 Welcome to the NTN Nightly, I'm Nisha Charles. This edition's top stories. Saint Lucia is making an important step towards achieving energy independence. The National Special Olympics team comes in for high commendation from Prime Minister Hon. Alan Shastney. The Cultural Development Foundation moves to preserve the island's intangible heritage. All that plus the latest in youth development, sports and the NTN Saint Lucia is making an important step towards achieving energy independence, greater energy supply reliability and sustainability with construction of a 54 kilowatt solar photovol take carport system with electric vehicle charging stations. This 54 kilowatt solar carport facility with electric vehicle charging stations is being built at the Department of Infrastructure, Ports and Energy Parking lot in Union castries. Not only will the completed facility accommodate charging of electric vehicles but it will also importantly offset energy consumption of the Ministry's headquarters, significantly reducing the amount of money expended by the state in electricity costs. Public Utility Officer Mr. Kurt Ingle says this project provides tangible evidence of the benefits of renewable energy. This solar carport really demonstrates what is possible with solar energy. Instead of using scarce lands and taking up all that space for the solar energy, what we're doing is we're integrating the carport or the parking lots into the solar system. When we're done, we're going to have 24 covered parking bays and the covering for those parking bays will be solar panels so vehicles will be able to park underneath, they will be shaded and the solar radiation that would normally just be falling onto the vehicles will be producing electricity to offset electricity to the building and also to provide charging for electric vehicles. The project has been financed by the Italian government through a memorandum of understanding on cooperation on climate change vulnerability, adaptation and mitigation in carport member states. Head of the Renewable Energy Division, Mr. Terrence Gillard says the initiative is an important investment towards achieving St. Lucia's nationally determined contribution targets of 35% renewable energy penetration within the National Energy Mix by 2025. The government in 2018 endorsed the National Energy Transition Strategy and essentially this is a roadmap for transitioning our energy sector to a more sustainable path, a path with greater renewable energy integration and one that also speaks to energy efficiency adhering to three very important principles. So this is really contributing to that, to meeting our NDC targets. We generate more energy from renewable sources, less carbon dioxide emissions into the environment and therefore it contributes to meeting our NDC targets and of course greater renewable energy penetration within our National Energy Mix. The facility is being constructed by local experts, caring up limited, contracted through the National Competitive Bidding Procedures. The public utilities officer says the project is important in helping to seek our sustainable energy future for all. It is very important that we move beyond the speaking of the possibilities of solar energy and into the actual implementation and use in the broader context. So we're hoping that this will be the first of other solar carpets to be installed in St. Lucia. The Ministry of Infrastructure Ports Energy and Labor apologizes to members of the public visiting its union headquarters and the transport department for inconveniences which may be encountered during the construction phase. This project is expected to be completed and commissioned by July 2019. From the Communications Unit, this is Shannon Le Bon. The benefits and hurdles of the Economic Partnership Agreement, the EPA, between Europe and the Caribbean, African-Pacific States, Carol Forum, were thrashed out here as representatives met for the 25th meeting of the Council of Ministers, more from Anissa Antoine. The Council of Ministers of Carol Forum's 25th meetings agenda included the signing of an Economic Partnership Agreement with the United Kingdom and an update on the status of the Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union. The Economic Partnership Agreement between the EU and the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries is aimed at promoting trade within the ACP and EU. The current African-Caribbean Pacific EU Partnership Agreement, CPA, was signed in Cortono in June 2000 and will culminate in 2020. Percival Marie is the Director-General of Carol Forum. In all deliberations we brought, ministers were brought up to date with the current status of part of the negotiation, which is the foundation part of the negotiations. They identified matters of continuing concern to them. We began to look at the original component of the ACP-EU post-Cortono matters and ministers advised on some strategies and priorities for Caribbean involvement in the negotiation. The Economic Partnership Agreement extends beyond previous trade arrangements between the Caribbean and the EU to include areas such as services, investment, e-commerce, government procurement and intellectual property. The EU is probably the largest single donor grant financing to the region. Under the 10th European Development Fund, we have a program of 324 million euros and ministers were brought up to date on how these monies will be in program, what successes and failures we had, what challenges were being experienced, what projects had already been approved and what arrangements were being made for the implementation of these projects. Ministers considered that and gave strategic guidance to the work that has to continue. The Carol Forum Council of Ministers is scheduled to meet with the European Commissioner for Development in Jamaica on April 15, 2019 to negotiate the terms of the post-Cortono agreement. From the Government Information Service, I am Anisia Antoine reporting. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO is assisting St Lucia's Cultural Development Foundation, the CDF, in identifying and preserving the island's intangible heritage. Genelle Norville explains. The five-day capacity development workshop will focus on the implementation of the UNESCO Convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage at the national level. Intangible cultural heritage encompasses the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills, as well as the instruments, objects, artifacts and cultural spaces associated therewith that communities, groups and in some cases individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage. Deputy Executive Director of the Cultural Development Foundation, Celeste Burton, highlighted the importance of safeguarding the intangible cultural heritage. St Lucia's National Commission for UNESCO Secretary General Marcia Sinforian said that this has been one of the most rapidly ratified conventions, however it is not without its challenges. The organization recognizes that there remains tremendous challenges for many member states who are party to the convention to fully understand the convention and the various mechanisms that have been established within its framework. The organization recognizes also that in many instances the member states simply do not have the human resources or the technical expertise necessary for the effective implementation of the convention. It is for this reason that UNESCO's focus has been and continues to be on encouraging the ratification, which St Lucia has done, but as well to assist member states with meeting the obligations under the convention, such as the reporting requirements for example, and as well benefiting from the support provided by the various mechanisms for cooperation under the convention, such as the ICH fund. This intangible cultural heritage transmitted from generation to generation is constantly recreated by communities and groups in response to the environment, the interaction of nature and the history and provides them with a sense of identity and continuity thus promoting respect for cultural diversity and human creativity. Facilitator of the 2003 convention for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, David Brown explained the importance of safeguarding. The cultural forms that we don't practice from generation to generation gets lost and what UNESCO seeks to do is to ensure that as much as possible as we can we use the term safeguard which is to identify those practices, create a listing of them, and create an inventory of them. The workshop is being conducted in collaboration with a number of stakeholder agencies and will be held from the 25th to the 29th of March 2019. For the Government Information Service, I am The month of March has been dubbed Women's History Month in celebration of the contribution of women to events in history and contemporary society in the United States. Across the globe, the movement for gender equality and women's empowerment has been growing and has stood discussions surrounding how women are defined and bringing balance to society. In St. Lucia, the organization She.LC, along with the Mexican Embassy and the Alias Faces, brought women from all facets of society to discuss the role of women, their experiences, and how they can work towards a more inclusive society in St. Lucia. Cantilia-Louis is the artistic director of She.LC. We find we tend to like to have activities just to commemorate or just to say we were doing something. What we try to encourage is let us move to the next level and to make sure you have a move to the next level you must be able to have the in-depth discussions with persons who can make a difference and bring awareness. And so that's what we are trying to do here. And I'm very happy that, again, as usual, we are partnering with Alias Faces and with the Mexican Embassy to make this happen because they too, in terms of their point of view, they believe that gender relations, gender parity and women empowerment is something that we need. A professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico says the event was an opportunity to explore what is in the minds of St. Lucia women and how they can play a greater role in society. Because we know that a country that has women that are not autonomous and that are suffering under domestic violence and under harassment and jobs and it's not a country that is progressing, right? We know the attachment in between joyful women, autonomous women, equity and development. So we want to address that precisely, the status of women, their energy, their minds, their bodies, what they live, what they want, what are they suffering upon and what are their wishes, wonders and longings. International Women's Day was held on March 8th, 2019 under the theme, balance for better. And this is the NTN Nightly coming up, the latest happenings in youth and sports with Ryan O'Brien. Excessive agrochemical use, additives and genetically modified foods are harmful to health and the environment. Join the Good Food Revolution. Grow, buy and consume organic. A message from Ryan St. Lucia and the Ministry of Sustainable Development with funding from the GEF Small Grants Program, UNDP. Welcome back. We join Ryan O'Brien for the latest happenings in youth development and sports. Welcome to your update from the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports on the NTN Nightly News. I'm Ryan O'Brien. Members of St. Lucia's Special Olympic Team return home Saturday, following participation in World Special Olympics in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The team won goal in football beating Poland 4-1 in the final, a silver medal in the 100 meters and won goal and three bronze medals in Bochi. The contingent was met on arrival by officials from the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports and Prime Minister, the Honourable Alan Chastney, who arrived on a flight shortly afterwards. He also visited the VIP lounge and addressed the Special Olympians. It's the week of inter-secondary schools track and field competition, scheduled for Wednesday and Friday this week, starting at 10 in the morning at the Darren-Sami Cricket Ground. Qualifiers for the Southern and Northern Zones were held last week. The Ministry is also making preparations for the Inter-District Primary Schools competition, scheduled for April 3rd. A technical meeting has been planned for April 1st, 2019, at the Ministry's Conference Room, where the situation deadline is Wednesday, March 27th, 2019. It's just a matter of days before the start of Youth Month and the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports held a briefing on Monday to ensure relevant stakeholders were fully updated on all the activities formally planned for the observance. Youth expose on April 5th, down to be held at the Constitution Park, will also mark the formal opening of Youth Month. Other events marking the month include the TAII Speech Festival, April 1st to the 4th, and the Financial Center, Youth Parliament, WinWe Memorial Lecture, April 13th, to be presented by Dr. Winston Folgens, Come, Kalingo, April 19th to the 21st, Youth Service Week, April 15th to the 20th, and Youth Awards, April 27th. And that's your update for today. From the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports, I'm Ryan O'Brien. Thanks, Ryan. In keeping with changes in international oil prices and government's application of the modified market passed through petroleum pricing mechanism, the retail price of gasoline, diesel, and the LPG's 20, 22, and 100-pound cylinders has changed. The price of kerosene remains unchanged. The price changes take effect from Monday, March 25th, 2019. Gasoline decreased from $13.95 to $13.35 per gallon. Diesel also decreased from $13.95 to $13.84 per gallon. Kerosene remains unchanged at $8.21 per gallon. The 20-pound LPG cylinder increased slightly, from $32.06 to $32.30. The 22-pound cylinder increased by $0.28 to $35.82. The 100-pound cylinder increased from $202.83 to $205.39. The next adjustment for the retail prices of fuel products will be on Monday, April 15th, 2019. And stay with the NTA nightly. Up next, Primus Hutchinson is here with the NTA Nouvelle Arquéole. When the authority of the heads of government of the OECS and its other ministerial councils meet and adopt policies for the organization, they rely on the OECS commission to transform these into action. The OECS commission is the secretariat of the organization, a grouping of officials headed by a director general, mandated to implement the decisions of the governments but also empowered to make recommendations on the strategic directions of the organization. The OECS commission organizes meetings, prepares budgets, conducts research, undertakes projects, negotiates for and represents the OECS member states. It is organized along several components. There are the commissioners from each member state who along with the director general form the commission that oversees the work programs. There are also technical divisions with specialized units between them, as well as diplomatic missions in Brussels and Geneva. All these complement each other to make the OECS commission the engine of regional integration in the eastern Caribbean. The OECS has a proud past and together we are working towards a brighter future for all our citizens. For more information visit www.oecs.org. Welcome back, we join Primers Hutchinson for the NTN Nouvelle Arcweole. Bureau of Standards is an institution that is established to ensure that all businesses and products that are accepted before entering the place are paid. Speaking of this, the Canadian organization here, Dr Gilberto Central, declared that the organization should congratulate the Bureau of Standards on its initiative because it has not had enough time for the organization to make its own reality. So Dr Central, we are going to invite you to join us as Dimash Jaqafet to tell you about the work that has been done for the organization. Since we know cannabis, ginger, marijuana, it has been important for us not just for the people but for the health and also to eat, to eat, to make tea, to make cream, to make shampoo. Since the other tea that you have done and cannabis, the tea that you know, you can make lettuce and then it's going to be made cream, it's going to be made shampoo, it's going to be made kai, and then shers, and then tab, and then it's going to be made, it's going to be made rope, cord, it's going to be made cord. And we are going to invite you to join us as we are going to connect with the government of Japan, cannabis, ginger, for asthma, for cancer, for epilepsy, for multiple sclerosis, and for mal, the animal animal, and then you can cover a yen if you can help malac or ginger, cannabis. Government has announced a charge of petrol for gasoline, diesel, and also for food. A cylinder goes on sale, and then it's gone. It's a change in the country, operation, since Wednesday the 26th March. Gasoline will use $2.45 for $3, and $4.6. Diesel, diesel and so on. three four six four five six six six six six six six six six six five six six six The Atlantic High Pressure System will maintain a moderate to brisk easterly wind flow across St. Lucia and the rest of the eastern Caribbean region over the next few days. Low-level clouds drifting with this flow will bring scattered showers over the islands during the next 24 hours. The tide for Castries Harbor was low at 11.19pm and will be high again at 7.49pm. Tide for V4 Bay was low at 2.46pm and will be high again at 8.56pm. The seas moderate to locally rough with waves 5-7 feet or 1.5-2.1 meters. Small craft operators and sea bedders are advised to exercise caution due to above normal seas. The sun will rise Tuesday at 6.04am. And that brings us to the end of the NCN 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'm Nisha Charles.