 The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs is employing patrons as well as concessionaires of the San Dusha Jazz and Arts Festival to strive to maintain healthy habits and avoid any form of recklessness that can potentially compromise their personal safety and that of others. Ernie Pier, Senior Environmental Health Officer and Program Manager for Food Safety at the Department of Environmental Health, says his department is working closely with the event's company of St. Lucia to ensure compliance in several areas during the St. Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival. We are not only looking at food safety as well at the event – we are looking at water, water-quality, availability of toilets, water management among other things. But to focus on food safety, a list has been provided to us of all the vendors that will be partaking in the event. We have been mobilizing our inspectors at the places where the food is being prepared. They are being inspected as we speak, a lot of them have been inspected. The persons are obtaining the licenses to operate. Notwithstanding that we have trained a number of the food handlers that are partaking in the event that includes those that are at Moshi Martial at the event that took place recently. We work very closely with those vendors to ensure the safety of food. We are also working with the vendors at Main Stage that is at Pigeon Island to ensure food safety. They are visiting our office ensuring that the health cards are in order, obtaining the temporary permits. Food safety falls under the ambit of the Public Health Act and so there are certain requirements that must be met in order for one to engage in food vending. According to the Senior Environmental Health Officer, officers from his department will have a presence at Main Stage at Pigeon Island on Sunday to ensure that the food that has been offered for sale meet all of the standard requirements. Officer in charge of the Substance Abuse Advisory Council's Secretariat, Natasha Lloyd-Philix, says for its part, the Secretariat would like to see people take personal responsibility for their health even amidst their festivity. For us, we are particularly pleased to see the manner in which people have been able to enjoy themselves from the launch up to this present day where we haven't heard of any significant incidents or accidents but we see people truly coming together in a very celebratory manner. With that being said though, from the point of view of the Substance Abuse Advisory Council's Secretariat, we encourage all to be mindful of the manner in which they go about celebrating, ensuring that they pay due attention to their health practices, particularly drinking habits. Alcohol is legal for adults and we encourage you as you may choose to have a drink or two to ensure that you pay attention to having it on a full stomach. It's actually protective of your health and your well-being and those around you as well. We ask you please to not drink and drive. If you are in the company of others, designate a driver. It protects you from accidents, from incidents as well as other members of the motoring, commuting and pedestrian public. Cigarette smoking is actually not allowed in public spaces. As of 2020, we had new public health legislation which put a ban on smoking in public spaces, which would include locations where festivities are being held. But more so, not so much a policy perspective, we appeal to you from a personal perspective to take responsibility of your health and the health of those around you. Secondhand smoke is dangerous to health, is harmful to health, does cause illness, does cause also death. And so we ask others who are around who may be smoking to not smoke in public spaces. Smoking is actually a very big health risk in terms of human health damage. And with that being said, we encourage all to go through your celebrations in a very festive manner, but bear in mind that we want to see you happy, healthy on a very long-term basis and we encourage you to protect your health and those around you. Additionally, the Ministry of Health has suggested a list of actions that, if practiced, can reap great rewards. One, drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water daily and avoid direct sunlight. Two, get enough sleep, aim for 7 to 8 hours per night. Sleep deprivation also contributes to vehicular accidents. Three, seek medical attention if you are feeling unwell. Four, always be aware of your surroundings and protect your life and the property. From the Communication Unit of the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs, Julia Tepita reporting.