 Welcome to NTN Nightly, I am Genelle Norville. This edition stops stories. St. Lucia's Tourism Minister joins international discussion on the impact of COVID-19 on the global travel sector. Specific development pathways are identified for the manufacturing and agriculture sectors and the Ministry of Health data usage in the fight against COVID-19. Minister for Tourism, Information and Broadcasting, Culture and Creative Industries, Honourable Dominic Fede, has been engaging partners in the tourism marketplace as the world assesses the state of the travel tourism industry amid the COVID-19 pandemic. On Monday 11th May 2020, the tourism minister interfaced with the Canadian market, which is St. Lucia's third largest source market. Honourable Fede appeared on Travel Pulse Canada with host John Kirk. There the minister spoke on several matters including how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected St. Lucia and steps taken in the fight against the virus. Noting that the region is taking a joint approach to the reopening of the tourism sector, Honourable Fede explained the strategy. What we've been doing is working with our hotel sector to see what those new set of protocols are going to be like. What those new set of arrangements that will govern the operation of tourism. So the tourism standard operating procedure has changed for good in the Caribbean. And what we have done is to seek a regional approach. So we've had the ministers of the OECS meet last week. We've had the caracum heads of government meet as well. And Prime Minister Shasne, Erin St. Lucia was appointed to chair the reopening of the Caribbean on behalf of the heads of government. I being the current chairman of the Caribbean tourism organization also puts me in that position to reorganize the entire sector. So we've been working hand in hand to see how we can put the Caribbean in a good position. The islands are at varying levels of readiness. I think that we are ready in St. Lucia. You're going to see us making a big announcement on Friday as it relates to how we go forward. The tourism minister noted that COVID-19 has changed the face of travel forever. Consequently, stakeholders within the industry have been implementing measures to mitigate the spread of the virus. You've seen the same way that 9-11 has changed our lives as travelers. The very same way COVID is going to change our lives and change travel for good. We see now that the airlines are, some of them, not having people sit in the center seats, for example. Flight attendants and customers are being required on certain flights to wear masks for the entire duration of the flight. We've seen that airports are now testing people for females. We see that the noble face served in certain hotels. We see at the resort level there's increased level of sanitation. We see that the ground transportation have now adopted new protocols as it relates to seating arrangements and sanitizing protocols. We see at the hotel as well, employees are going to be required to wear protective gear such as the mask to protect themselves and to also protect the guests. I think that hotels are now going to encourage guests in a nice friendly way, giving them the option to wear these protective gears as well. We see that Emirates Airlines becoming the first airline in the world in doing the rapid test as a check-in requirement so that that individual will at least be filtered. We're being told that the rapid test is not necessarily the gold standard test. There are some abnormalities or some unreliability factors there. But at least it allows you to filter. It tells you one extra thing about the customers. Minister for Tourism, Information and Broadcasting, Culture and Creative Industries, Honourable Dominic Fady. Meantime, the government of St. Lucia is continuing with the implementation of the medium-term development strategy with the aim of boltering the economic sectors of manufacturing and agriculture. Anisia Antoine explains. The COVID-19 pandemic has paralyzed the tourism industry, causing serious implications for the economies largely dependent on tourism. The government of St. Lucia has acted quickly with a medium-term development strategy including plans to stimulate the agriculture and infrastructure sectors. Tommy Descat, Chief Economist at the Department of Economic Development, noted that the government is also exploring ways to use its expenditure to boost the manufacturing sector. I think that government can leverage its expenditure and procurement policies as a lever to strengthen the manufacturing sector. For instance, we have case in point, they say medical beds, you would need mattresses and so on. Perhaps you would want to buy that from Lubeco, which is a local producer of this kind. The government purchases furniture, office equipment and so on. If you have a manufacturing sector that produces this, the government can leverage some of its expenditure to somehow help the manufacturing sector. There are a number of other ways that could happen, but having a dedicated policy. I was told on one of the panels last night that there is a cabinet conclusion that states that mandates that before we procure anything outside of the country that we ought to see whether it's available internally within the economy and procure that. Descat stated that the manufacturing sector can be labor-intensive and plays a tremendous role in ensuring the country has food security. We see thriving manufacturing sectors globally. And if you realize, a lot of them have access to liquidity. So they export import banks like China, Taiwan, Australia, even the US that provide that sort of liquidity to the manufacturing sector to help them export their products into the export market. Again, there's a lot of issues around competitiveness, how competitive the price and the quality of the manufactured goods here. And so that's an ongoing discussion. But I certainly think that COVID has sort of given both the government and the private sector a sort of a nudge that we need to act in these sectors that agriculture and the manufacturing sector. The change in the dynamic of business operations due to COVID-19 has allowed businesses to place a greater emphasis on the digital economy. The chief economist explained that the government fostered initiatives prior to COVID-19 to encourage the digitizing of operations. We were looking at probably from a productivity standpoint, how can we use ITC to become more productive as a country. But we see now the issue of COVID, it helps significantly and you need to fast track that, upskilling our private sector. A lot of our private sector don't have some basic ICT skills and so on and that kind of thing. And even an emphasis on financial transactions, the banking sector. I know the banks have been trying to do this online banking with mobile banking. And there's somewhat, you still see a significant amount of people still going into the banks, along lines. So I think now COVID is going to foster cultural change. People who are that sort of technofob and trying to stay away from technology will be forced to embrace the technology. But also the private sector now needs to, they have to survive and if they do not transition using technology we may see a significant amount of our private sector going under. The chief economist reaffirmed the government's commitment to building productive capacity and expanding growth opportunities in the economy. From the government information service, I am Anisia Antoine reporting. The Ministry of Health continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely and ensures that epidemiological information is provided in order to guide the responses to the virus. More in this report from Fernelle Neptune. As part of monitoring COVID-19 in St. Lucio, the Ministry of Health and Wellness is utilizing its surveillance system to produce data to forecast the disease's impact on the country. National epidemiologist Dr. Michelle Foussois emphasized the need to draw data from influenza and respiratory disease surveillance in St. Lucio. Within the epidemiology unit, one of the things that we monitor on a weekly basis is influenza-like illness. So cases of fever and cough, we monitor on a weekly basis. We have noted that these numbers have been coming down nicely and we continue to monitor them. We also monitor on a weekly basis the number of cases of severe acute respiratory illnesses. So these are cases of fever and cough which need admission to the hospitals. So these, we have our baselines and these are monitored and we have not picked up increases in these numbers to date. We know that 15% of these individuals may require admission and another 5% may require ICU admission. So we are cognizant of that and we continue to monitor it now more than ever. Dr. Foussois also spoke on the efforts of the Ministry of Health to monitor deaths in St. Lucio to determine whether or not they are linked to COVID-19. We also monitor our deaths. So hospital deaths and suspicious deaths. What we do is these individuals are tested for COVID-19 and in order for us to be sure and be confident that we do not have any COVID-related deaths. The national epidemiologist also reiterated to date St. Lucio has recorded no deaths related to COVID-19. Reporting from the Communications Unit of the Ministry of Health and Wellness I am Funoleption. On Monday, May 11, 2020, results for 55 samples were received and they were all negative. This brings a total of 675 COVID-19 tests conducted to date. On Tuesday, May 12, the Department of Health and Wellness received 20 inclusions who are cruise ship workers with the Carnival Corporation. These nationals will be quarantined for a period of 14 days as per the country's established protocol. Over the next few weeks, the Ministry of Health will receive more St. Lucio and cruise ship workers as well as other returning nationals. This is NTN Nightly. Up next, Primers-Hudgingston with the NTN Nouvelle Aquial. COVID-19 is a new pandemic disease as declared by the World Health Organization. It is transmitted directly by respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes or indirectly through rubbing the face with contaminated hands. There is still no specific treatment or vaccine against COVID-19 and as such, the farming community should adhere to some special recommendations. Stock up on essentials such as animal feed, fertilizers, pesticides enough to last for about 30 days. Stock up on fuel well and oils for farm equipment. Ensure that tools and vehicles are serviced to prevent breakdowns and to ensure that farming and food production remain steady. And protect yourself and your workers by ensuring you take all necessary precautions to remain healthy. More than ever before, your important role as gatekeepers of St. Lucio's nutritional health and food security should be taken seriously. When you exercise these precautions, you not only safeguard your health but also continue to allow St. Lucio's access to freshly grown fruits, vegetables and other local crops. Remember, it is our responsibility to ensure our nation eats fresh St. Lucio's best. Welcome back. We join Primus Hutchinson for the NTN-Nouvelle-Arcuyol. Monsieur Ta Genel, M. Mdm, Departement, University of St. Louis for Information, Government, S.L.C, GIS, National Television, N.T.N, Caposito-Nouvelle-Arcuyol, Primus Hutchinson. The first step is to ensure that the government can place industry to restrict our own industry agriculture, S.L.C. The Minister of Agriculture, R.A.P.E.S., R.N.T.W.L., a cooperative on the web, E.K.L.Joseph, who declared his salary due to his discussion with the NTN and the public. On the other hand, it is important that the government can place industry to restrict our own industry agriculture, S.L.C. The Minister of Agriculture, R.A.P.E.S., R.N.T.W.L., a cooperative on the web, E.K.L.Joseph, R.N.T.W.L., a cooperative on the web, E.K.L.Joseph, R.N.T.W.L., a cooperative on the web, E.K.L.Joseph, R.N.T.W.L., a cooperative on the web, E.K.L.Joseph, R.N.T.W.L., a cooperative on the web, E.K.L.Joseph, R.N.T.W.L., a cooperative on the web, E.K.L.Joseph, R.N.T.W.L., a cooperative on the web, E.K.L.Joseph, R.N.T.W.L., basis, right? Because no question that the introduction of technology, by default, because there are no fair analysis primers, some way that there are no kind of what they are, please, say it's the way it is, say it's the way it is, say it's the way it is, say it's the way it is. season now season. So, introduce technology. by C. by C. by C. by C. by C. by expose agriculture. Tourism is important, and the more we develop tourism, the more we have the opportunity to recall what we have developed. The government has been very concerned about the situation in Karemla and the way it affects the country, and especially the agricultural industry. The Minister of Agriculture said that the Cabinet should avoid the need to put this issue under control. We are not going to declare an emergency in Karemla. We are not going to talk about agriculture. We are not going to talk about the effects of agriculture. Here it is, we are not going to do that. We are going to continue to encourage farmers to grow. We are not going to put this issue under control, but it is important. We are not going to declare an emergency in Karemla. So, we are no longer going to declare an emergency, but we are going to do things in a different way. but the level of the agriculture. So, even construction, because no construction is here, but it's still a great employment. But construction is here. We mix concrete and we're here. So, we're here. We're here. So, we're here. We're here. We're here. So, we're here at the So, you can't depend on people, you can't do it for your loved ones, and if you end up breaking up with your loved ones, you can't come to the government. So, I want to tell you, ease up with your loved ones. If you don't want to break up with your loved ones, you can't do it for your loved ones. So, we don't want you to tell your loved ones that you're sick because you're in Victoria Hospital. Don't go to the hospital because you're sick because you're sick because you're sick because you're sick because you're sick. If you don't want to break up with your loved ones and you're in an accident, you can't cut your lips and cut them, you can't back your body and rape it because you're so sick because you're a victim. Don't put it in a place like this, don't behave like this. It's not the first time you're in a home except for the first time, you're still in it. So, ease up with your loved ones. The UK government has announced that it will be able to provide new support to help those who are suffering from COVID-19. The support that has been provided by the UK government is 3 million pounds for the PAHO, which is the Pan-American Health Organization, to provide the best necessary support for the management to help the public health system to fight COVID-19. There are also 3 million pounds for the PAHO, which is the family that is most responsible for the health system and is able to provide the best necessary support for the public health system to fight COVID-19. The UK government has announced that it will be able to provide new support to help those who are suffering from COVID-19. The UK government has announced that it will be able to provide new support to those who are suffering from COVID-19. The UK government has announced that it will be able to provide new support to help people with COVID-19. It will be able to provide new support to those who are suffering from COVID-19. There are also 3 million pounds for the PAHO, which is the PAHO Community Health Organization, It's important for the country to continue fighting against the corona virus. It's also important for the country to continue fighting against the corona virus. The UK has made available 400 million points in the development program to assist the country that is more than 80%. The UK has also supported the management of the COVID-19 cases in the UK. It's important for the country to continue fighting against the corona virus in the UK. This is the news. I thank Mr. Ota for his invitation to come and talk about the new situation in the UK. Thank you, Mr. Ota. I'll see you next time at 7 p.m. with a repeat at 7 a.m. You can also catch up with us anytime on the St Lucia Government Facebook page or YouTube channel. I am Janelle Norville.