The last few months have been a rough road. Hurricane Melissa hit us hard, and global conflicts pushed up our light bills and food prices. Our families and businesses have faced heavy pressure. Yet, we are still standing, still investing, and still working. Despite the storms, our financial foundation remains solid. Unemployment is at a record low. We have 6.5 billion US dollars in international savings. Think of these savings as our shield; they keep our currency steady and protect us from global crises. Because the world trusts how we run the country, we secured 6 billion US dollars in rebuilding funds right after the storm. We have a deep reserve of real credibility on the world stage. That credibility brought fast help to your doorstep. Weeks after the hurricane, the government wrote a 150 million US dollar check to JPS to get the lights back on. In the past, we could never do that. At the same time, we are making major strides in public safety. Over the last four years, murders are down by 67%, bringing the total number under 700. Years ago, very few people believed this was possible. Our economy is secure, our farms are recovering, and Jamaica is moving ahead.(Andrew Holness)