 Coming to you from our GIS Studios, I am Anicia Antoine and this is your Midday News Brief. The Ministry of Tourism, Information and Broadcasting, Culture and Creative Industries, along with other stakeholders in the tourism industry, have set sights on the cruise sector. The cruise conversion project, soon to be implemented, is geared towards generating revenue from the cruise sector. Minister for Tourism, Information and Broadcasting, Culture and Creative Industries, Honourable Dominic Fede, explained that the cruise sector has recorded 1% growth year-to-date. The minister added that efforts are being channelled toward ensuring that cruise passengers disembark the cruise ships and immerse themselves in what St. Lucia has to offer. He noted that several initiatives, including the training of vendors, have been rolled out to ask to take advantage of the high volume of cruise visitors to St. Lucia's shores. The cruise conversion project is expected to come on stream by the end of November. The Department of Infrastructure, Ports and Energy, on Monday 12th August 2019, embarked on the second phase of the Traffic Flow Improvement Program. This involves the construction of a second northbound lane from Sandler's Halcyon to the shock roundabout, widening of the existing Broadway from a single to double lane and construction of retaining walls and pedestrian sidewalks. The overall aim of the project is to reduce traffic congestion and travel delays while improving road safety. Prime Minister Hon. Alan Chastney has returned from Barbados where he attended a meeting with the President of Kenya in his capacity as Chairman of the Caribbean Community, Karikom. A 10-point plan to heighten relations between the Caribbean and Africa was drafted. It was agreed among other things that efforts will be made to stage a Karikom African Union Heads of Government Summit over the next 12 months. Barbados and St. Lucia will partner in establishing an embassy in Kenya and an invitation has been sent out to all other Karikom countries to join in this venture. The University of the West Indies will be undertaking student and faculty exchanges and joint education initiatives with the University of Nairobi and Kenyatta University. The African and Caribbean governments have committed to establishing direct air travel links between Africa and the Caribbean. This has been your media news brief. Thank you for watching.