throne speech
TRANSCRIPT
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THRONE SPEECH
By
HER EXCELLENCYDAME CALLIOPA PEARLETTE LOUISY
GCSL, GCMG, D.ST.J., PH.D, LL.D (HON)
GOVERNOR GENERAL OF SAINT LUCIA
on the Occasion of the Formal Opening of the First Session of the
TENTH PARLIAMENT OF SAINT LUCIA
Thursday, January 05, 2012
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INTRODUCTION
Mr. President, Mr. Speaker,
We meet today to open formally the Tenth Parliament of ourcountry, an occasion brought about by the convening of a
General Election on the 28th
November, 2011. On that day,
Saint Lucians, once again, gave expression to their commitment
to the finest and highest democratic traditions, enshrined in
our Constitution, to freely elect a government on the basis of
universal adult suffrage.
While a General Election is primarily contested between
political parties and sometimes, independent candidates, the
true victor in the 28th
November, 2011 General Election was not
the victorious political party or the successful candidates; it wasthe people of Saint Lucia.
The timing of the General Election has caused this First Session
of the Tenth Parliament to be short . God willing, we will meet
again within the next few months for the presentation of the
Budget for the financial year 2012/2013. For that reason, the
programmes that my Government will enunciate for this
current session will be modest in number, but no less
challenging in terms of execution.
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A WOUNDED NATION
On such an occasion, and more particularly at the dawn of this
new year, we reflect on the events of the recent past which
have touched our lives. Some we recall with joy and
satisfaction while others conjure sorrow and enduring pain.
On the night of November 10, 2011, an unprecedented tragedy
occurred at Morne Sion, Choiseul. We lost nineteen souls,
nineteen members of our extended St. Lucian family. In that
moment of grief, we cast aside our differences and mourned as
one nation. That tragedy is now etched in our memory, never
to be forgotten. And, as said elsewhere, those deaths did not
belong to the families alone; they belonged to all of us.
It is often in such moments of glory and great sadness that a
nation defines itself and manifests its true character. So that
our departed brothers and sisters will not be soon forgotten,
my Government plans, in remembrance of the victims, to
construct a memorial on the site of the tragedy. The families of
the victims need to know that this nation shares their loss both
in word and in deed.
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Misy Pwzidan, Misy Spika
Nou vini ansanm jdi-a pou ouv dizyenm Paleman pyi-a,apw ilksyon novanm lann pas-a. Wzulta ilksyon-sala, s
an laviktwa pa pou pati politik-la ki genyen-an, pa menm pou s
kandida-a ki jdi-a s manm Kay Konsit pyi-a, m pou pp Sent
Lisyen ki moutw confyans-yo an s twadisyon denmokwatik
pyi-a.
M menm kon nou ka ouv an Paleman nf, nou ka ouv an
lann nf. An lann ki kay kontin pwzant nou pi anchay
difikilt pi twakasman, stnman, m osi pi anchay posibilit
pou konfwont s difikilt sala. An palan di difikilt pi
twakasman, jik toujou pyi-a ka touv k yo dkonpt apwmov aksidan-an an Mon Sion ki pwan lavi disnf pami nou li 10
novanm lann pas. Lanm-yo touch, pa slman fanmi yo, m
nou tout. Lapenn-yo st lapenn nou tout. Pou f asiw ki nou
pa obliy yo, pou moutw fanmi-yo ki nou pa tounen do-nou
asou yo, Gouvdman pwopoz bati an moniman an lonn-yo an
Mon Sion. Moniman-sala kay wpwzant pou nou toutsoufwans pi lspwa. I kay wpwzant an pyi ki paka wt
at l mal fwapy, m ki ka lv asou d manm seny pou
kontin twavay-la ki ni pou ft-la.
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RE-SHAPING OUR POLITICAL ARCHITECTURE
Mr. President, Mr. Speaker,
My Government believes that the time has come to make
peace with our past. To that end, I am pleased to indicate that
the Prime Minister has invited me to reactivate Part 2 and in
particular, section 15 of the National Honours and Awards Act,
Cap.17.08, of the Revised Laws of Saint Lucia, to establish a
National Heroes Commission, to begin the process of
identifying and honouring our heroes and heroines: those
exceptional persons who sacrificed in the great cause of
securing the rights and freedoms for our people, who helped
to shape the development of our nation, and whose lives of
service helped define our national soul and spirit. We will
thereby, together as a nation and as a people, celebrate and
praise those who served us with nobility, courage and
distinction.
As much as we honor those who contributed to shaping our
nation, we must also look to the future to correct the
aberrations which exist in our political system. It is time to end
some of the unnecessary rancor, pettiness and divisiveness that
has characterized our political culture.
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My Government plans to start with our political parties, the
relationship between the governing party and the opposition
party.
It is instructive to note that in our Constitution, the position of
the Leader of the Opposition falls under the Chapter entitled
The Executive. The Constitution requires the Prime Minister
to consult the Leader of the Opposition in effecting
appointments to key institutions of the state. It is clear that ourConstitution contemplates that the business of governance is a
shared responsibility among government, opposition and
citizenry.
Perhaps we will do well to reflect on the statement by theEnglish political philosopher, Disraeli, that No government can
be long secure without a formidable opposition.
In that vein, my Government believes that we should make a
start to redress the wrongs of the past by according the Leader
of the Opposition the full rights and privileges, which the office
requires, to enable the holder to perform his or
her constitutional duties and functions. As such, henceforth the
Opposition Leader will be entitled to a Diplomatic Passport as
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of right and not as of favor. Consistent with the constitutional
status of the office, the holder will be provided with an official
vehicle to perform the duties of the office in full accordance
with rules currently in force for ministerial functionaries.
Likewise, the Opposition Leader will be accorded
personal security, if he or she so wishes, during his or her
tenure of office, as of right and not at the whim of the political
directorate.
OVERHAUL OF PARLIAMENTARY PRIVILEGES
My Government also believes that the time has come to
undertake a radical overhaul of our parliamentary privileges,
practices and traditions enshrined in our Standing Orders. Some
of these parliamentary privileges are archaic, unwieldy and
inconsistent with our Constitution and with modern
parliamentary practice and procedure.
The small size of our Parliament and the pervading tendency to
jealously protect political power often mean that Standing
Committees of the House of Assembly are dominated by the
representatives of the governing party, usually ministers. The
demands of ministerial office often make it impossible for
ministers to attend meetings of these committees. Likewise,
the Public Accounts Committee is unable to carry out its
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mandate to hold the Government accountable for expenditure
of taxpayers money, because its composition is designed to
make it fail. Historically, members of the House of Assembly
elect the Leader of the Opposition as chairperson of the
committee. We then surround the Leader of the Opposition
with a majority of the members of the governing party and
promptly starve the committee of resources to enable it to
undertake the review of the audit reports, imperfect as these
may be.
Another example may help to clarify why we cannot continue
with the arrangements we have inherited. When parliamentary
infractions occur, it is difficult to obtain a decision that is fair,
balanced and objective. Where an infraction is committed by a
parliamentarian of the ruling party, it is more likely than notthat the member will be exonerated unless the infraction is so
blatant that no other conclusion could be reached.
Alternatively, if the infraction is committed by an opposition
member, it is more likely that an adverse finding ensue. A
possible solution is to refer breaches of parliamentary
privileges to an independent tribunal of citizens appointedjointly by the government and opposition.
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To address these and other related issues my Government
intends, with the blessing of Parliament, to overhaul our
Standing Orders, consistent with our need for modernity and
drawing on best practice observed in other exemplary
parliamentary systems.
REFORM OF BUDGETARY PROCESS
Consistent with these views, my Government plans to make a
start towards modernizing the work of our parliament by
reforming the annual presentation of the Budget. Commencing
this Budgetary Cycle, the estimates of Revenue and Expenditure
will be laid in Parliament for scrutiny and debate ahead of the
presentation of the budgetary policies to underpin the
estimates. This will allow parliamentarians to review in detail
the allocation of expenditure, both recurrent and capital and to
assess the impact of the budget on the economy, various
sectors and indeed, their respective constituencies.
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Misy Pwzidan, Misy Spika,
Si s pou nou f pwogwe, si s pou nou bati asou fondasyon ssa ki vini avan nou-an kit ban nou an, si s pou nou apwsy
wichs lwitaj pyi-nou-an, s fo nou onnow twavay,
kontwibousyon pi sakwifis lzt, sitou s moun-lan ki svi
pyi-a pi nobls, kouwaj pi distenksyon. S pou wzon sala
Pwmy Minis-la ja mand mwen f an lt lf pou mt an
plas an konmit ki kay idantify pi onnow s nonm pi sfanm kspsyonnl-sala ki twavay k lam bay pyi-a, pou
asiw pi pou potj s libt-a pi s dwa-a nou jan jdi ka
pwan pou lajan kontan. I ni sa ki t f san sti an wch pou
mennen nou kot nou y jodi-a. Pyi-a dw yo wsp,
wkonsans pi li pli gwan lonn kiy p.
M s pa slman sa ki ja m ben ki ja pwan wtwt-yo ki
mwit wsp pi koutwazi. I ni sa ki ka wann pyi-a svis
toujou, ki nou fo twt pi bokou pli dignit pi wsp pas sa
nou ni labitid ba yo. I ja l pou nou doubout tout s tiw-mt,
chikann, pawl jt, enpolits, ki ka kawaktwiz sitou kiltipolitik pyi-a. Tout mov zim sala ka dtwi pyi-a, ka
anpchy avans kon I dwtt. S fo nou di yonnalt Atan.
Konsa Gouvdman ja dsid pou pwan dmach pou f sten
chanjman an manny yo kay gouvn pyi-a.
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THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
Mr. President, Mr. Speaker,
The legislative programme of my Government for this ensuing
session will, perforce, be modest.
My Government will introduce legislation to establish
Constituency Councils throughout the island as a first step to
replacing the current system of Local Government. The status
of the Castries City Council will be retained, as it embraces
several constituencies in the Castries Basin. However, as in
Castries prior to December 2006, the positions of chairpersons
of the towns of Gros Islet, Vieux Fort and Soufriere will be
elevated and the holders conferred with the status of Mayor,
inclusive of title.
The troubling issue of the licensing and accreditation of
universities, whether medical or otherwise, will also be tackled.
Successive Governments have recognized that the presence ofsuch universities can help to diversify our economy but some
semblance of order needs to be brought to the existing system
very quickly as Saint Lucias reputation has been compromised
and tarnished especially in recent times.
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Similarly, the task of rebuilding Saint Lucias image as a
preferred location for investors must commence immediately.
In this economic environment, we cannot tarry. Therefore, the
current legislation governing the National Development
Corporation will be amended to transform the NDC into the
Saint Lucia Investment Promotion Corporation.
As my Government has already promised, The Income Tax Act
will also be amended in this session, prior to the presentationof the 2012/2013 Budget, to remove all penalties and interest
on outstanding tax liabilities provided that the total principal of
the outstanding taxes are settled within a specified period. This
initiative will provide local businesses with some much needed
financial space. My Government hopes that this will allow
resources to be applied to core areas of commercial activity,thereby helping to sustain the job market.
OUR NATIONAL PRIORITIES
The initiatives that I have outlined will be pursued in parallel
with our major priorities.
My Government plans to prime the economic pump by
stimulating short term employment to the value of E.C.100
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million dollars. My Government has to take the lead at this
time while the Private Sector is given some breathing space to
recover from the debilitating conditions of recent years. My
Government hopes to work closely with the Private Sector to
bring this initiative to fruition. This investment is intended to
bring some relief to the unemployed as my Government
pursues more sustainable means of creating new permanent
employment.
The second priority of my Government is the reconstruction
and rehabilitation of the battered infrastructure of our island.
The initiatives of the former Government will be respected and
consolidated where necessary, prudent and decidedly in the
public interest. My Government will add new impetus and
urgency by attracting further assistance from friendlygovernments, streamlining the approach to the reconstruction
process and in particular, directing more targeted relief to the
people of Soufriere.
One other priority defines itself. It is the fight to save ourbanana industry from the ravages of the dreaded Black Sigatoka
disease. This is now a national epidemic. This is a fight that can
no longer be left to our farmers, acting on their own with the
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limited financial resources at their disposal. It is a responsibility
that falls to the state.
Mr. President, Mr. Speaker,
The dream that virtually all St. Lucians share, of owning land
and home, owning a piece of our beloved country, cannot be
allowed to dwindle in frustration and disappointment. My
Government makes a pledge to this nation, to our bright young
people, our aspiring professionals, our hard working farmers,
our dedicated public officers and members of the protective
services, to all citizens, that we will immediately undertake a
comprehensive review of the state of housing in this country
with a view to undertaking the most aggressive housing
development program ever witnessed here.
In this regard, my Government is particularly excited by the
possibilities for public-private sector partnerships and intends
to outline the appropriate legislative, institutional and financial
provisions to make this a reality.
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Misy Pwzidan, Misy Spika,
Piski an dzyenm ssyon Paleman kay tjenn an d ben twamwa ki ka vini pou pwzant bidj pyi-a pou 2012-2013,
Gouvdman pa kay pwopoz anchay lwa nf an ssyon sala.
M anatandan, i ka pwopoz an lwa pou tabli sa pou
limouman nou kay kwiy Contituency Councils pou wanplas
sa nou t ni-an an s vil pi s vilaj pyi-a. Pwzidan s Konsey-
la an vil Go Zil, Soufouy pi Vy F kay pt tit M (Mayoran angl) menm kon Pwzidan Konsy vil Kastwi. La kay ni osi
pli vit ki posib chanjman an lwa-a ki ka wgl NDC-a pou pmt
li fasilit envstisman an pyi-a.
Paditan s dmach sala ka pwan kou, Gouvedman-mwen nilantansyon envesti yon san milyon dla pou mt twavay an
pyi-a. Pou enplimant poj sala, I ka pwopoz twavay pi jan
biznis pyi-a pou pt an ti soulajman bay moun ki pa ka
twavay, an menm tan I ka sy touv lt mannv pou mennen
antw twavay ki pli diwab.
Dzyenm pwiowit Gouvedman an s mwa-a ki ka vini-an s
pou wkonstwi pi whabilit pyi-a apw dga-a Tomas
annkz-la. Gouvedman kay kontin adan s dmach-la dny
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Gouvdman-an t koumans-a, me I kay sy mennen antw
pli asistans hd gouvdman lt pyi, pi pt pli soulajman bay
s jan Soufouy-a.
Plant fig tout oliwon Sent Lisi ozabwa pi maladi Black
Sigatoga-a ki ka mennas lendustwi agwikl pyi-a.
Gouvdman kay mt lanmen pou amennaj lpidenmi sala.
FACING THE WORLD
Mr. President, Mr. Speaker,
It is an inescapable fact that from the perspective of small
countries like our own, Saint Lucia now faces a world situationthat has substantially worsened over the last six years or so.
The international economic climate shows few signs of active
recovery. In North America and within the European Union,
major economic powers are struggling to maintain even
minimal rates of growth and reasonable employment levels.
Every Saint Lucian knows that these difficulties have had amajor effect on our own economy. In the tourism sector,
visitor arrival levels remain less than satisfactory and the levels
of remittances from Saint Lucians abroad has tapered
dramatically.
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In addition, it is very apparent that levels of investment in our
country have not been vibrant. This has prevented us from
maintaining the rates of economic growth that once
characterized our country. My Government, therefore, intends
to redouble its efforts to enhance the visibility of Saint Lucia on
the international map. Even in this challenging period, my
Government believes that we can attract global attention and
rebuild investor confidence to rekindle economic growth. This
is vital to sustain the social and economic investment that our
country requires for the continuing enhancement of the
welfare of our people.
My Government will also redesign the operations of its Foreign
Missions so that they play a greater role in international trade
facilitation and investment promotion. Our goal will be to usethe resources at our disposal in the most efficient and effective
manner possible. These initiatives are also intended to facilitate
job creation, which will be the number one priority of my
Government.
The international political climate does not give us reason for
great optimism either. The ongoing turmoil in the Middle East
signals protracted volatility in oil prices, which has serious
implications for our domestic economy. My Government is
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hopeful that diplomatic interventions in that region will support
a smoother transition to participatory democracy and thus,
political tranquility.
My Government has noted the increasing interest in the
Caribbean being demonstrated by countries in this hemisphere.
My Government particularly welcomes the establishment of
the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, which
positions our Eastern Caribbean states alongside larger powersin Latin America, particularly those who have been showing
interest in assisting our economic development. My
Government will make efforts to reciprocate this interest to the
benefit of our country but not be at the expense of our
traditional friends and allies.
All of this provides further proof that international relations are
as fluid and dynamic as they have ever been. This is why it has
become necessary for my Government to take stock of these
issues and calmly review our countrys external relations policy
to ensure that it is synchronized with our goals and aspirationsas a small developing state. Therefore, my Government has
established a Committee to undertake a comprehensive review
of our external relations policy, with a view toward making
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recommendations to the Cabinet of Ministers on an alignment
that is more sensitive to present day realities.
As regards the Caribbean Community, it is no secret that there
is, among the people of our region, a growing sense that the
Community is comatose. The collapse of some major regional
financial institutions has not helped to relieve that sense of
pessimism about our Communitys future. Saint Lucia has, as its
first priority, the advancement of the newly created OECSEconomic Union, an initiative which my Government fully
endorses. In that context, my Government shall seek to
strengthen the cohesion of the OECS so as to permit a more
forceful collective effort to advance progress on the wider
Caribbean Community front.
RE-ENGINEERING GOVERNMENT
Mr. President, Mr. Speaker,
An immediate priority of my Government will be to improve themanner in which we do business in the public service. My
Government set the tone for this with the realignment of
portfolios in the configuration of the Cabinet. The old way of
doing things cannot work in this new, technologically-driven,
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hyper-linked, customer-focused world. So, from my
Governments very first working day, it started the process of
transforming the delivery of public services. My Government
will continue this process in this session of Parliament with the
introduction of the first set of measures designed to improve
public access to government services, thus making interaction
of Government to Citizens (G2C), Government to Business
(G2B), and Citizens to Government (C2G), considerably more
efficient and effective.
For decades, the public has had to live with the 2 p.m. closure
of revenue collection by Government agencies. Almost every
frequent user of the Public Service can tell an unflattering story
about the inconvenience they have suffered as a result of this
mid-afternoon shut down. While there may have been a veryvalid reason for this in the past, we cannot continue to justify
this cut-off point in this modern era. In an age when people can
purchase items online in virtually every corner of the globe,
twenty-four hours a day, the custom of closing revenue
collection at 2.00 p.m. defies logic and best practice.
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Therefore, in this Session of Parliament, my Government
intends to extend the hours of opening of Government
Revenue Agencies to 3.00 p.m. in the first instance. This
adjustment will be closely monitored and if it becomes
necessary, will make further adjustments in due course.
My Government also intends to make it possible for citizens
and businesses to use credit and debit cards to pay for
Government services. There will be many benefits from thisinitiative, but two immediately stand out. First of all, it will
provide greater convenience for the users of public services. No
longer will they have to walk around with cash or pre-approved
cheques to make payments for things like Drivers Licenses, or
to clear dutiable items from Customs and Excise. Secondly, it
will significantly reduce the potential for fraudulenttransactions, particularly those due to the issuance of
dishonoured cheques.
At the level of the Cabinet of Ministers, my Government will
embark on several important initiatives to improve the mannerin which the Governments highest executive authority
operates. The first of these will be the implementation of a
Ministerial Code of Conduct that will set out parameters within
which our government ministers must operate.
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Similarly, my Government will adopt a Manual of Cabinet
Procedures that will clearly define modalities for the conduct of
the business of Cabinet, the preparation of Cabinet Papers, the
need for inter-ministerial consultation, and the appointment
and use of Cabinet sub-committees. The intention here will be
two-fold: to improve the efficiency of the operations of Cabinet
and to ensure that the highest standards of governance and
personal behavior become synonymous with the work of the
executive arm of government.
My Government is anxious to expand the avenues that
government has for interacting with the citizenry. As I stated
earlier, our Constitution envisions an important role for citizens
in managing the business of government. As a first step toward
this, my Government will redesign and improve thegovernment Web Portal to make it more dynamic and, among
other things, make it possible for social media to be used for
the dissemination of official government information and for
interactions between the public and government officials. This
will start with a complete redesign of the official Saint Lucia
Government web site. My Government sees these measures asparticularly important for allowing our young people to become
more engaged in the governance of our country.
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The final measure that my Government will implement in this
short session of Parliament will be to allow for electronic
submissions by Ministries to Cabinet. This is consistent with my
e-Governments agenda and will provide further proof of the
serious commitment of my Government to modernizing the
way in which our Public Service operates.
Misy Pwzidan, Misy Spika
Pwoj dvlopman pyi-a ni d fasad: yon fasad nasyonal pi
yon fasad entnasyonal. Nou tout sav sitwasyon konomik
entnasyonal-la gwav syzman. Sa ka fy pli an pli difisil pou
ti pyi kon Sent Lisi. S pou wzon sala Gouvdman ka
ankouwaj tout pwogwam pi poj wjonal ki p fasilitdvlopman nasyonal-nou: kon Caricom, OECS, ben asosiasyon
s pyi Kawaib-la pi s pyi Amwik Latin-lan. M I ni an chay
chanjman ki ni pou ft an svis piblik pyi-a pou mt nou an
pozisyon pou pwan lavantaj s dvlopmanan ki kay pwzant
k yo, isi, osi byen kon lt pyi.
M Misy Pwzidan, Misy Spika, pyi-nou an ni an listwa
kstwadin. Nou ni anchay talan, anchay dtminasyon. Nou
paka kit twakasman mtwiz nou. Si nou tonb nou paka
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wt at tw lontan. Nou ka lv k-nou, nou ka sangl wen-
nou pi nou ka kontin. S pou s wzon sala Gouvdman-
mwen-an ni konfyans-lan ki pyi-a kay sti anba tan wd-la nou
adan-an pli f, pli dinanmik. Sl sa I fo , s pou nou tout twavay
ansanm, pi yonnalt, menm si nou ni difwans politik-nou,
pou bati an my Sent Lisi pou k-nou pi pou s jnwasyon-
an ki ka vini-an.
CONCLUSION
Mr. President, Mr. Speaker,
The road ahead of us is challenging and will require strategic
thinking, prudent use of our resources, agile maneuvering, and
a total Team Saint Lucia effort.
We are an island nation with an extraordinary history. We are a
people with unlimited talent, determination and noble
potential. We all have within us that indescribable power to
overcome, to shine and to inspire. We remain a nation with
astounding possibilities.
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For these reasons, my Government believes that we will
emerge from this period a stronger, more resilient and
successful nation. It only requires that we work together, each
with the other, irrespective of political faith and commitment,
to build a better Saint Lucia for this and future generations.
This having been said, it now gives me great pleasure to open
the First Session of the Tenth Parliament of Saint Lucia.