You may recall that in the 2009 Budget I indicated that the completion of the Country Poverty Assessment (CPA) will be a top priority for our Government in 2009. Further, I informed the Nation of Government’s intention to use the findings of the Poverty Assessment to prepare a National Poverty Reduction Strategy. Today, I am pleased to share with the Nation the preliminary key findings of the Poverty Assessment. The Country Poverty Assessment Survey was officially launched in February 2007, with the actual field work conducted between September 2007 and June 2008. The overall objective of the CPA was to assess the conditions affecting the welfare of people, and use these findings to identify policies and projects that would sustainably reduce the extent and severity of poverty and improve the overall quality of life in Grenada. The survey was conducted by the Government of Grenada in collaboration with the Caribbean Development Bank and involved an institutional analysis, a national survey of living conditions and household budget, and a participatory poverty assessment. The key findings are:  The Poverty Line is EC$ 5,842 per annum or EC$487 per month.  37.7 percent of the population is poor, as defined by the Poverty Line.  The Indigent Line is EC$2,394 per annum or approximately EC$200 per month.  2.4 percent of the population are indigent or extremely poor. Indigent refers to persons without basic food.  35.3 percent of the population has been deemed to be poor but not indigent.  The Vulnerability Line is EC$ 7,302 per annum, 1.25 times the Poverty Line.  14.6 percent of the population is vulnerable.  24.9 Percent of the population is unemployed.  The cost of the daily food basket for an adult, based on 2400 kilo calories, is EC$6.66 Our Government expects to receive the final report of the Poverty Assessment Survey in June of this year. In light of the current global economic crisis, it is quite possible that the situation has further deteriorated. Government is, however, committed to working closely with local and international development partners to ensure that adequate safety nets are put in place for the poor and vulnerable in Grenada. Indeed, this is a major consideration of the Social Protocol which is now being worked on by the Social Partners.