 Welcome to NTNightly, I am General Norville, this edition's top stories. Saint Lucia begins implementation of a $37 million Japanese grant for infrastructure. The Ministry of Health is fine-tuning the process for the introduction of COVID-19 vaccines on Ireland and the government continues to implement measures to soften the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19. Physical work has officially commenced on the Kalisak Bridge reconstruction project financed through a $37 million Eastern Caribbean dollar grant from the Government of Japan. This transformative project is touted as a gesture of goodwill and friendship between Japan and Saint Lucia. Minister for Infrastructure, Port Energy and Labor, Hon. Stephen Zin King, says the project will help strengthen key infrastructure while stimulating economic activity in Saint Lucia at a time of global crisis. As part of the project's first phase construction hearts commence on a detour road and the Saint Lucia Electricity Services Limited, Lucilek, has also begun utility relocation. Upon completion of the project, the new Kalisak Bridge will reduce bridge closures due to flooding and stabilize the volume of transportation by widening and lengthening the existing bridge. Additionally, it is expected to strengthen socio-economic development and make the arterial road more resilient against natural disasters. The Department of Infrastructure has assured that the construction of the new bridge in Kalisak is being undertaken by international experts at global standards and the Department will maintain supervision and oversight during all phases of execution. The Ministry of Health is fine-tuning the process for the introduction of the Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on Island. The Ministry is conducting a COVID-19 vaccine survey to assess the attitudes of people living in Saint Lucia towards the COVID-19 vaccines and to determine their willingness to be vaccinated. The survey uses a modified version of the Pan-American Health Organization vaccine questionnaire. The survey targets a cross-section of the population age 18 years and older and will be administered using the survey monkey platform. The survey will be distributed through the digital and flow mobile communication platforms from Monday, February 15 to Monday, February 22, 2021. Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Glensford Joseph explains. The survey is made up of 29 questions that are divided into five sections that covers their demographics, such as gender, age, and occupation. It also looks at your general attitude towards vaccines, attitude towards influenza vaccines, attitude towards COVID-19 vaccines, and your readiness to accept the COVID-19 vaccine. When you access the survey, you will be presented with a consent form. You must read the consent form, then check the box at the end of the form to agree to taking the survey. Your participation in this COVID-19 vaccination survey is valuable to the Ministry of Health. The information you provide will contribute to the Ministry's communication and education strategy aimed at empowering the people to make informed decisions towards COVID-19 vaccination. Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Glensford Joseph. Meanwhile, the Ministry has informed that ahead of the actual rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, there will be a pre-registration process to ensure smooth planning and coordination of vaccination. The process for pre-registration for the COVID-19 vaccine is as follows. There is an online registration link available. The link is as follows. For individuals who do not have access to the online registration platform, they can access this service at the Wellness Center nearest to them and pre-register there. This can be done either via phone or walking. The pre-registration for the COVID-19 vaccine will be ongoing. Pre-registration is required only once. People who pre-register for the COVID-19 vaccine will be informed of the date when vaccination will be administered in their area or institution. Dates and venues will be published. Persons receiving their first vaccination dose will be given a COVID-19 vaccination certificate with their return date for the second dose. The second dose will be done in a similar fashion as the first dose. Meantime, fellow Caricam member states are also busy putting mechanisms in place for receipt of the vaccines under the COVAX facility. More from to San King English Francis of Caricam News Time. All Caricam member states have been notified that they will receive the first COVID-19 vaccine allocations through the COVAX facility led by the WHO and the Global Vaccine Alliance. Caricam countries could begin receiving doses of Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine as early as the end of this month. Director of PAHO, Dr. Carissa Etienne, described the delivery through the COVAX mechanism as a hopeful step in the fight against the coronavirus. PAHO is a partner in the COVAX facility because we believe that it offers our region the best opportunity to fast-track the access to COVID-19 vaccines and at the same time to reduce the impact of the pandemic on people's lives. The Americas, all countries in the Americas represent one-fifth of all COVAX participating countries and the truth is that many smaller countries would not have been able to access any vaccines in the short term in any serious quantity without a mechanism like COVAX. Caricam member states are also working assiduously to procure additional supplies outside of the COVAX facility. Several member states have announced that they are in discussions with countries including India, China and Cuba. Some member states have also announced that they have accepted the African medical supplies platform offer to share its COVID-19 vaccine supply with Caricam. I've seen some concerns being raised that we're getting a small number of vaccines from COVAX and it will only vaccinate a small number of people. I want the population to take this in the context that we are in a long line of countries in the world reaching out for what in effect is a small amount of vaccines at this time and that is why initially we are going to get what is in effect a small volume and we are going to dedicate that small volume to particular people those in the frontline to be able to get additional vaccines from outside of the COVAX situation. To do that we are the African Medical Council. They have as a large body access to a large volume of the same vaccines from the same source and in our diplomatic arrangement at Caricam with the African Medical Council we have discussed and have accepted an offer from the council to get some of what they are going to be having but to do that we as a country at the individual country level here in Caricam have to commit to a volume that we will have to pay for so outside of the COVAX group we are now entering a group with the African Medical Council. We are in a number of bilateral talks with various countries including not only China but Russia and India to ensure that we can have more than that 20% for this year and we are also talking to a number of multilateral agencies through which we think we would be able to acquire a vaccine. One such multilateral agency is Caricam has broken an arrangement with the African Union and they have set aside 1.5 million doses of vaccines for the Caribbean and out of that allotment Guyana Spota is going to be 149,000 doses. Prime Minister the Honourable Alan Chastney has announced that 74,400 doses of the vaccine will arrive here in St Lucia before the end of February. St Lucia will also purchase a further batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine from India as well as receive a donation of the vaccines from the Indian government totaling some 185,000 doses. There are also ongoing discussions for vaccines from the African Union via the African Medical Supplies Platform AMSP for an estimated 45,739 doses. 358 COVID-19 patients have made full recoveries here. The Ministry of Health and Wellness has reported that on Friday 12 February 244 patients recovered while on Sunday 14 February a further 124 recovered. The island also recorded 104 new cases from 613 tests conducted on samples taken between January 31 and February 12, 2021. Active cases of COVID-19 as of February 14 stood at 718. The Ministry of Health on February 12 also reported one COVID-19 related death bringing the total number of deaths in country to date to 23. That is says is a 62-year-old female from the Mico district who had been previously diagnosed with an underlying medical illness. Government continues to implement measures aimed at softening the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 on the population, especially the vulnerable. Minister for Gender Relations Honourable Dr. Gil Rigabet says financing was repurposed to expand the safe house for women and families amid an increase in incidents of gender-based violence. Honourable Rigabet spoke to the issue in Parliament on February 9, 2021. The way we're able to repurpose funding to ensure that we're able to build and expand the safe house for women and families are vulnerable, especially at a time like this when many women who are already vulnerable experience even more, we are experiencing even more cases of gender-based violence. That was repurposed financing and GenD and gender project that the Canadian government supported. That was money again that was repurposed with a COVID-sensitive feel to it. I'm not aware, Mr. Speaker, that we expanded our grocery facility of a school feeding program, the school transportation program, additional resources to do what? To help St. Louisian, to do what? To help those people who have lost their jobs because of COVID and now find themselves unable to find for their families in the way that they were accustomed to. Are the members opposite, not aware of those measures that we took? Are the members opposite, not aware that we have had to engage in additional human resources, whether it be in the health sector or within the Royal St. Louisian police force, are going to do what? Because we care, Mr. Speaker. It's precisely because we care that we continue to make those valuable adjustments and injection of additional resources. In other mitigating measures, Parliament by Affirmative Resolution has approved the draft Value Added Tax Amendment of Schedule 3 order, which amends a Schedule 3 of the Act to exempt imports of personal items, food, clothing, toys and other household consumables contained in barrels for the period of the 1st of February to the 31st of March 2021. Prime Minister the Honourable Alan Chastney explained the reasoning behind the decision. Speaker, very simple motion to amend the Value Added Tax to extend the barrel concession. I think that given what is taking place in St. Louisian currently, I think it's very justifiable as we were hoping by this point that we would have seen a more significant economic recovery, but in light of the need to slow down the economy, Mr. Speaker, I think that this is a very important benefit to some of the more vulnerable persons in our society. And clearly as we see things improving in the U.S., hopefully there are even more barrels that can come down to help some of the families that are really in need in this country. Prime Minister the Honourable Alan Chastney, this is NTA Knightley. Up next, Prime Minister Hutchinson with the NTA Nouvelle Aquial. It's her, the Biointellicence Biobutton, an innovation to the Ministry of Health's approach in battling COVID-19. The Biobutton is a state-of-the-art device. It supports people keeping regular checks of signs of possible COVID-19 infection while placed in home quarantine. It monitors temperature, heart rate and respiratory rate. It is very simple, just link it to your smartphone and place the button on your chest. It's that easy. The Biobutton costs only 100 U.S. for the 14-day period. For further information, please contact the Epidemiology Unit at 468-5325 or 468-5324. Welcome back. We join Prime Minister Hutchinson for the NTA Nouvelle Aquial. Merci autant, Genel. Merci madame du Patement qui n'y reste qu'au sablité pour les informations en gouvernement sur les CIGIS, ensemble avec les télévisiones nationales payées NTA, qui apposent aux Nouvelles Aquial, présente aux Prime Minister Hutchinson. Avions des systèmes de sécurité pour les gens cohérables, RSS, déposés à son éloi pour George F. F. Charles, la société gédie passée à quatre après-midi, et puis en marchandise, les trois valeurs pour faire bataille contre malade corona à cette l'île-ci. Avoir avions cela, c'était 2000 la vaccine AstraZeneca pour protéger les traitements en pays-là. C'est pays Dominique qui fait cette l'île-ci avec Guacardo Salah. Premier ministre cette l'île-ci, Honourable Alain Chassny, ensemble avec ministres de santé, Honourable Mary Isaac, est présent pour recevoir la vaccine-là et Sakai Ndé pour renforcer initiatives cela qui s'est établi pour traitement la vaccine-là à cette l'île-ci. Mais qu'au-dit passée, cette l'île-ci recevra aussi Yomildos, la vaccine hôte gouvernement Babad. Première phase, distribution et administration, c'est la vaccine-là qui est principalement pour Yomildos'ex-santravaille santé, abamio, qui est les officiers de santé, par exemple, police, les propriés, les officiers responsables pour prison bodily, avec les officiers qui étonnent pour traiter le monde qui trouve blessés devant les accidents et qui tombent malade ciblement. Bien souvent, ces officiers-là, qu'on pourrait avoir ambiance. Première ministre, Honourable Alain Chassnay, annoncé du 1er session Kaikonsit, m'a dit passée qui soit 14.000 doses de la vaccine qu'à y attraie un pays à 20 finissements au mois février. Première ministre Chassnay, Monsieur Gouvernement Babad, ex-Dominique, pour groin, c'est pour cela, cette l'île-ci, qu'a aussi acheté la vaccine hôte pay India, et qu'a aussi crassé 12 hôte l'organisation. Discussion, j'ai qu'à faire aussi pour acheter la vaccine hôte les liens des pays Afrique. Minister de santé, qui a continué pour suivre WEG national, qui a gouverné malades coroner un pays-là. Depuis le 11 mois février 2021, gouvernement cette l'île-ci, j'ai commencé pour soulager leur groin caractérité en sa et qui a écouté pour changer cette l'île-ci, qui a étonné un pays à quarantine. Peux-être, moi, qu'à sa quarantaine, à Caïos Selma, à Basse, c'est de s'écoustasse et condition. C'est à d'ailleurs facilité, après ce qui est majorité, moi, qu'à ne pour rester, ça veut dire, pour y auxqu'à huit-honneur, un pays-là. Mais c'est pour y en noter qu'il gouvernement cette l'île-ci, qu'a continué pour faire WEG national pour toute dépense les cette l'île-ci, avec eux qui résident un pays qui a quarantaine, c'est de pas cela, c'est pour couche et place baie, ex-service Weavisit, service climatisation, wi-fi, trois ou trois pas, par jour, des toilettes et de l'eau. Pour y en m'a-t-il adoré un champ qui tenit pour payer 45 dollars méritier, à présent, n'est pour payer Selma 25 dollars méritier, pour le champ qui n'est démonde qu'il a écouté 167 dollars méritier, qui a payé Selma 45 dollars méritier, à présent. Pour toi, m'a-t-il adoré un champ qui t'a écouté 200 45 dollars méritier, s'a-t-il réduit pour 1.65 dollars méritier? C'est pour cela qu'a abrassé la famille qui ensemble qui a receivé ces services-là. Gouvernement qui a continué pour honnorer sur l'ajouement, l'application, les étudiants pour s'y poursuivre, assoudaie, post-finance, s'assez pour y ochre qu'il a wittoné, a-t-il s'il? Trois m'a appuyé, vivé, abut, étudio. Ecossi, m'un qui t'a voyagé pour tuer mon santé. Gouvernement qui a aussi considéré situation économique qui tué critique, a-t-il l'hôte s'écoustasse d'une première quarantaine? Selisien, qui wittoné hôte l'hôte pays, qui a été testé après ses jours, ex-y-o negatif, y-o kaïsa ale, a kaïs abar quarantaine, me yookaïni pupote asu yo, sete moso ekipma, puphe asi we, y-o obéi quarantine, ekka memdita puphe asi we, sete yo anod, sakakute yonsa swasat kezdala mewiche. Dizafan, eklod paosan ki ka-sofei pis sete kondisitio sati, kai t'uvei permission pup'quarantaine, a kai mesakai fet selma, apoi les autorités konduit bonne investigation ek visite pas la koti yooka-i-weste. Seh ediwidi sala kai ni pupote moso ekipma sala asu yo asi, ekkaini pupei pupu servis la. Governement, sete si ka fei le wizida, ek y-o kini desi pup'voyager, pup'so jeki, ses selma voyage ki tue ni seset, kui yooka-i-kourager, pup'li mouma. Minister de santé, ka efforme publik la ki, and avance de service la vaccina, l'akainion faso, pup'u registrui, pup'u faciliti mei e servis, ek coordination, pup'u yon wizivuei la vaccina sala. Puyon kai sa wizistrui ad avance, pup'u tretma la vaccina, ekai ne seset, pup'u fei applikation pa internet la, ek si sa pa aposim, yo sa visite wellness center ki pupui yooka. Yo nsa suet sevi telifon, ebe anek visitei faciliti sala, egessis sala, egessis de registruiion ad avance, pup'u la vaccina kai continuei, ek yon pa wize fei registruion sala, pa pliki yon selfua. Pepeia ki pup'u l'avantage registruiion ad avance, kai wizivuei efforme asio, konse de datla, ki la vaccina kai avelab, a istititioi ki akuminiu. La kai usini, publikation dat exe plasla, ki sa kai kumiku. Ne panson ki wizivuei premier dose la vaccina, kai wizivuei yon certifica, ke kai ni datla, pup'u yo witunei, pup'u wizivuei desiem dose la. Eksikosa noa toa botnevela, mesevedam, mokare meseo otta, pup'u a gade, mokabawio evitatio, pup'u jene pi mwako, sidi e konse vela vi, denei pup'u se roi lot, nuvel, akui ala pwiza, mokavio pwiza toa u, genel. Meseapil primus. That brings us to the end of NTN Nightly. Join us next time at 7pm, with a repeat at 7am. You can also catch up with us anytime on the St. Lucia Government Facebook page or YouTube channel. I am Genel Novel.