 Coming to you from RGIS Studios, I am Anisia Antoine and this is your midday news brief. The National Commission for UNESCO's inaugural Poetry Competition was organised in observance of the 20th anniversary of International Mother Language Day which was observed on the 20th of February 2019. The competition provided an opportunity to reflect on the theme of the Independence Anniversary which inspires us to consider how fast a Nusha has come as a country. The competition ran for one month commencing in February and closing on the 21st of March 2019 which was observed as World Poetry Day. Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Information and Broadcasting, Culture and Creative Industries, Suzette Shaw, tells the competition speaks volumes to the values placed on the Creole language. The winners of the competition were Alsace Ishmael in first place, second place went to Rochelle Victor and third place went to Eva Stanislas and Jacqueline Simon. A special prize was awarded to Sturrano-Jerbatist who was the only entrant in the junior category. In commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the St. Lucia Red Cross, the National Society hosted an anniversary gala. In attendance at the gala were members of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross. The vision of the Red Cross is to be the leading humanitarian organisation in St Lucia, alleviating the suffering of the most vulnerable. Hubert Pierre, President of the St Lucia Red Cross, expressed gratitude to the volunteers for the support rendered over the years. The formal gala took place on Saturday, October 12th, 2019. As part of the celebration, the Red Cross Society also hosted a cocktail event on Sunday, October 13th at Government House. Highlighting the importance of road safety, the Permanent Secretary indicated that the Ministry would be taking advantage of the UN's Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011 to 2020. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognises that road safety is a prerequisite to ensuring healthy lives, promoting well-being and making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. The Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011 to 2020 officially proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in March 2010 six to save millions of lives by building road safety management capacity, improving the safety of road infrastructure, further developing the safety of vehicles, enhancing the behaviour of road users and improving post-crash response. Guided by the Global Plan, the Decade of Action offers a framework for policy, practice and advocacy to help countries achieve their sustainable development goals. The entire Road Improvement Project is expected to be completed over a period of two and a half years. This has been your media news brief. Thank you for watching.