Good evening all:

On behalf of the Minister of Finance, the Hon. Paula Cox, JP, MP, please find attached the full remarks from tonight's For The People Banquet.

**********************************************************************

Good Evening,

Premier, Ministers, Members of Parliament, Family, ladies and gentlemen;

The power of the people.

That is why we are here this evening in this 'For The People' banquet.

The People
The Place
The Passion

Red carpet, moonlight, stars,good food, good music courtesy of the Unit and you- what more could a girl ask for. I can think of nowhere else I would rather be than right here and right now and with YOU.

We are here tonight to celebrate the power of we

You came

You saw

You conquered

AND WE now have the EEZ !!!

A by-product of collective brain power,love and democracy in action.

That is what we are here to celebrate tonight.

We no longer need to imagine the future of the EEZ

It is here

It is now

It is fabulous!

It is faith - unshakable, unchanging, unconditional faith in the future and in the people of the EEZ community.

It did not just happen.

My father always told my brothers and I that if you want anything you have to make it happen. Get off your butt and make it happen.

The EEZ is a dynamic live breathing entity and it continues to evolve and to grow.

We also now are in the process of establishing the EEZ Agency to encompass not just the first EEZ but EEZ to come in the west and eastern ends of the island.

BUT dreams don't just become reality based on a wish.

It requires that four letter word- W-O-R-K.

It also needs the efforts of the EEZ angels.

Who are these angels ?

Well-there is the Bermuda Small Business Development Corporaton- its GM- Michelle Khaldun and her powerhouse team, the BSBDC Board led by its Chair Mr. Calvin Smith, our consultant- Ms. Erica Smith, then key stakeholders and partners, the Design Roundtable, the Uptown Market Association, colleague Ministries, specifically Environment and Sports and Minister James, Minister of Tourism and Transport, Premier Brown, Ministry of Labour, Home Affairs and Housing, Minister Burch together all these players together with the input, feedback and sweat equity of you the business and property owners of the EEZ, BELCO, the Corporation of Hamilton and our banking institutions have sought to help revive in an economic, cultural and social renaissance this North Hamilton district. Truly it takes a village.

The Ministry of Finance is proud and privileged to be the lead Ministry and we will continue to do what is required to sustain the momentum.

Thank you all for what you are doing.