 Welcome to NTN Nightly. I am Jesse Léonce. This edition's top story, St. Lucia's fight against COVID-19, is bolstered by the Embassy of Taiwan. The Ministry of Youth and Sports builds the talent pool in women basketball and the National Arts Festival sounds off with poetic justice. St Lucia continues to receive assistance from its diplomatic friends in the fight against COVID-19. The Embassy of Taiwan, to St Lucia, has made a donation of ventilators and antibody rapid tests. More in this report from Fresnel Neptune. The Ministry of Health and Wellness recently received a donation of ventilators and test kits from the government of the Republic of China Taiwan, following a handover ceremony at the Owen King EU Hospital. Taiwanese Ambassador His Excellency Peter Shen says his government remains committed to providing support to St Lucia in the fight against COVID-19. I'm proud to present to St Lucia the this token of care and support from the government and people of Taiwan. Altogether, four ventilators and three thousand test kits to contribute to St Lucia's efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. For the past few months, under the leadership of the Honorable Prime Minister Shastney and the efforts of the government of St Lucia, St Lucia has been remarkable in response to the pandemic. Prime Minister for St Lucia, the Honorable Alan Shastney says he appreciates the diplomatic relations between the two countries and the continuous support provided. A genuine friend is one in which it's very easy to be able to measure the success of that relationship. And it's times when you need somebody in the smallest ways and certainly today's contribution. Significant in monetary basis, but I also want to say to solutions that probably one of the most difficult things to get hold of in the world today is a ventilator. So it's not even something that money could buy. And that is what makes this gift so special on that to get four ventilators at this particular time. Minister for Health, Senator the Honorable Mary Isaac expressed gratitude to the government and people of Taiwan for the donation, which will assist tremendously in the health sector. Ambassador, I'm always very touched when I get these gifts, when we get these gifts from Taiwan. And of course, we continue to get your assistance at every point in time with every project in almost every area of our development in St Lucia. And it is really, we are very, very grateful for these gifts that you bestow upon us because they're not just you know, fly by night gifts or just you know, out of you know, just may to give something. They really and truly address an issue or problem that we are having in our country. The government of the Republic of China, Taiwan made a donation of four ventilators and 3000 antibody rapid tests. Reporting from the Communications Unit of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, I am Funa Neptune. The Embassy of Taiwan has also contributed to the Ministry of Education's preparedness for the 2020-2021 school year. Lisa Joseph has that story. As the new academic year opens on Monday, September 7, 2020, students and teachers will be taken to the classroom under the conditions of the new normal dictated by COVID-19. Among the protocols schools are to adhere to in ensuring the health and safety of all is the wearing of face masks. The Embassy of Taiwan to St Lucia has bolstered the ministry's stock with a donation of 10,000 face masks. Ambassador, his Excellency Peter Chen, says as the father of two children, he understands the anxiety of parents as well as appreciates the hard work of the ministry in managing the opening of schools. The virus knows no borders. So when Taiwan is capable to contain the spray of virus in our island, I think it's also good for us to provide assistance for all of the world, especially our closest diplomat allies, St Lucia. Education Minister Hon. Dr. Gil Regobart and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Michelle Charles, expressed gratitude to the Embassy of Taiwan for its commitment to the education sector in St Lucia. As we endeavor to observe the protocols as prescribed by the Ministry of Health and on the eve of the reopening of school, this gift of masks from you is so timely, so meaningful. It tells me that you too care about the well-being of our children. I therefore, on behalf of the government, say thank you at every juncture, at every turn, as we continue to exert tremendous effort to ensure the well-being of our citizens, their economic well-being, their physical well-being, and their health and safety. Here you are again, partnering with us. Right before the opening of school, you have once again showed your commitment to the Ministry of Education. For us, this is very appropriate as our focus really is on health and safety for our students and teachers, and this gift of masks will definitely contribute towards ensuring the safety of our students and our teachers in our school environments. And for this, we thank you very much. The face masks were donated on the heels of a hand-in-over of four ventilators and 3,000 antibody rapid tests to the Ministry of Health. From the Government Information Service, Lisa Joseph reporting. The St. Lucia Hospitality and Tourism Association, the SLHTA, through its Tourism Enhancement Fund, TEF, has donated much-needed school supplies to the Alexander Family Foundation and events. Donna Ishmael, TEF program manager, made the donation on behalf of the organization. The donation, which is the first of its kind from the TEF, was made possible by Serenity Vacation and Tours and the participants of the annual Run for Fun cruise event held earlier this year. On hand to receive the supplies was Melissa Alexander, founder of the foundation. The charity organization on a yearly basis provides school supplies to children from castries, ancillary, canaries, so far and library and environs. On behalf of the Alexander Family Foundation and events, we take this opportunity to thank the management and staff of the Tourism Enhancement Fund for this great initiative in partnering with the Alexander Family Foundation to distribute 43 bags to the less fortunate families in St. Lucia. Every year they do donations to various families in need. This contribution today will go towards families from ancillary canaries, suffrage, view for an environs. The donation, which is a donation of bags and various school supplies, is approximately about $10,000 worth of supplies. We were lucky to have been able to make a distribution at the Grocery Primary School earlier this year before the impact of COVID hit each and every one of us. And what makes this donation here today even more special is the fact that it will be able to help a lot of families I know who have been directly impacted by the pandemic of COVID. And for the families who are receiving these bags, we say hold on strong, we are all in this together. And the Tourism Enhancement Fund in the coming weeks will be looking at other ways that they may be able to assist persons who were impacted by COVID-19. The handing over was held at the SLHDA Secretariat in Rodney Heights, Grocery. The National Arts Festival Art Reach will kick off on Sunday 6th September 2020 with a virtual staging of poetic justice, survival and triumph voices of the underground. We have a report on this literary showcase. When I, Helen, think about myself, I almost laughed myself to death. My life has been one great big joke. My children cried, but nobody spoke. Yes, I laughed so hard. I almost choke when I, Helen, think about myself. Poet Gina McPhee will be in the spotlight this weekend when the Cultural Development Foundation stages the first of a series of virtual shows for the National Arts Festival, Art Reach. Art Reach will run for eight months on island, resuscitating creative expression from the laws of pandemic restrictions. So poetic justice will be the first the first part of the National Arts Festival. We're going for eight months. So we're starting now and we'll be going until March. So the first production that's being brought to you is voices of the underground, survival and triumph. And this is coming out of, it will be filmed in castries on different streets, Miku Street, Jeremy Street, Cadet Street. And part of that is to also feature the history of St. Lucia and bring it into the poetry and into the culture. And so that in particular will be the first production that you will see. The National Arts Festival will be showcased virtually. Poetic justice, survival and truth, voices of the underground, premiers on the CDF, Facebook and YouTube platforms and NTN on Sunday night at seven o'clock. Gina McPhee hopes to appeal to the viewership with poetry that highlights social issues. My pieces really focus on the societal issues that we experience in St. Lucia. On that day, for the night, I will be doing three pieces, The Mask Society and also Political Division. And all three of these are interrelated in that they speak to issues that we experience here, not only in St. Lucia but across the world. Following the Poetic Justice production series, the National Arts Festival will continue with a virtual Theatre Arts series. Then we will go into the Theatre Arts live series which will kind of take a reality TV style with a little bit of drama, a little bit of sauce as we like to call it. And we're featuring Jamaican Theatre Productions as well as Gemstone Theatre Productions so that should be fantastic as well. The festival will conclude in early 2021 with a three-part feature on the Cultural Development Foundation itself. From the Government Information Service, Rajvaro Lawrence reporting. Scores of young women have hailed the skills learned at the Just Ended Basketball Clinic hosted by the Ministry of Youth and Sports. We have Ryan O'Brien to tell us more. Officials from the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports are expressing satisfaction of the conduct of a two-week female basketball camp which ended at the VG Multipurpose Sports Complex Friday afternoon. Director of Sports Patrick Matre was present for the closing of the camp and he suggests that it will go a long way in maintaining interest in female basketball and provide future national teams with a wide pull-up talent to choose from. The young female that we have within the free, we're able to get an appreciation of sport in general, yes specifically basketball but also the level of camaraderie and the important skills that they learn is not just about an individual but team play and coming out of that they're committed in forming their own nickel organization, their own club so they could continue to carry basketball. So what I see that it makes me extremely proud, extremely pleased for the support by for the ministry and in support and to to to say to to two persons generally I believe that the future of female basketball and synergy looks extremely bright. The camp emerged from an initiative proposed by National Female Basketballer and Female Basketballer of the Year 2018 and 2019 Maya George. To have seen it completed was very pleasing to her in addition to giving her peers the opportunity to learn the rudiments of the sport. I realized that although that there are a lot of interested girls that we do not have any programs put in place for the girls and so I decided to start a camp that would allow the girls the opportunity to learn and play the sport of basketball. One of the participants Chrisanne Duncan had her first exposure to basketball at the camp. Duncan was full of praise for the ministry of youth development and sports for allowing her colleagues to have such an opportunity during the summer vacation. This was my first ever basketball experience it was a very good experience the coaches were very patient they we went for a lot of drills they helped us a lot I think and it it's built a lot of discipline which I think is good and I would like to really thank them for taking the initiative and bringing an allowance to come here today and teach us the sport. From the ministry of youth development and sports I'm Ryan O'Brien. The ministry of infrastructure ports energy and labor informs residents of sunny acres and the general public that the road at sunny acres behind Gablewoods Mall is now temporarily closed. The road closure is effective for the period 3rd to 7th September 2020 and is necessary to facilitate the removal repair and replacement of the existing grill. Residents and all road users are encouraged to make the necessary arrangements in light of the road closure. The ministry of infrastructure ports energy and labor apologizes for any inconvenience. Up next we have Primus Hutchinson with the NTN Nouvelle Aquial. Cut them loose the anxieties the worries open up to possibilities accept the uncertainties and cut them loose the bitterness the hopelessness plant a seed of hope in your mind it will grow and flourish in time hold on a little longer life encourages you to grow you have so much to offer look tomorrow is waiting to say hello don't give up on yourself instead reach out for help. Perhaps it's time to reach out to someone call the health helpline 203 toll free anytime to speak to a professional a message from the ministry of health and wellness welcome back we now join Primus Hutchinson for the NTN Nouvelle Aquial. To be a teacher business have a teacher benefits a business to be successful see the executive for organization CDF Mr. Rodinold Sumer see a desire agreement for plus $900,000 to start construction equitably fashion the project so that's a machine silo Sumer assist assist us a lot can you do put it in your mail to put it up so that I can also encourage a lot of agents to let you in as a program that can establish your my ex I can establish your my fashion for something I do to stick to a city like this. For me this only my balance has to be a couple of key initiatives a lot to put We have also pushed all sectors of the tourist sector to this place, especially the local authorities, culture, artists, musicians, and so on. We have also established initiatives to stamp our own sacks, and serve the tourist sector in its villages and to make it a reality. And finally, I have come to this point to address the situation of the corona crisis. We have passed several official governments, such as the Ministry of Power and Equality and Justice, the Ministry of Economic Development, and the Ministry of Investability to address the situation of the enormous number of people affected, such as Dr. Gil Rigober. We have participated in the whitening of the budget, in the NTINGIS studio, to provide assistance to Canada in particular to the large number of people affected by the corona crisis. Ministers have had an enormous effort to assist Dr. Gail Rigobot to treat up-western, to assist Canada, to assist Dr. Rigobot, and to assist Salah to help the most vulnerable, as well as vulnerable, in a society that is particularly poor, because they continue to live under COVID-19. Farm kicker cultivates, such as farmers, farm kicker, because they don't have the ability, especially in this situation, to approach Salah. Farm kicker lives under COVID-19, and it is a fire that can work to ensure the results of COVID-19, which can also be accessed. Dr. Rigobot also said that it will be a diverse protection equipment for those who will be able to provide services mainly to the farm. A lot of people who will be able to provide services to the police, at least those who work in the agri-collectual sector, will also be able to provide assistance, in a diverse way, so that the team will be able to assist them. The Office of the Executive of the Organization of Canada also addressed Salah by Zoom, where the efforts of the country, Canada, to assist the people of this area under the COVID-19 situation, and a billion dollars in place for this, as well as the financial assistance that has already been received under the program called PAHO Accidema. The Ministry of Construction has formed the Gertrune residents, which will be able to make it easier for the construction to be completed in the future. The residents will be able to do services for three weeks. If they're able to encourage residents, they can also help them do services, including in the case of the Giorgia. They will also be able to advise these residents to do the proper work, as is the case of this community. The residents will be able to proceed their services, as is the case of the Giorgia. The residents are also able to do the same. The Ministry of Construction also knows that the residents will be able to help the women to start the construction in September. to work here, to try to pull, to eat, and to replace the noise that is on this road. The Ministry has to encourage everyone who serves on this road to do the right thing that is necessary to react. The Ministry of Construction Affairs has made a great apology for the eco-Venus piece that knows nothing about it. And that is the end of this news. Thank you very much for watching. Thank you for your invitation. If you have any questions about life, you can ask the Ministry of Construction Affairs to answer all of your questions. Have a good weekend. I wish you the best of luck. I wish you the best of luck. See you next time. Or the YouTube channel. I'm Jesse Leon signing off for now. Do stay tuned for more NTN programming.