 Coming to you from RGIS Studios, I am Anicia Antoine and this is your Midday News Brief. The All-Important Healthcare Sector is a prime focus for the Government of St. Lucia as it enters into a new financial year. That declaration was made by the Governor-General, Sir Emmanuel Neville Snark, as he delivered the Thurand Speech Tuesday, April 9th, 2019, opening a new session of Parliament. The Governor-General stated that Government intends to continue strengthening primary healthcare and public health, advance work on national health insurance, and implement measures for quality assurance. Plans for the opening of the Owen King EU Hospital and the St. Jude's Hospital are also advancing. On Saturday 6th April 2019, the Forrest or Plain Field in Barbano was officially opened. The field was recently upgraded with the Plain Surface benefiting from a complete rehabilitation and the installation of Plain Lights to allow for evening matches and extended hours of training. Upgrades have also been carried out on the Balata Plain Field, the Cots in Balata and Timon along with the rehabilitation of the Lager Plain Field which will soon be completed. Dr Michael O'Brien, an orthopedic surgeon from Frederickson, Virginia, USA and a volunteer at St. Jude's Hospital, gave a lecture to the students of UFOT Comprehensive Secondary School, educating them on the learning path to become a doctor. He provided them with valuable information on what to expect in the medical field and the mindset needed to be successful in it. This has been your midday news brief. Thank you for watching.