 Coming to you from RGIS Studios, I am Anicia Antoine and this is your Midday News Brief. A motion to amend the Draft Value Added Task Act was tabled in Parliament on Tuesday, October 29, 2019. The motion, which was presented by Prime Minister Honourable Ireland Shastney, sought to amend schedules 1 and 3 of the Act to include a definition for educational supplies, as well as to zero-rate the service or printing such supplies. The amendment also sought to exempt value-added tax on imports of personal items, food, clothing, toys and other household commodities contained in barrels from November 15, 2019 to January 30, 2020. Every year, the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers attracts over 200 boats and 1,200 people to sail across the Atlantic from Gran Canaria to St. Lucia. The World Cruising Club WCC has officially announced the 2019 Arc Youth Team. Of the 12 young people participating in the Arc, six of them are St Lucia natives. Anthony Burgas, chairman of the Arc Planning Committee, explained that the Arc Youth Team has been conceived in commemoration of the 30th edition of the Arc and St Lucia's 40th independence. The Arc Youth Team will sail west across 2,700 nautical miles on a 72-still Challenger sailing yacht named Challenger 1. The Arc Youth Team is scheduled to live Las Parmas de Gran Canaria on Sunday, November 24, 2019. St Lucia's tourism sector has recorded another major feat. Already basking in seven record breaking months of increases for 2019, the month of September has proven unprecedented for visitor arrivals to the island, specifically stayover arrivals. Figures indicate that St Lucia received 21,608 stayover visitors for the month of September, a 15% increase from last September and the largest percentage increase for the year. This figure also surpasses the record set in 2017, which was 20,049 by more than 1,000 additional visitors, or 7.8% in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma and Maria that severely affected several other Caribbean islands that month. Most of this growth was driven by the 15% increase in arrivals from the US market, and additional 1,156 visitors despite there being no major difference in airlift from that market. The second largest growth of 1,144 additional visitors was seen in the Caribbean market, which grew by 25%, owing a large measure to the hosting of CPL cricket endorsed under the Caribbean banner. All other markets except the UK and other parts of Europe increased by double digits in September, with France and Canada in the lead, with 52% and 43% increases respectively. This has been your midday news brief. Thank you for watching.