to that process. A government like any other responsible institution must be able to manage the timing of its revenues and expenditures. Mr. Speaker, government revenues do not necessarily arrive at the exact time that expenditure obligations become due. Salaries must be play must be paid. Contracts must be honored. Public services must continue. Statutory bodies and public corporations must continue to perform their mandated functions. And of course, Mr. Speaker, what about the emergencies? They do not wait for the convenient arrival of government revenue. Therefore, the ability to access an approved credit facility provides the government with a mechanism to manage liquidity responsibly and to ensure continuity in the delivery of essential public services. So why does government need access to this facility? And the answer is straightforward. Mr. Speaker, government has responsibilities that cannot simply be placed on hold based on short-term fluctuations in cash flow. The government is responsible for the delivery of health care, education, agriculture, social protection and the like. And so the facility will support the work of central government, statutory bodies and public operations. Again, I'm repeating this because we need to understand. It means also, Mr. Speaker, that the benefits expend extend beyond one ministry or one program. It provides financial capacity across the machinery of government to ensure that approved programs and obligations can continue to be implemented. Mr. Speaker, the facility will support the work of ministries across the government. It will support the office of the president. It will support the office of the prime minister, cabinet office, the establishment, personnel and training department. And we all know that these institutions are central to the functioning of the state. government. A government which cannot meet its financial obligations will eventually face difficulties in the delivery of its services. Therefore, prudent access to liquidity is an important part of maintaining an effective public administration. Mr. Speaker, we all listened to the deliberations last week. The government's current agenda is transformational. It's ambitious. We are preparing a Dominica for challenges of today for strengthening our independence and securing opportunities of the future. And Mr. Speaker, development cannot be achieved by aspiration alone. It requires financial resources. Simply put, we need money. Government will have access to appropriate, legally authorized and responsibly managed financing mechanisms when those resources are required. and the resolution helps to provide that flexibility. Now, Mr. Speaker, lest anyone here listening to me or via social media or on the radio, lest anyone thinks that the government is going to receive a blank check, let me emphatically clarify this. Supporting this resolution, Mr. Speaker, does not mean that Parliament is giving government a blank check. That's the bottom line. The proposed amount is a maximum amount, not a declaration that the entire $18 million must automatically be drawn down and spent. A credit facility provides access to financing. The actual use of the facility must still be managed within the government's financial management systems, appropriation processes, expenditure controls, and applicable laws. In other words, Mr. Speaker, there are rules, there are regulations that guide the use of the credit facility. Therefore, we should not confuse authorization to access financing with an instruction to spend every available dollar. It is a fact, Mr. Speaker, Dominica is vulnerable to external shocks. We face the consequences of global economic developments. We face climate related risks. We face natural disasters. We know them too well. We have limited domestic financial markets compared with larger economies. This means that government must maintain the capacity to respond. And I imagine a home and parents with children and the father having to respond to the needs of his family. He cannot go to his children and say, "I don't know what to do." He must have a response. And this is the role of government. A credit facility can provide an important financial buffer. It can help government manage temporary mismatches between revenues and expenditures. It can help ensure that in essential payments continue to be made. And it can provide, Mr. speaker the flexibility necessary to respond to unforeseen circumstances without immediately disrupting government's programs. Mr. Speaker, financial resilience is part of national resilience. You know, and I will digress a bit to say that the word resilience I believe was coined for us for us in Dominica. Mr. Speaker, you know, if anyone didn't feel proud after Hurricane Maria when the prime minister stood before the UN to give his deliberations, it is because they didn't hear it. >> What a moment to be proud of, Mr. Speaker. And so we must continue to build resilience in the way we manage the finances of the state. Mr. Speaker, importantly, while I support the facility, I believe it is equally important that we emphasize the principle of fiscal responsibility that has been the hallmark of the Dominica Labor Party government and its steady leadership. Borrowing must always be approached with discipline. Debt must be sustainably managed. Interest cost must be monitored. Cash flows must be carefully projected. And this is a lot of talk about money and and managing money. And as you know very well, Mr. Speaker, I'm a physician. But as I said initially, I've had to learn this and understand it carefully to be able to speak about it confidently and share knowledge with the public. So supporting this resolution cannot be interpreted as supporting reckless borrowing. It is a vote for a structured, legally authorized and strategically managed approach to financing government's responsibilities. And what is the responsibility of this honorable house? Mr. Speaker, I'm going to ask a few questions and I wish that we all answer. Is the borrowing legally authorized? >> Yes. >> Is the financing necessary? >> Yes. >> Is it consistent with the government's finance financial strategy? >> Can the facility support the effective functioning of government? Can it help to protect development programs and public services? >> And most importantly, is the facility being pursued within a framework of responsible debt management? >> The answer is yes. >> We can affirm the proposed facility is supported by legislation. It is being brought before this honorable house for authorization. It is consistent with the government's approach to using a mix of financing instruments. It provides flexibility in managing government's financial obligations and it supports the continued work of central government, statutory bodies and public corporations. Mr. Speaker, I believe the proposed credit facility is necessary. It is lawful and it is strategically justified. Mr. Speaker, the people of Dominica expect the government to be responsible, to be responsive, to be forwardlooking. They expect us to protect our progress, to strengthen our independence and to secure our future. Hence, Mr. Speaker, with that said, I fully support the resolution before the honorable house. But before I see >> before I take my seat, I wish to acknowledge the constituency of Laplin and I wish to thank them for their patience. I wish to thank them for their support. Mr. Speaker, we can count our blessings from the last financial year. Mr. Speaker, approximately five brand new houses were constructed for the Laplin constituency and renovations are ongoing. I'm completing incomplete houses and this is indeed for me a great joy. I want to also recognize the fact that sports in the constituency has received some attention. Minister of of for sports also mentioned it in her address. The $1.1 million playing field facility in Dison to be commissioned and we're so grateful. We're so grateful for it. Also, we have had fencing of