 Welcome to Nation Beat. I am General Norville bringing you this brief on the parts of our nation and highlights around the heart of St. Lucia. Another successful start to the act as dozens of vessels participate in the annual fertility. St. Lucia's agriculture sector is benefiting from a new project agreement and plans unfold for a year-long celebration of St. Lucia's independence anniversary. More than 40 vessels participated in the 2018 flotilla held Sunday November 25 to coincide with the start of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers from Las Palmas, Spain. The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, the arc continues to be an economic driver for St. Lucia. Every year between November and December, St. Lucia prepares to receive and host some 1500 arc participants from over 40 countries across the globe. A most exciting feature of the arc is the historic flotilla staged locally to coincide in real-time with the sale-off of the arc fleet from Las Palmas in Gran Canaria. Minister for Tourism Honourable Dominic Fede speaking to the events described the arc as a major economic driver. I think we have about 1500 crew members that are coming, several hundred boats that are signed up to be here, and of course we have a long line of events that are part of the entertainment and the reception for the arc people. This is happening at a time when the yachting numbers are showing some very good signs, great increases. We have about a 45% increase in our our arrivals in the yachting sector, so very buoyant performance in the sector, which shows there are about 23,000 arrivals year to date, September, and I think that this is very encouraging. The arc in its 29th year, according to Minister Fede, has seen tremendous growth over the years. The World Cruising Club committed for another five years to bring the arc to St. Lucia. Once here, arc participants, some of whom are returning participants, immerse themselves in all things St. Lucia. The Tourism Minister said there are many community-based events to savour on island. Well, every year it's a work in progress and we try to reinvent ourselves every year to make sure that we give people that are coming to the destination more diversity in activities. For example, in the last two years, we have done the Ancelere Thursdays and they have been a resounding success. In fact, people are saying that those two days are the best events that they've had in terms of the activities, just going into a fishing village in a rural community have been a very big hit and not just for the artisans, but it really speaks to our own efforts to make it more inclusive and to get as many communities involved as possible. A new route choice for the arc enables boats to make the most of the north-east trade winds sailing via the popular Cape Verde Islands to St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Responding to what may be perceived as an added competition, Minister Fede indicated that St. Lucia must maintain its competitive edge. I think that we have to keep focusing. Tourism is an increasingly competitive business and what we've got to do is to make sure that we do the things well. All of us, whether we are in the press, whether we are working in a hotel or working in the marina, we've got to make sure that we have this patriotism and we give this national importance to our tourism product. I believe that St. Lucia is a tremendous destination. We have an announcement that we will make on Sunday which will intrigue you and it will show you what they travel community in the world thinks about St. Lucia. Some 40 boats participated in the 2018 flotilla. For the main arc event, it is anticipated that the first few boats will arrive here within 10 days of the departure from Las Palmas, which was Sunday 25th November. All participants are expected to arrive here between the 13 and 18 of December and stay well into January 2019. From the Government Information Service, Lisa Joseph reporting. The technical arm of the United Nations has extended its expertise to the Government of St. Lucia as it embarks on an overhaul of physical planning development. To this end, the United Nations Office for Project Services, UNOPS, is assisting the Government in three major projects. Prime Minister, the Honourable Alan Shasne has revealed that UNOPS is guiding the transformation of the Development Control Agency DCA into a statutory body. So it means the Ministry of Planning will be responsible for policy and the DCA would be the regulatory agency. This is something that had been envisioned a long time ago, but they're now helping us to put the structure in place and to make that transition happen. And it's expected that that's going to take place if I'm not mistaken Nancy within the next six months, that that's going to take place. They're also working on a project to develop a unit called NIPP. NIPP's responsibility is to do a full inventory of all of Government's assets, bridges, roads, buildings, everything, and then assist us in putting together a master plan for the growth of the country. UNOPS is also working on the redevelopment plan for castries. UNOPS is assisting us in bringing urban planners in and engineers to now make that project shovel ready. If I'm not mistaken, there have been several stakeholder meetings already and dialogue is taking place and we're expected to be able to get a presentation within the next 30 days from them as to their initial findings and this is certainly going to be the roadmap for us in terms of implementing the redevelopment of castries. Prime Minister the Honourable Alan Chastney has addressed members of the Chamber of Commerce earlier this month during the Encounter series. St Lucia's agriculture sector is benefiting from a new project agreement sponsored by the Republic of China Taiwan. The Government of St Lucia and the Republic of China Taiwan have signed the action plan to commend the project titled Enhance in the Efficiency of Production and Distribution Supply Chain in the Fruit and Vegetable Sector. The overall intention of this project is to improve farmers' production and harvest processing techniques to further increase their income. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Physical Planning, Natural Resources and Cooperatives Honourable Ezekiel Joseph expressed his gratitude to the ambassador and the people of the Republic of China Taiwan. We are happy that you and your embassy and your government have seen the need to give support to the government and the farmers of St Lucia as it pertains to cultivating these crops on a sustainable basis. Like we have said for us to be able to accomplish our goals and our objectives we need to see how we can improve the infrastructure because it makes no sense to be out there encouraging farmers to grow and when it comes to markets they cannot market their crops. The ambassador of the Republic of China Taiwan in St Lucia, His Excellency Douglas C.T. Chen, noted the importance of the project of agriculture on the island. The major plan will be focused on strengthening the connection between local farmers and the domestic market by establishing various systems such as the agriculture information system, farmer certification system and the traceability system. Moreover the project will enhance local farmers production and the post harvest processing techniques to further increase their income. We understand that the government of St Lucia has embraced increasing domestic production of fruit and vegetable for import substitution in its agricultural strategies. The new project is well proposed and will be instrumental to meeting this target minister. The crops identified for import substitution includes pineapples, cabbages, tomatoes, bell peppers, leches, cantaloupes and watermelons. From the government information service, Lisa Joseph reporting. This is nation beats coming up plans unfold for a year-long celebration of St Lucia's Independence Anniversary. Small household electrical appliances when faulty can give rise to big problems. If you have just purchased a small appliance from a store and you are concerned about the safety of the item, an appliance has been at home for sometimes subjected to wear and tear from regular usage. Have it tested by the St Lucia Bureau of Standards. It is better to be safe than sorry. For more information contact the St Lucia Bureau of Standards at 456-0546 or email SLBS at candw.lc or visit the website at www.slbs.org.lc St Lucia Bureau of Standards making quality and standards our way of life. Welcome back. The psychological and social well-being of persons living with HIV and TB is expected to be improved as the OECS works towards supporting those services. Fernand Neptune reports. Efforts have developed in a framework to strengthen mental health and psychosocial support for persons living with HIV and TB. The partners, families and caregivers is ongoing as the today workshop was held recently. Workshop facilitator Patricia Isaac Joseph emphasized that psychosocial support for HIV patients is necessary as it will help them with coping and adhering to treatment. As part of the global fund grant which the OECS countries are a recipient of it's really looking at how what are some of the issues that come out of getting a diagnosis of HIV or TB and what are some of the support systems that we need to put in place to help persons. Physician of the infectious diseases unit in the Department of Health and Wellness Dr Gil Kejada says providing assistance is crucial in reducing the psychological distress for persons coping with HIV and TB diagnosis. A person who is diagnosed with TB the first two months of their illness they are infectious so they are isolated and I think most of us know the isolation units is the chest suing at Fitzgerald Hospital. When you are isolated you cannot work you are out of work and some persons may end up losing their job over that some persons may end up losing their home over that so we need to have some form of assistance at least allow those persons to manage their bills their families whatever it is that's going on there. The workshop was made possible by the global fund for the OECS HIV TB elimination project reporting from the communications unit of the Ministry of Health and Wellness I am Funon Neptune. A full year of activities is being planned for the celebration of St Lucia's 40th anniversary of Independence. The festivities are slated to begin December 12, 2018 and culminate December 12, 2019. The Independence Day planning committee headed by president of the St Lucia Senate Honourable Janine Gerody McIntyre has put out a call for the private sector to include events on the national calendar. We also want to provide opportunities for maximum economic spin-offs for our vendors, our artists, taxi drivers, hoteliers, anybody that can participate in it our artists in the whole of Independence for one year. So to this end we'll be creating a calendar of events and this we will launch in conjunction with the Festival of Lights and Lantern Parade in December. At that time we will we will launch the logo, our tagline, our website and our video with the Independence calendar of events. Coordinator of events Buffalo Audlem says national talents will be fully utilized during the year the various activities. There is a concentration on young people, we have brought in their ideas and we are still open. So we want to say St Lucia this is time for us to come together it's a very exciting period. We're going to have a whole year of celebration. We're going to bring our St Lucia Nests together. We're going to celebrate our St Lucia Nests. The National Youth Council is represented by President Jessrin Andrew on the committee. The NYC has carded a youth a unity run. Activity is supposed to start off at the Governor General's residence where he is expected to hand over the youth battle to that first young person and we're expecting the battle to travel around St Lucia and return to the Governor General's residence. So we're asking young persons of all passions all areas of walks of life to come through to participate whether you are skateboarder you ride your bicycle you run whoever you are we're asking you to reach out to your district youth and sports councils will be tasked with the duty of ensuring that we have young persons from every community taking part in the activity. Two youth parliaments to be held February and April 2019 respectively have also been planned. That's nation beat join us next time on NTN at 7 30 pm before we repeat at 7 30 a.m and on this station as we feel the pulse and heart of our community. You can also catch up with us anytime on the St Lucia Government Facebook page or YouTube channel. I am Janelle Norville.