Vote resumes and debate continues. >> Yes, Senator, you may proceed. >> Mr. Speaker, permission to refer to my notes. Permission granted. >> Mr. Speaker, with the FIN protecting our progress, strengthening our independence, and securing our future, I rise to give my contribution to this fiscal year national budget. Before I begin, I would like to take a moment to give strength, hope, and faith to the family of Jubia Paul of Portsmouth. Joba, at only 16 years of age, has been missing for over two weeks now. We have heard the cries of a heartbroken mother, concerned family members, and cries from concerned community members and Dominica by extension. As the prime minister stated in a press release, we are a gossiping nation. Mr. Speaker, somebody knows something. I urge the people to speak. Let us secure Dominica's future. I also urge the minister of security to advance and do the right thing. Juba is Dominica's future. Let us start securing our future by doing by doing what it takes to bring Jabaya home. >> You may continue but um if you pointing out some matter of national interest, it's not a matter of debate. So you should be addressing the minister of national security. But anyway, proceed. Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the listening public that the budget is more than just pages of figures, nor is it some fancy talk. A budget is way more than a financial statement, but a revelation of the government's priorities and who or what they value. As a member of the parliamentary opposition, our role is not only to oppose for opposing sake, but to ask the diff the difficult questions, identify areas where improvements are needed and present constructive alternatives in the interest of the people of Dominica. So, as we go through this year's fiscal budget, I would like the people to ask themselves this one question. Will the average Dominican be better off because of these budgets? And when we ask this question, we speak about all Dominicans. The farmers, nurses, fishermen, police officers, firefighters, public servants, small business owners, the elderly, the unemployed, the people who are most vulnerable to political discrimination like the people of Ssbury that was removed under 65 and over $400 monthly. Moving on. Will their livelihoods be better? This is one of the questions that matters. I withdraw. >> No, no, no, not withdraw. Um, remember you as you you asked to refer to your [laughter] notes. Refer to notes, not just read the entire passage. So, with all due respect, >> yeah. No, no, >> I was not the only one reading my notes. >> No, no. I I can clearly see he's read the read reading >> as anybody. >> So you have to develop a style that would not make the speaker be able to even identify you actually reading a passage. So continue but I just cautioning because I I have admonished the entire house about that since last year. So so continue but that my final guidance on the matter you understand. So you already prepare. So today I going to make this I'll I'll allow it >> just as an exception but I've already spoken about that I'm being stern on that matter. So continue because I know you maybe do so much work preparing yourself. So continue I shall proceed in this year's theme. The key word is our our progress, our independence, our future. Our means the entire Dominican public. Mr. Speaker, too often the budget is celebrated, approved, accepted because it contains impressive headline figures or ambitious projects announcements. Year after year, we have heard this great folklore from the honorable minister of finance. As I listened to the budget address on Tuesday, it rem it reminded me of the childhood the children's bedroom bedtime classic Good Afternoon Moon. And based on the response from the clappers, I could tell I was not the only one. Mr. Speaker, the parliament was asleep. Even my dear honorable prime minister had to take a coffee break. On that note, I would like to applaud my colleague, the opposition leader, on her tremendous presentation. The the parliament was wide awake. No one need coffee break. Mr. Speaker, this year's fiscal budget address can be defined as a story filled with comforting words and familiar scenes. Just as the bedtime story, Goodn Night Mona, the budget painted an idyllic picture, but one that Dominicans simply do not see as their daily reality. And the question arises again, will the average Dominican public be better off because of this budget? Mr. Speaker, we have all heard of Baroni. Like Baroni, the art of storytelling was mastered. Every year, the budget is wrapped in attractive promises. But a well-ld stories does not fix roads, does not increase the country's revenue. It does not make the average Dominican life better. A well-ld story does not protect our progress. It does not strengthen our independence, nor does it secure our future. Our people no longer need another story told. Our people need results. Our people deserve transparency, not another focal story. I heard the honorable minister for energy during his presentation mention in and I quote, "Mr. Speaker, good news is that we survive. Can you imagine that? Good news is that we survive. The people do not want to only survive. They want to leave. And the people of Dominica deserve to live. And to leave, we must create proper revenue for the people of Dominica. Let's take a step back to the report card from the opposition leader to the various ministers where she rated them from excellent to poor and I am proud to see that the minister for agriculture got an A+. This shows tremendous improvements in his ministry over the years. I would like to applaud him for his dedication to the agricultural sector. Mr. Prime Minister, when you shuffled your cabinet at the last election, you did a tremendous job in selecting honorable Roy as the minister of agriculture. But success does not does not stop at the first A+. If we value the lives of our Dominican people, we will continue working on the industries who bring the revenue for the Dominican people. Ensuring the Dominican public benefit significantly, let us work with Honorable Roy. let us allocate greater finances to his ministry. There is still a lot of work to be done in the agricultural sector and it will be it will not be right Mr. Speaker if I speak of agriculture and not of the hardworking farmers of the Sbury constituency. Mr. Speaker, I would like to applaud the farmers of the Ssbury constituency who continuously work hard regardless of the struggles when it comes to the access to their to their farmers. You guys have fought for proper access roads and even with the lack of response you have never given up. You remain dedicated true definition of independence and with that I believe when the film for this budget was being crafted the people of Ssbury was in mind securing our independence. So let's give them their proper firm access routes. As the minister of tourism mentioned, agriculture and tourism go hand in hand. These are the key industries that I expected to bring great revenue to Dominica's economy. But when the report card grids were being read, it penned me to hear the Minister of Tourism receive a heartbreaking F. Year after year, we have seen a complete neglect of the tourism industry and monies allocated. But as an opposition who does not oppose for opposing sick, we are here to help. In the honorable minister of a tourism presentation, she [clears throat] asked that we join and help. So today I am going to join and help. >> Amen. Because based on principle, honorable Paul Victor's reports, help is needed indeed. Let us start by erasing the storytelling approach. Let us leave bear and Nancy for storytelling during story time at kindergarten. Let us give praise where praise is due and stop make the tourism industry just another political campaign. So let so to the organizers of poker run bike fest breakfast fest the buoya artistis the content creators the hotelers I stand today and say thank you. You are the reason for the increase in visitors on Ireland. You saw the vision and make it happen. You joined and helped. The failure to start projects, complete them, or spend the money allocated to the tourism ministry does not contribute to the success of the tourism industry in Dominica. Mr. Speaker, as the saying goes, tourism is everybody's business, but not the business for everybody. This saying proves itself year after year during the national budget and the supplementary appropriation. But we are not here to criticize. We are here to help. Mr. Speaker, I recall my first budget address. I mentioned Sbury Bridge referring it to referring to referring to it as the best on the west. And with its quickly rising exposure, we are seeing this becoming the reality to a lot of Dominicans along with a few yachtis and foreigners. I heard the honorable minister mention during his presentation the comparism to the mero beach and the Ssbury beach. Mr. Speaker, some things we simply do not compare. Popularity does not mean best. >> True. >> Salsbury is indeed one one of the most vibrant communities in Dominica, especially in agriculture and we are slowly rising in tourism. Mr. Speaker, as I come to the end of my short presentation, I would like to mention the current rise in gun violence and that the increase of 400% to the license fee for guns should be reconsidered. We as a government should find ways to decrease gun violence and limit the amount of illegal firearms on our street. Our tourism industry is rising. We cannot afford for the crime rate to continue rising regardless of how our tourism industry is rising. It's rising and the increase of gun violence is not what we need right now. Let us protect our people. Let us ensure that the average Dominican public will be better off because of this budget. A budget is much more than a story to tell. It is where promises meet reality. >> [clears throat] >> Senator, your mic. Yes, you are recognized. Senator Henderson, you may proceed. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. >> Permission to refer to my notes, Mr. Speaker. Permission granted. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise to give my contribution to the 2026 2027 national budget which was presented in this honorable house on Tuesday of this week. A budget presented under the theme protecting our progress, strengthening our independence, securing our future. If one was to decipher this, we would interpret that the budget presentation would focus on building long-term resilience, stability, sustainability, economic self-reliance, food security, and climate resilience and safeguarding social, economic, and environmental gains against setbacks like climate shocks and economic instability. Mr. Speaker, we must consider the economic reality facing Dominicans today. The practical objective conditions of financial and commercial life such as our inflation, debt, the cost of living and the cost of doing business here. The economic reality facing the citizens of this country is that we are tugging between agriculture and tourism. But the truth of the matter is we are heavily reliant of the citizen by investment program. The cost fiscal narrative that the Minister for Finance presented in the budget address did not connect raw numbers to public goals, shaping how our people understand the country's economic health, debt, and the need for investment. Before we get into the meat of things, Mr. Speaker, I would like to use this opportunity and join Senator Victor to offer strength to the mother and other family members of Jabayapore, a beautiful 16year-old from the community of Portsmouth who has been missing since 24th of July. Jabaya, if you are listening, please return home. Your family is worried. To the community, if you've seen something, please say something. Share whatever information that you may have gathered with the police. Your intervention can save a life and bring a family some comfort. Diving right in, Mr. Speaker, let's take at a look at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy, a ministry dear to my heart. If you know me, you will know that I'm a farm girl. Farm life, the best life. Mr. Mr. Speaker, based on the budget addressed last Tuesday on Tuesday Guan, I acknowledge and I am pleased that the government will take an additional step to protect farmers by procuring crop insurance at no cost to the farmers valued at $1.5 million valued at $1.5 million. Interestingly, I was having a crop insurance protection conversation some weeks ago with someone who works at the insurance agency who was recommended that farmers should get insurance, especially those who have the planting and the fig. I like to lean once the hurricane once they hear hurricane leaning before the hurricane blow. And to hear this was a bit comforting because this is a very important aspect for farmers now in this time to help with protecting your financial gain from natural disasters. As we know, Mr. Speaker, I do as we know, Mr. Speaker, I do enter to the into the feelings of farmers and I hope that this insurance will be presented in an inclusive manner through the proper channels to benefit all farmers all over the country. It is my fervent hope that it will not ad be administered in the way the manual was allegedly distributed some weeks ago by parabs and caretakers. I over there you know what I'm talking about to their supporters in the constituency instead of through the division of agriculture which we have known it by my years growing um working in agriculture that's how we distribute manual right all right through the division of agriculture through the extension officers Mr. Speaker Senator Paris attempted to speak of our critical feeder roads the minister informed him that he knows so Mr. Minister, we are pleased that you know this and it's at the forefront of your brain that our feeder road rehab your feeder road rehabilitation program is very important to the people of the Marble constituency. We are paying attention to the progress on the Captain Bruce road and we look forward to rehabilitation works on the Cayenne book to Sunley road among other critical feeder roads in our community. Mr. Mr. Speaker, in the Minister for Finance address, he informed us that the abattoire for poultry and pork while a national feed mill will soon be completed. The members of the farming community is elated by such news and that includes me. This is amazing. A national feed mill is a very important addition to the agriculture industry because the feed expensive to maintain those chicken. Mm- it's expensive. However, Mr. speaker. The farmers who will benefit directly from this feed mill have no knowledge of this. I've never heard of this before Tuesday. Then I went to inquire from a poultry farmer that I know very well and miss and and the Henderson poultry, Mr. and Mrs. Henderson. Good afternoon. I went to inquire from them and they don't know what I'm talking about. So why would news about such a great investment that is almost completed be kept a secret? This is a very important investment. farmers will enjoy this. So why don't we know about this? Why didn't we know the information about this? Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, I also reviewed the budget estimates. It's my bad. And I must have missed something because this was not included in the budget estimates. Just in the budget address, not in the estimate. Mr. Mr. Speaker, I also heard the minister, honorable Roy spoke in this honorable house about the abot up and running. Now I'm missing plenty of things. I don't know where are you living because I inquired in June when I was buying my birds. I inquired in June while I was buying my birds and I further inquired in July about the same abattoire and I was told that nothing is ready yet. I was also told to purchase my birds, raise them and find markets for them. So I I must have missed out something because I missed something >> and all the farmer you hear Mr. Okay. So Mr. Mr. Speaker, I they're trying to convince me I I'm not I missed something because Mr. Mr. Speaker, all poultry is one of the biggest poultry on the island. So those are the things that we're on top of that and I inquired and nobody could help me with this avatar. So I was asked, Miss Henderson, buy your birds, raise them, find market for them. So Mr. Speaker, I'm using my marketing skills to find market for my birds. So Mr. Minister as the young people would say the math you know not math miss it is not ming you know what I mean Mr. Speaker it would be remiss of me to stand in this parliament and not touch on the wave over topping issue affecting everyone traveling the route by the Melvin Hall the Douglas Charles airport I stand correct myself especially the farmers the way topping issue Mr. speaker is destroying vehicles underneath the vehicle. Mr. Speaker, I took my father van literally falling. It's falling. The thing is going to fall, right? And is an additional expense to repair and maintain these vehicles. Mr. Speaker, I going to buy a donkey cuz I cannot. WHILE THE WEB OVER topping issue at the Mel at the Mel Hall seaw wall seems to it seems to be like a debilitating issue, Mr. weaker, but it really isn't. You know, the system used at the Margo Fisheries complex employing the sea defense technology using the Tetropod system has worked for many years and CR5, the contractor for the international airport is currently employing the same technology at the end of the runway as a sea defense mechanism. So, Mr. Speaker, we're all friends and we're all for development. So maybe CR5 we ask them they may be willing to assist us with construction of and installation of some tetropods. This will really help the help it will help it help all of us all of us passing over there. Maybe some of us more often than others but we passing over there. I really think this issue should be at the forefront of the government's project for this fiscal year because it is a real issue. Mr. Speaker, like a proud mama bear, I wish to recognize and congratulate the one and only Addison James of Marot. I affectionately refer to him as King James. Another gold at the games in April this year, as well as another goal in pen. He is now the fifth athlete in history to win the HSB javelin throw. Let's give him a round of applause tonight. >> Gola running tonight. Gola Jamaica national senior age group champs in June cup for the man goal at 2026 NCAC under 18 under 23 championship held in July 2026. Both Addison and I, we learned at the same time on Tuesday that he will become sports brand ambassador and we will receive a stipen from the government of Dominica to assist him as he continues to win gold and make this community and country very very proud. This recognition is well earned and welld deserved and long overdue. I wish Addison all the best as he participates in the World Athletics Under 20 Championship in Oregon later today. As Par just said, recognition and congratulation must be extended to Gordisha Joseph and Adari Samuel, outstanding sports women of the community of Maragot. These young women have exceptional have exceptionally represented Dominica on the regional level. Mr. Speaker as I'm on sports much focus needs to be placed on the sporting area like your park senator Paris mentioned it earlier we need to improve the sporting facilities in the area as sports is an integral part of Maragot Maragot have sports people we produce very good sports men and women at this time the athletes they have to travel to London there in a Saturday morning to do their training if we have liop park up and running this can be done there and it will save the parents having to get these children to London Derry sometime, go with them, go back to pick them up. It's a bit of a challenge because it's out of the community where a child would walk to get to a a sporting facility. Mr. Speaker, let me briefly touch on the Maragot Hospital. The Maragot Hospital remains a hot topic discussion in the community of Maragot. The Maragot Hospital is underutilized, Mr. Speaker. And if we get this hospital fully functioning, Mr. Speaker, they can reduce traffic to the main hospital. I don't want to speak about my personal experience the past weeks, but it has been very difficult to have to come to Roso at the hospital for something I think could be taken care of in the Maragot community. Getting this facility up and running provides better health care for the people of the northeast, not just Maragot. And it can also help. We can maybe even decentralize outpatient surgeries from the China Friendship Hospital to Margot Hospital. No quick surgeries to in and out. This can help. We can utilize our Maragot Hospital to full potential and this will help the traffic at the Dominica China Friendship Hospital. Mr. Speaker, the hospital is close to the airport. It's close to Douglas Charles and it's close to the new upcoming international airport. I think we need to keep this in mind and help this is one of the things that we supposed to have as we work with the airport. We supposed to have this moving same speed because we want to ensure we have a healthc care system that works and makes traveling good for everyone. Mr. Speaker, we welcome the 10% income tax relief for those who fall in the tax threshold. This relief will benefit them. But what about the Dominicans who do not fall in this tax threshold? Many Dominicans do not fall in the threshold. You know, they do not make the money that's taxed. They do not make $2,500 and up. And they are asking what really government has in place for them. They were listening keenly on Tuesday and they kept messaging what's for what's in it for us? What's in it for us? Finally, Mr. Speaker, we all love the NEP workers. We love them. They doing very well cleaning the streets. We need to take them over to the area sultan. But that's not the only NEP workers. We have some NEP workers who are in businesses, Mr. Speaker, with the new tax relief. I want to encourage those businesses who have NEP staff to absorb them onto your payroll. Absorb the staff onto your payroll because they have some people have been working NEP in private sector companies for years. So we encourage them to absorb the NEP workers on your payroll so that they can be fully staffed and they will be able to have better lives and be able to do more for themselves. On this note, Mr. Speaker, I end my contribution to the 2026 2027 national budget. Mr. Speaker, I stand to conclude on the debate of the 2026 2027 budget. A lot has been said, but the the main the main issue well the main thing about this budget is really keeping more money in the hands of the Dominican people so that they could have more disposable income which they can use for many development projects within their own family, their communities um as well as lowering the cost of living. So it's basically two things that we're doing, Mr. Speaker. We're making sure that there's more disposable income on one hand and on the other hand, we're making sure that the cost of living is much lower. How do we do this? Because we've adjusted the income tax and we must appreciate the fact that this is just this is [snorts] not something that was sort of last week or last month. It's something the prime minister has been talking about and it's something that the Labor Party has been addressing for more than a decade. It was the very same Labor Party who came from 20 to 38 to 40% to come to 15 25 and 35 and um it was the very same Labor party who also brought up this threshold from 12,000 to 15 and up to 30,000 in terms of the threshold. So, and now we've come with this new rate of a flat 10% such that there will be more money in the hands of people and what that leads to is more economic activity. So, we we have to appreciate the fact that it's not just a matter of a tax a measure. It's really a measure that will afford more money in the hands of the people. So, we must never forget this. Secondly, Mr. Speaker, if the people have more money in their hands and we want them to spend it in a wise manner, obviously the prices of goods must be brought down as well. So what have we done in terms of removing compounding such that the price will be much lower for the importers and the business places and it will be reflected in the prices on the shelves so that the cost of living comes down. But Mr. Mr. Speaker, these are just two things in the budget because a lot has been said and um in detail by all the other contributors, but apart from that, so when someone talks about and the thing about this, Mr. Speaker, is people hear sometimes but they're not listening. So, Senator Henderson just mentioned about having the people in the NEP onto the permanent stuff. But if somebody really listened to the budget, they would have recognized that we just put something in place that if you're having permanent people from NEP to permanent, then you have a deduction that totally well maybe well she heard it but she didn't listen properly. But that's the other thing about it that there are so many other measures besides what I mentioned such that if you can get when you're filing your tax returns you can do the deductions if you have employed NEP into your permanent staff when you're filing your tax returns if your housing and your repairs are for rent you can get deductions there and there are so many other areas if you have a resilience and vulnerability fund associated with your business deductibles are there as well so there are many other things that the business places and when they're filing they can get deductions and um to make it much easier for them which means more money in their pockets um so that's more dispos more disposable income let alone all those different things Mr. Speaker you have to recognize when the government sell lands for $5 a square foot lands that would be 10 and $12 a square foot we're making it much easier and much cheaper for people to own land and for them to build their houses etc alone all of these things Mr. Speaker, when we put the money at the eight bank, this is these are the opportunities that this government is providing to the people and the businesses of this country, the MSMES. So, you have $19 million at much lower rates, 3.5% as opposed to the six and the seven and the 8% in the commercial banks and at the NBD. Now, they now have a small business unit. I would wish that the small business owners can take advantage of this because there's also the partial credit partial credit guarantee from the within the Eastern Caribbean currency union where they can actually guarantee up to 75 to 80% of your loan for small business. Yes, that is a partial credit guarantee that is provided. So, we are asking the public, the citizens, the small business people to make use of those facilities available. You heard the different incentives in terms of persons want to get into the business of garbage collection in terms of import duty and excess excise tax which will be way for them just to make it for business to come into it. But Mr. Speaker besides all these different financial implications and benefits for the people in terms of more money in their pocket and a lower cost of living there's also the human aspect of this budget as well. So when you talk about the national disability um committee the unit Mr. Speaker that's a special unit you can see the human aspect of this budget you can see the loving caring nature of this government that that no one is left out and that even the disabled persons can have an opportunity to be part of the whole national development agenda. Mr. speaker when you talk about the Domica creative economy development agency these are the other areas we want to pull into into um the whole economic activity related to the country and in terms of the diversication I mentioned about online gaming Mr. speak obviously getting the legislative framework into place. So there are so many different things in this budget that is providing the opportunities and it is left to the Dominican people to grab these opportunities. We talk about the international airport. Granted, we all say it's not steel and it's got concrete and all of that. That's understandable. But we have to look beyond that and see all the different sectors that will be affected by international airport. whether it's transportation, the taxis, the restaurants, the the cultural groups that will be playing at all these different hotels for the tourists who come to our shores. It's just so many different things also with all the Airbnb and all the different um the tour guides. It's it's the vendors. So the point here is the country must position itself, the citizens of the country must position itself to take advantage of all these opportunities that will be coming. The tourists will be coming in the hundreds and thousands. They'll need places to eat. They'll need places to visit. They'll need all the services related to their being in Dominica would have to be augmented. And these are the opportunities available for all the people for all the citizens of this country. All of these provide the different jobs and um so it really it's when we have the theme of protecting and also in our independence and in terms of securing our future that is precisely what the budget all the different measures in the budget are doing. So whether it's the homes we've built and the health infrastructure, the schools, the roads, obviously we have to protect all of this. And then in terms of agriculture, all the different inputs and all the different programs we've had, but obviously we go one step further and then we add insurance to it. It's actually just building on what that's the continuity of this budget, Mr. Speaker. So it's building on what we've done before in terms of the tourism. Yes, we've done make some tremendous strides in tourism. Our numbers are up. So that is why in this budget we were focusing a lot on improving the tourism product and um in terms of the marketing. So that's just to augment and to complement what has been going on before. So obviously you can see the amount of seats you heard this morning in terms of St. Thomas to Dominica and in terms of contour airlines. So the more people who can come the much better for us but that that is just different and all the accolades you heard of already. But this is just the basic progress that we're making that we are adding onto it by putting more finance into marketing and putting more financing to the product. Whether it's the marina, whether it's the cable car, all these different things. These are the tourism products that we are developing. So it's it's a it's a budget is a progress. It's a national development in progress in continuity. Our independent, Mr. Speaker, energy is an excellent example of our independence. I mean this is really remarkable for small island developing states and we must be honest with ourselves. So all this is part of the oil independence and so that they can increase our foreign exchange our domic and enterprise and food security our avatar and all the different things that we're going on whether is the poultry sector and the pork etc. That's for our food security our nutrition security and um the budget addresses all those things the multi-purpose agro processing unit all that is in terms of our food security and our independence. So all that is being addressed opportunities obviously jobs from all of this economic activity and um we continue to protect our vulnerable um because it's important to note Mr. Speaker all of this not for once that we've actually cut down any of our social welfare programs and that is very very important. So all these will continue in spite of all these new measures that we've mentioned the digital aspect Mr. Speaker, it's not just the digital transformation just for the digital transformation. It's much more than that. It is sells our health management information system. We were to digitalize granted the better outcomes for the patient but at the same time even from the financial aspect of it and the billing process and how it's done at the hospital all that will be affected whether it's the CB registry whether it's at the hospital but that's the entire bigger picture. It's more than just you can get a license online. It it goes much further than that. it will make it easier even terms of our revenue collection. So that is where the digital aspect comes in and that's the whole the financial benefit of our digital aspect as well. And Mr. Speaker, we can go on and on and on but um in a nutshell this is really a budget um that and as you can see from the reports most of the Dominican people really are very pleased with this budget. They have all realized there's something for all of them in this budget. um not just the simple 10% tax that we have now flat rate but um there are so many other things that they can be part of in this budget and my colleagues on both sides of the house actually have mentioned all of this so I'm very pleased that this has gone well uh Mr. speak. I wouldn't be much longer, but before I close, I would just want to say a special good afternoon and I want to just express my deepest thanks to the constituents of the Rosa Valley. They've been very good to me, very trustworthy people, very patient people and they appreciate all the different work that has been going on in the constituency and they fully recognize that um perfection must not necessarily be the enemy of progress. So it's sometimes step by step and um as Labor Party says all shall eat and Mr. Speaker this is a budget that all shall eat at the same time because when the prices go down on the shelves all of us eating at the same time when the that's the compounding part and when we have the tax reforms all of us are benefiting at the same time. So this is one time that the nominal Labor Party has actually made it possible for all to eat at the same time. Um but coming back to my constituency, yes, Mr. Speaker, there are quite a few things we have done in Trfalga. Yes, we had our new basketball facility which the people are very happy about and um our housing apartments as well as the new MMC housings. They're getting closer to completion. The people are very anxious and waiting for that. So, we're happy about that. In what way the castle road we started back on it, so we should be completing that very well very soon. in Cockran. Well, we just did a complete new road actually in excess of a quarter million dollars to go all the way to the playing field and the new housing scheme and then next we have to do the lighting of the playing field. Honorable Oscar George has promised us that yes, the value will be up for lighting next that is both the Trfalga football field and the Coran football field in Oscar. You might be under some pressure but that's okay. And then in Luda obviously our we had to get the permission so that we could grade the plane field in Luda to bring it up to standard and um we're going to the equipment person have confirmed that by September that will start off. So I'm we're pretty happy about that. Um interesting development Mr. speaker in Mont Prosper actually brought electricity up to the extreme end of Mont Prospect that's in Savanbul and all the residents of Savanbul are very pleased as a matter of fact one of the better restaurants new restaurants around that is the Malibu in the heights of Mont Prospect and those who haven't been there I think it's an excellent place to go and enjoy and have an evening that's in the Malibu in the heights of Mont Prospect really scenic and really nice and um it's something that we should patronize but all that's because electricity was brought to that region. Um and Mr. Speaker, lots of other things going on, but in a nutshell, um we're pleased, we're satisfied, and that's why we've been seeking the Labor Party in the Rosa Valley. So, with these few words, I'm really happy that both sides could agree on the budget. Both sides recognize this is a budget for the future. Both sides recognize everyone will benefit from this budget. This is the ideal time and the perfect time that all shall eat at the same time. I thank you, Mr. SPEAKER. This concludes the debate. The estimate shall now be referred to the committee supply of the whole house to be considered item by item or the different heads. I have to report that the estimate have passed through the committee of supply of the whole house without amendment. The question is that the estimate for a sum of 1 billion119, million25,495 one billion sorry 1 billion19,225,495 from part of the estimate to be approved. D. Those in favor, >> those against, the eyes have it. Mr. Speaker, I move that the bill shortly entitled 2026 2027 Appropriation Act 2026 be read the first time and passed. >> 2026 2027 Appropriation Act 2026. They have not been the first time. >> That should be second though. >> Yes. That's the first time. So, let's go now. >> Okay. Mr. Speaker, I move the second reading of the bill shortly entitled 2026 2027 appropriation act 2026. >> Seconded, Mr. Speaker, >> Mr. Jibs, >> it has been moved and seconded that the bill shortly entitled 2026 2027 Appropriation Act 2026 be read a second time. Those in favor, those against, the eyes have it. >> 2026 2027 Appropriation Act 2026. The bill will now stand committed to a committee of the whole house be considered clause by clause. The question is that Yes. So we go for it now. The question is that that I do report the bill to the house. The question is that the schedule Okay. Yeah. Sorry. The question is that I do report the bill to the house resume and I have to report that the bill shortly entitled 2026 2027 appropriation act 2026 pass through the committee stage without any amendment. The question is that I do report to the report the committee to the bill to be adopted by the house. Those in favor? Those against? The eyes have it. Mr. Speaker, I move that the bill shortly entitled 2026 2027 appropriation act 2026 be read a third time and passed. >> Seconded, Mr. Speaker. It has been moved and seconded that a bill shortly entitled 2026 2027 appropriation act 2026 be read a third time and passed. Those in favor >> those against the eyes have it. Not yet. Not yet. Not yet. 2026 2027 Appropriation Act 2026. >> The bill has been read a third time and passed accordingly. Mr. Mr. Speaker, I move that this honorable house be adjourned to Monday at 10 a.m. >> Okay. Second. It has been moved and seconded that the house be adjourned until Monday 10th August at 10:00 a.m. Those in favor? >> Those against? The eyes have it. House stand adjuned until Monday 10th August at 10:00 a.m. >> Mr. Let's pick up.