May it please, The Hon. Speaker:
The Grace, peace of Our Lord Jesus Christ, love of God, fellowship of HS, be with us all.
I am grateful to the Divine essence, the Great I AM, for the privilege to serve our Bahamian people, and to present the 2020/21 Budget for the Ministry of Education – A budget that sets a blueprint for prosperity, industry, discipline and success for many years to come.
This contribution today enfleshes the magnificent work of our excellent team at the MOE, under the dynamic and indefatigable leadership of Mrs. Lorraine Armbrister, PS, and Her Team in the Ministry, and Mr. Marcellus Taylor, Director, and His Team. I am because of them, and to them, I owe every success that we have achieved.
I am forever grateful the good people of the South Beach Constituency for their matchless encouragement, inspiration and support.
Mr. Speaker, I beg your indulgence to publicly thank some people who are near and dear to me for their continued support as I serve the Bahamian people. One such individual is my wife, Mrs. Michelle Mitchell-Lloyd, whose patience is beyond measure as my duties extend from the sunrise and well after sunset. It calls for great sacrifices, but she encourages daily to live in service for our nation. To My daughters: Sanjay, Shakti, Shiva, Kendra and Aisha, and our grandchildren for their powerful source of light and love.
I again thank the good people of South who continue to open their homes and their hearts as I walk through their neighbourhoods listening to their concerns and suggestions. I do not take them for granted hence I make great attempts to balance my ministerial duties with that of being an attentive representative, and the Constituency Team led by Ms. Shirley Farrington and her executive Members.
From the beginning of my tenure as MP for SB, I made it my business to be as available as possible. That’s is why every Thursday, when Im in town, Im in the Office, until the last person leaves, assisting, encouraging them, teaching them to be their own fishers of men. Giving them a fish, without also teaching them to fish, is demeaning. If the gospel ethic is to be ever believed, much less, lived, it is the truth of empowerment through God’s Holy Spirit. The last promise Jesus made to His disciples in Acts Chapter 1:8 was “ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.’
Promptly Peter and the Other Apostles manifested God’s resident power through the many miracles they performed in His name. The promise of that power within us is revealed throughout the New Testament. Whether in the first chapters of Colossians, Peter, Philippians or Ephesians, His word impels us into a transfigured future like the first Chapter of Ephesians which states:
“ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love, he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will, to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.”
It is unbiblical to make someone dependent. Its an insult to their innate divinity and divine grace. Every month, there is a Constituency meeting, to which all are invited. Come, share your ideas, and hear whats going on. Every three months, there is a Town meeting – discussing topics of relevance and importance in their lives – whether its about scholarship, about Hurricane preparedness, and so on.
One of the things, we noticed in SB, was the huge number of derelict and abandoned vehicles throughout the community. Since 2017, over 317 such vehicles have been removed. Two major clean-up exercises have been conducted.
Again, this concept about teaching one how to fish. There are afternoon classes, Summer Camps, Mothers Day, Fathers Day and Christmas celebrations. In 2018,
It is on the authority of the magnificent electors of South Beach, who graciously endowed me on May 10 past with the privilege of being their Member of Parliament. I have experienced a charity, welcome, hospitality and gracious regard that exceeds my greatest deserving.
I am here today because of the trust and confidence of the electors of South Beach who Im privileged to serve, and have done so to the best of my ability.
They deserve every attention Mr. Speaker.
In the past months, the effects of Dorian and the pandemic have exposed the vulnerabilities of the residents in SB. Accordingly, out Team sprang into action by imposed
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