example they were worked with weekends holidays summer vacation and if you look you will see many of

Them improve their performance within the year and were then able to move on to Secondary School Mr Speaker whatever we do however we do it I just want to remind us to consider not just equality but Equity not just access but individuals who may have emotionals emotional psychological other issues

That we have to look at the whole person and how a particular decision how it is done can affect them thank you is thank you Mr Speaker you know Mr Speaker it’s amazing day it’s amazing when the shoes is on the other foot you hear the complaints

When I hear the word dismissive and not listening and all that and I I recall a situation in Carol called Mount Pleasant government school when some decision was made and some people are very dismissive and some people did not want to listen but it’s just amazing I just thought I

Should just put that there but it would be remiss of me Mr Speaker if I did not stand here today once again to thank the people of karaku and pity martnik Mr Speaker one year or three days from now Friday will mark one year the people of character has made the historic decision

To elect me as their Member of Parliament and I am indeed proud of them and happy to continue to serve them and I thought it was important for me to just please this on record thanking them and recognizing over one year as parliamentarians as members of parliament and to commend all of us

For the work for the excellent work that we have done you know we’ve all rookies we are called babies and when I see the excellent works not only as Ministers of government but also the excellent work that all members of parliaments are doing within their constituencies I am in the pleased by that

And Mr Speaker let me also raise this particular issue because I raised it the last time I was here and I’m so elated to know that after bringing it here that the matter has not been resolved you know I was I think two weeks ago when we were here I raised the issue

Regarding traveling to the folks traveling from Caraco to Grenada divided to kill the ex-person at Odyssey being constantly harassed by Port security and I’m happy with the intervention by our honorable prime minister it was with a record thanks thank him for that that the passengers are no longer being

Harassed and I’m indeed proud and happy about that the people of caracom PPT extremely happy for that because in the end of the day we are We Are One we are part of the state and you know when the folks from um Union Island obeko my roof go over to

Saint Vincent they are not harassed like that when the folks from Trinidad go over to Tobago and vice versa from Tobago to Trinidad that don’t happen and and and so because recognizing that we are part of the state here your sister Islands we should be treated same

Way because when the tea will be in the dollars he comes up to karaku with folks from the mainland we don’t harass them like that so I’m happy that this matter has now been put to bed and I again want to put on the record my uh thank you to prime minister for

Getting involved thank you Mr Speaker all right thank you MP4 magnet honorable prime minister thank you Mr s Mr Speaker I feel quite passionate about education so I think it’s important for me to um in the absence of the minister of Education obviously in this also speak a

Little bit on a question of education and I will start by seeing I actually agree with everything that has been said by the MP4 Saint Andrew Southeast and that education is something you should feel passionate about but I also think we should not because it has been that way

Continue to believe we can improve our education system by being reluctant to make some of the changes we need to make and I appreciate that sometimes when you make changes the disruptions will always hold some level of discomfort and that is important for us as the policy

Rollers to treat with the concerns what is comfort in an open and front and all this manner um so that the public parents and students in particular the teaching profession the business Community understand what it is we are trying to achieve and I say we are meeting including members of the opposition

Um and I’m partly mindful that the mp4c result is has been the minister of education for some considerable time and so perhaps she is more uniquely pleased than anyone else to speak on the issue of whatever policy initiatives that might have been started on the or while

She’s minister of Education or while we opposition members had formed the government so I think the super question we have to ask first and foremost is whether our education system is rarely solving the needs of the population of Grenada I think that’s the first and first question we have to ask

And I think there are easy tools by which we can measure that if the education system was serving on these why do we have the money program and the millions of dollars we pump into the money program if we from a policy perspective I’ll pump those funds into the education

System would we have the need because let’s face the demanding program is essential year media program we talk about life skills I don’t think at 12 13 or 14 you get into the money program subject to correction why did you you get into the money

Program at 80 okay so if you wait till 18 to teach your children like skills what’s the point of the last 18 years in fact I would have thought the life skills I would have thought the life skills in some instances are more important during the first 18 years than thereafter

So when we talk I sometimes get the impression that whenever we talk about something uh somehow it’s been viewed as we saying something is new of course it’s not new Coq is not new Tibet is not you the NTA we met all of these things and we’re accepting that they need to be

Strengthened and expanded encourage frankly given more prominence than the Relentless pursuit of academic certification and I’m saying that has to be a fundamental shift that starts at Primary School not Secondary School so when we talk about access to education and access to even secondary I’m using secondary simply as far as Mr speakers

When you start becoming a teenager this is not just academic access it may very well mean going in in TV type Arrangement almost exclusively and we have to be able to see Other Nation that’s fine we support that we encourage that and give all students who want to pursue that type of education

The same prominence the same accolades as someone wants a personal traditional academic type groups and so when we talk about Equity yes because you also want them to know the result of that Equity would be the ability to get employment and to be deployed in the economy without feeling that

You’re a second class citizen so I’m saying where exactly from Jamaica the Mason diploma the electrician where historically and this has nothing to do the opposition I’m saying this is us as a society where historically have we created in opposed independent year an education system that held up these people we have not

Answer the question of access and equity and the broader context of what kind of education system we have means oftentimes respectfully people who are in control of the education system themselves resist the change and this is not this is not this is just the nature of life if you are in control

Of something and somebody else tells you you need to change often time you will resist the change because you just want to keep doing what you’ve done and this is a national challenge that we face or principles or teachers or parents or students we as a society have to ask ourselves

If we keep churning out hundreds of students who then need remedial literacy classes remedial math classes and we can talk about that I don’t think performance of education and current MP could have been satisfied with your past rates in math and literacy and I’m using very basic terms I’m not even calling mathematics

And whatever math and literacy and we’ve had some policy initiatives that have failed us so we’re in literacy specialists at internet schools or primary schools they’re in secondary schools they’re not at the primary schools so of course what is going to happen is that by the time you get to secondary school

You have children right so they functional illiterate and so Mr Speaker I’m saying this is something that we have to talk about openly as a nation this is not about casting blame on the opposition this is not castingly on us I’m saying as a country as a nation we are valued cherished encouraged

One type of education system one is purely on this excessive obsession with CXC certification and these rates and we’ve Obsessed the word and what has It produced I’ll tell you what it does produce Mr Speaker the minister of Labor will tell you that we are signing certificates for work permits and Mass

For construction workers so you can go around the messages and call the number of religions versus the number of non-grillions who are doing construction type jobs that’s the reality we can go to spice Basket in Saint George’s Northeast which has been renovated by one of the call centers

Which is expanded from Saint Andrew they are importing Carpenters were acted as the minister for labor because the honorable minister of the time and I saw the whole performance actually blinked a couple of times to make sure that I wasn’t imagining this that is what’s happening that is the end result

You can go to all the Marine yards other than having all people workers help us to pick up sing and drop Sofia all of the skilled technicians are imported so I am saying Mr Speaker our education system has been fundamentally revamped and frankly we do not have the time

And so yes some of the decisions are going to have to be made quickly and you’re going to have to be implemented or children will continue to get left behind I think before Mr Speaker what is the percentage that tourism contributes to a GDP everybody accepts it is the single

Biggest Drive of the economy and look at our education system we pay lips obviously there’s no culinary school on the island there really is no serviceable on the island new runs on obviously have done the best and I’ve tried to some extent but if you just take the total number of

Persons who walk in the tourism industry you will see that our education system again makes no reference to that and what sentences because if it does it is always the low end jobs that all people get so they are not part of the supply chain they own the dive shops

You have that shopping with any green and operating at the shopping no so Mr Speaker the reality is if we do not as a parliament as a Cabinet as persons within the education system show up to the reality in fact Mr Speaker we’re even important people to do so many low end jobs

People don’t accept that there are gradients hiring Filipinos in domestic work and getting more points right in Grenada that’s the reality of the situation and then it’s compounded by and the minister of Education will tell you that we are because we encourage this Fascination we great and Suffocation and brand names

Versus non-branding School what have we created we’ve created a situation where some schools are over problem and some are under populated we have to tell the truth your child is at a disadvantage if they’re in a class with 60 students or 50 students or 40 students compared to 20 so why would we

Have schools and Mr Speaker I’m not passing this already I am saying we test this reality no and I hope the MP for picking my people contract would allow me to see this in the current allocation Mr Speaker we have a situation where Bishops College a brand new school is

Built it has on me 28 students 28 I’ve been allocated to to Bishop’s college and how much in Hillsborough over 50 something you have a newer school that’s probably bigger and has no space so you send double among the students to one compared to the other now I’m thinking

If we simply explain to our parents or students or stakeholders how could that make sense you obviously going to be overlooking once in the teachers under our kingdom we have to be courageous enough to tell the truth and say let us have a conversation

So even if you you want your child to go to Hillsborough there’s a certain point when you know where you open them outside in the hallway you have to say listen we make the school Rich their parents the teachers the students we have the ability to improve and change the

Schools we can’t keep pushing everybody to oppc or pushing everybody appreciate everybody towards us because the schools will be overcrowded the teachers will be stressed or schools are not technician the place is hot you can go on and on and on so we have to get to the point where we see

The equity requires us to make all our schools good all of us who’s great and we cannot do so if we have a system where we trying to squeeze people into our particular school because of the historical brand name associated with many of it many of which is artificial

And I will give the perfect example my alma mater of course it’s a great School but why do you perform academically well because if 50 boys pass coming in 2015 BBC that’s all in those days it was a more or less single streams one from one one from two

One from three now it’s double and triple three three so you can do anything every second High School it’s probably cheaper you don’t have to take the bus so I’m saying the history of education Mr Speaker it’s something that has a country we have to have a national debutable

We have to examine what has happened in the last 50 years what we’ve been very good at let us keep it enhance it and improve it the parts of it that needs changing as the Jamaicans would say that should be and I therefore welcome the comments by

The former minister of education and the MP force in Andrews office and I will encourage you but it’s right whether it’s to speak whether it’s advocate so that we would have the benefit of experience that’s all the policy initiatives so that we can actually make and be proud of the

Education system 10-15 years from now because as it stands Mr Speaker I can be honest I don’t know that in the wrong we could say that our education system is doing what we want or expect of it and there’s rapid gingers taking place with your teachers and so

On to rapper with rapid technology change and I’ll end on this note I’m trying to remember if I graduated from primary school we just went I honestly don’t don’t know I suppose knowing more schools you celebrate uh any achievement so I’m going to assume this is my memories

There was some form of graduation but I attended my daughter’s graduation yesterday right I forgot actually that I was meant to give the charge to the students so I just assumed I was the other parent and then I remembered I’m doing the five or ten minutes I was

Waiting while the graduation was going on I took out my phone Mr Speaker and I went on to chat GPT and if you don’t know what artist Mr Speaker I’ll explain to you and I had to charge GPT to give me a three-minute speech to a graduating

Class of 11 to 12 year olds and it gave me the speech in a minute exactly three minutes then I said I read it I didn’t like it so I then said to it gave me an inspirational speech for graduating class of you know 11 years I thought the speech

Back in a minute I still didn’t like it so I then said give me funny speech foreign and I went up and I delivered the speech that was written by Chad GPT now at that point everybody laughs everybody clapped and I then said to the audience I have a confession to me

And the confession is I did not write the speech my assistant did not write this speech the perceptual write the speech I in fact a lot and I was required to give this charge and that the speech was written by artificial intelligence the program known as chat GPT

And as you can see foreign so the question is Mr Speaker I confessed I admitted that in the context of our education and we contact the artificial intelligence when you give a child an assignment that says we’ll write uh descriptive story about your piracy needed Mr Speaker chat GPT can do that for you in 30 seconds on your phone multiple versions of it if you require to hand that assignment into your teacher you think if you do not tell the teacher this is GPT that is that’s the kind of challenge your education system faces and I’m not

Pretending any answer to it but that is the kind of power of the technology that we that we exist now and this is not just description it will be the same for matter it will be the same for engineering all of those things it could even give you if you tell write a

Election champion for the national Democratic Congress for an election it will write the campaign for you it will tell you what you need to do so the reality is we are going through fundamental technological change at a pace that is unheardly and so we have a lot of challenges

Ahead of us and so it will take a national approach it will take all of us Consulting being on board um and I will accept that the book stops a lot starts with us in making sure that we engage in that more consultative process on the education system so that we could implement

Um the right policies foreign minister of government business Mr Speaker haven’t heard everything it’s nothing more to add I stand to move the adjournment of this honorable house thank you honorable members the question is that is Honorable John um but before I take the vote I

Just want um on behalf of the the center house to commend uh the media workers of Grenada I just recall that they have celebrated media week and um the media is what we call them a full estate but they play an important role in terms of letting the rest of the world know

What happens in Parliament so on the behalf of all of us here in Parliament I want to commend the folks in in media whatever form of media it happened to be I want to commend you and to wish you well and to celebrate media week

The clock and I had a session with them on the rules and functions of Parliament and um whole media can be more effectively used at the bridge between Parliament and the people so on behalf of the parliament of Guerra I wish to commend our media folks

The folks of Mr it is called as they celebrate media week 2023 and with that said I know okay before the the question is that this honorable house we are John Cena die or rules of God opinion say aye of the contrary opinion say no

Indeed you guys have it the eyes have it the son of the house now stands at John Cena die

ID: 32MXiKJbqCQ
Time: 1687322151
Date: 2023-06-21 09:05:51
Duration: 02:58:25

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