 Welcome to NationBeat. I am Janelle Norville bringing you this brief on the pulse of our nation and highlights around the heart of St. Gluxia. Intra Commonwealth Trade has been strengthened with the launch of a Commonwealth Standards Network, the Parliament of St. Gluxia on Wednesday paid tribute to former Member of Parliament Christopher Gregor Mason, and Aguasia Slamaguit Sparks, a city night. St. Gluxia was the host venue for the launch of a Commonwealth Standards Network established to ensure compliance in standard in key economic sectors. We get the details from Geraldine Bissette-Joseph. The launch of the Commonwealth Standards Network project CSN St. Gluxia and the Caribbean took place on the morning of 17 October 2018 at the Harbour Club St. Gluxia. The Commonwealth Standards Network aims to provide a platform for collaboration between national standards bureaus and key stakeholders throughout the Commonwealth. The objective of the network is to promote the role of standards as a tool to increase intra Commonwealth trade and to strengthen the quality infrastructure in all member countries. The Honourable Bradley Felix is the Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for commerce, industry, investment, enterprise development and consumer affairs. Today's launch of the Commonwealth Standards Network takes the functional collaboration between British Standards Institute BSI and the St. Gluxia Borough Standards to a new level. This builds upon a framework that will enable the St. Gluxia Borough Standards to continue on the path to ensure the completion of our national quality policy to oversee all aspects of our national quality infrastructure. The project will deliver three in-depth technical assistance programmes aimed at enhancing domestic standards, capacity and promoting engagement with the international standards process. In this regard, the British Standards Institute will provide one Senior Technical Quality Infrastructure Consultant to work alongside the St. Gluxia Borough Standards and colleagues for 22 months. Mr Richard Taylor is the Director of Standards Market Development at the BSI Group. Through these tailored specific programmes of work, looking at improving essentially the quality infrastructure of each of those regions, we hope that we can deliver some real tangible benefit over the next few years. And it will be a series of trainings, workshops, gap analysis studies, working with stakeholders in the local economy to, as I say, improve and increase the understanding and the value of standards and how standards can contribute to the local economy. The launch of the CSN was one of the activities held in recognition of World Standards Day by the St. Gluxia Borough Standards. Other activities included lectures at the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, a website launch and a media sensitisation workshop. For the Government Information Service, I am Jolene Beset-Joseph reporting. The National Emergency Management Organization, NIMO on Wednesday, 17 October, 2016, convened a two-day consultation on the revision of the legislation guiding disaster management in St. Gluxia. And the review is the Disaster Management Amendment Bill, Comprehensive Disaster Management Act No. 30 of 2006. The Comprehensive Disaster Management National Emergency Systems Regulations and the Comprehensive Disaster Management Early Warning Systems Regulations. Maria Mada is the Acting Deputy Director of NIMO. In 2011, there was a revision that was done, but again, that is a bit old also, and a lot of procedures have changed. So we want to look at the changes that were made in 2011 vis-à-vis that of the Act. And we would also like to know whether we keep those changes or we make changes to the change or do we keep what's in the Act. The Attorney General's Chambers is providing institutional support to the process. Villette Benjamin is a legislative drafter in the Attorney General's Chambers. We will be taking comments even after this process. So it depends on how soon we get the comments, how soon the comments are communicated to our office and how soon we're able to realise those comments into legislation. At the end of the consultation, a subcommittee will be tasked to prepare a white paper. The Parliament of St. Lucia on Wednesday paid tribute to former Member of Parliament Christopher Gregor Mason who passed away on September 29, 2018. Christopher Gregor Mason was born the 30th of October in La Fagre-sur-Zell. From an early age, he developed an interest in agriculture, which led him to later join the Research Division at the Ministry of Agriculture. Following an extended period of work in the field, he eventually entered the political arena. Mason contested the 1974 General Election as an SLP candidate for grizzly constituency and won. Former Prime Minister of St. Lucia and longtime friend of Mason, Michael Pilgrim, on Wednesday paid his respect. He was the consummate politician. He was very honest, very social. Gregor visited this constituency almost every day while he was in office. I must say he was a true representative of the people. The people of Gosele loved him and he loved them also. Gregor was better known in the constituency as Mason. There was a criminal name for Mason and some people called him 14. That was the registration number of his vehicle. So when Gregor came to the constituency, people shouted, 14 camote, masochism. Mason is described as one of the best parliamentary representatives who ever served. According to Pilgrim, he had a great love for the people of his constituency. He was a gain-elected grizzly parliamentary representative in 1979, this time also serving as parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture. This, according to his past, did not keep him from making time for his constituents. Pilgrim shared one of his fondest memories of Mason. I could recall once it was not at a formal cabinet meeting, but an informal meeting with some cabinet ministers when Gregor told the Prime Minister, Mr PM, there's only one problem I have. A lot of people in the country are saying that you are indecisive. You either take too long to make a decision or you do not make a decision at all. And the Prime Minister, Alan Lewis, replied to Gregor, Masoch, I think very much before I decided anything. Indecision is a decision. I have decided not to decide. And that was to reply to Gregor Mason. And all Gregor said reply to him, Paola Bon, Prime Minister. In the 1982 general election, he unsuccessfully contested the Schrozel seat, at which point he exited politics. He resumed interest in agriculture and enjoyed a quiet, peaceful and independent life. After a brief illness, he passed away on the 29th September 2018 at his home in La Fag, surrounded by family and friends. An official funeral service will be held on Thursday 18th October 2018. From the Government Information Service, I am General Novel. Minister for Education and Innovation, Honourable Dr. Gill Rigabet, has lauded the USAID-funded computer coding and robotic pilot program that engage force schools here in spirited robotic contests. Through the computer coding and robotics pilot program, students were able to design and use robots for computer programming. The pilot program culminated last week, where students participated in a two-day hackathon event competing for individual and team prizes. Minister for Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development, the Honourable Dr. Gill Rigabet, has announced that a computer coding and robotics program will eventually be integrated into the school's curriculum. We live in a digital world. Computer programs undergird everything. For example, business, sports, aviation, recreation, science and medicine. Our students, therefore, if they are to maximize on the opportunities available in this information age or in a knowledge economy or e-economy, must be outfitted with the skills that will enable them to do so. Acting Deputy Chief Education Officer for Instruction, Dawson Ragonan, says he is pleased that program has played a part in strengthening the ICT sector. The hackathon event was held under the theme Code for Fun Programming the Future. The Code for Fun Programming the Future is expected to showcase student knowledge and academic achievements. It is expected to build competitive school spirit through inter-school challenges, to provide incentives to schools to mainstream IT as a viable career path, also to highlight the importance of information technology as an engine for national development. Director of the U.S. Aid General Development Office, Keith Sutton, says his organization remains committed to building the resilience of the youth and believes this initiative will promote science, technology, energy and mathematics. It is important that they have those resources that they need to explore, to experiment and to innovate. And to the students, it is important that you make the most of this tremendous opportunity to become future coders, scientists and leaders in the Caribbean and beyond. Grenadier Secondary took first place in the robotics hackathon while Suffra Comprehensive Secondary School came in second. Third place went to the Bainfield Secondary and fourth place, Boca Secondary School. From the Communications Unit of the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development, I am Fennel Neptune reporting. On Wednesday, 17th October, two main events were hosted in celebration of the La Marguerite Festival. The activities in Grosile and Larisius-Denry were however preceded by a grand-science La Marguerite. In St. Lucia, the month of October is designated as Creole Heritage Month. This year, the Junique Creole Festival will be celebrated on Sunday, October 28th, 2018. Leading up to that spectacular day, the Ministry of Culture and Collaboration with the Cultural Development Foundation, CDF, the Folk Research Center FRC, and the Mayor's Office hosted a Guasseus-La Marguerite celebration on Sunday, October 13th, 2018, in the city of Castries. CDF events and production director, Ms. Renia Frederick, was very pleased with the public turnout. So tonight is the Guasseus of La Marguerite. As you can see, it's going on now. All the groups, the shut-wells are singing. Tonight is really a celebration, while we had Eastern folk band playing. And then after the seers is done, there will be a series of Calypsoians singing in Creole, in the Veda, T.C. Brown, Oshuna, Blackpool, Oshanti. And then the evening will end with Larisius Band. All of it is in celebration of Heritage Month, leading up to the 28th of October, where we will have this big celebration in Viejo, and of course a second community in Souf. Press and communication manager, Jason Holland Seed, emphasised the need for the continued collaboration between the Cultural Development Foundation, CDF, and the Castries City Council. When we conceptualise what we wanted to do, in terms of revitalising and bringing life back to the city, we thought that CDF would be a critical partner. So we have our tents available, we have some of the infrastructure facilities available, so you know what a great partnership it would create. Creole Heritage Month is a time when Saint Lucian celebrate and show appreciation for their culture, transcending age, sex, race and religion. Reporting from the Ministry of Equity, Social Justice, Empowerment, Development, Sports, Culture, and the local government, I am Chavre Marius. That's Nation Beat. Join us next time on NTN at 7.30pm with a repeat at 7.30am and on this station as we fill the pulse and heart of our community. You can also catch up with us anytime on the Saint Lucia Government Facebook page or YouTube channel. I am Janelle Norville.