 Welcome to the NTN Nightly. I'm Nisha Chance. This edition stops stories. Saint Lucia's Prime Minister calls for more regional attention on the withdrawal of Correspondent Banking Services. More young Saint Lucia's receive training under the National Apprenticeship Programme. The new faces of democracy show up in the nation's youth. All that plus the NTN Nouvelle-Arcueil. Saint Lucia's Prime Minister Hon. Alan Shasne has called for increased attention by character leaders on the withdrawal of Correspondent Banking Services from the region as well as blacklisting by the European Union. Hon. Shasne made the call as he delivered his outgoing address as chairman of the Caribbean Community. Prime Minister Shasne took over the chairmanship in July of 2019 and gave an account of the 31st inter-sessional meeting of the Conference of Heads of Governments of the Caribbean Community on the way in Marbetas. Prime Minister of Saint Lucia and the immediate past chairman of the Caribbean Community Caricum, Hon. Alan Shasne, speaking at the conference highlighted a number of challenges confronting member states, including climate change, blacklisting by the European Union, adversities facing small island states in the international community, the ongoing situation in Venezuela, and the risk in the region. The risk in refers to the restriction of Correspondent Banking Relationships or business services from major global banks to certain jurisdictions due to concerns over money laundering or potential involvement in financing of terrorist activities. Prime Minister Hon. Shasne highlighted how crucial it was that Caricum continues to lobby to have these issues addressed. In November last, as a direct result of Saint Lucia meeting, a delegation from the community led by the distinguished Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda took the issue of Correspondent Banking and de-risking to Washington in light of the threat of our financial institutions losing critical relationships with U.S. banks. I can report that we have moved the needle on de-risking and that the OECS is working on a single compliance department. We were able to draw the attention of the members of the Financial Services Committee of the United States Congress and senior representatives of major U.S. banks, including the Bank of America, to the catastrophic effect which the stringent measures being imposed on domestic banks by Correspondent Banks in the United States, and a negative impact which the withdrawal of such services was having on economies in the Caribbean member states. The Prime Minister disclosed that up to mid-2018, 25 percent of the 50 banks operating within Caricum countries had reported termination of Correspondent Banking Services, while 75 percent reported that they were facing certain Correspondent Banking restrictions. Other negative consequences include an increase in operational costs, an extension in the processing time for international payments and increased difficulty in account opening or securing banking services. The Prime Minister noted another issue plaguing the region, that of blacklisting. He indicated that a Caricum delegation interfaced with the European Union on the troubling issue which still exists today. Member states of the community, however, continue to take the necessary steps to comply with the demands of the regulating agencies. But while they do, countries in our region are still being penalized. Some of us remain on the grey list while only one member state remains on the blacklist. We must continue working until all of us are off the list. But more importantly, we must make every effort to ensure that this undemocratic and discriminatory practice of a public blacklist is discontinued. The 31st Intersectional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of Caricum was held on 18 February 2020. For the Government Information Service, I am Janelle Norvel. The National Apprenticeship Programme NAP is continuing to fulfill its mandate of providing training and employment opportunities for St. Lucia's unemployed youth. Anise Antoine reports on the latest cohort of trainees under the Tourism Hospitality Programme conducted in partnership with Monro College. The National Apprenticeship Programme through the Monro College International Hospitality Training Institute will be providing a second leg of hospitality training to over 50 young persons from the constituency of Anselary Canaries. The three-month programme forms part of an initiative by the Government of St. Lucia to help alleviate the high unemployment rate amongst our youth. Director of the National Apprenticeship Programme NAP, Dr. Wendy Mosheri encouraged the apprentices to make the most of the opportunity. You have started a journey that we at NAP and at Monro will assist you. We will help you to go right through this journey and to complete it successfully. About three years ago, the Government of St. Lucia recognised that unemployment was extremely high among the young persons, especially in the South, decided to begin the National Apprenticeship Programme. The mandate that we have is to train young persons, unemployed persons, give them skills, give them knowledge that they need to become more employable as well as getting new employment opportunities. So we will get you to interviews but NAP does not give you jobs. I want you to bear this in mind. We take you to the interview but you have to sell yourself at the interview to get the job. Recognising that not everyone is as able, the Government of St. Lucia is absorbing 33% of the cost and the participants will contribute the balance. Additionally, each student will receive a stipend of $500 monthly. Minister for Tourism Information and Broadcasting, Culture and Creative Industries and Parliamentary Representative for Ancillary Canaries, Hon. Dominic Fede, noted that the best thing a Government can do for young people is to empower them to become independent. If there is one thing that I will feel proud as that I have been able to be associated with during my tenure as Parliamentary Rep is this, not fixing the roads, not fixing the roads, not creating buildings or fixing playing fields but investing in you and building you and giving you the best chance for you to become the best versions of yourself. That's why we do this. This is for you. The Atlantico trainee of the National Apprenticeship Programme expressed gratitude to the Government of St. Lucia and the Monroe College for the opportunity. I do believe that I will achieve much more experience in hospitality and I would encourage all the young people to do take this programme that will help them in life and will help them in the future. Upon completion of the programme, the trainees will be placed on internships within the hospitality sector. The opening ceremony for the National Apprenticeship Programme took place at the Millet Community Centre on Tuesday, February 18th, 2020. From the Government Information Service, I am Anisia Andouan reporting. The Department of Health and Wellness holds meetings to discuss, review and evaluate St. Lucia's level of preparedness for a possible case of the coronavirus. More in this report from Fanel Neptune. As the Department of Health and Wellness continues its effort to ensure preparedness to manage the threat of coronavirus, a review meeting was held on the recent incident of an individual treated as a suspected case of coronavirus. The meeting provided participants with the opportunity to identify gaps and to make necessary recommendations to strengthen the country's response to the coronavirus. Chief Medical Officer Dr Sharon Belma-George says the dialogue was extremely important as it allowed them to identify the shortcomings in response to the recent incidents and to chart the way forward. This really provided us with an opportunity to test our national plan and our protocols to date. We were able to do a review from his coming to the Souffre Hospital. We had the team from the Souffre Hospital there to give us feedback on what occurred and how it occurred and we were able to look at what was done and how it was done in an effort to improve the situation. Very integral was the Victoria Hospital. The Medical Director was there as well, so she was able to walk through everything that happened that evening and she was able to point out what worked and also she was able to identify some of the gaps that exist at Victoria Hospital. Dr Belma-George expressed the Department of Health's commitment to make the necessary changes in the management of a possible case of the coronavirus to our shores. Some of the gaps that we've noted so far is that we have to increase our surveillance. Our healthcare workers have to be more aware of the environment that we are in and ask relevant questions. Also we noted there was a level of panic at the hospital initially which I think may have been expected especially for the first possible case. So going through the days happening with him coming into VH it really helped us to see where we need to put extra resources to be able to manage. We also looked at the communication strategy that was used that night and ways of strengthening to ensure that the correct information is going to the public. The Chief Medical Officer also reiterated that St Lucia has no cases of the coronavirus. Reporting from the Communications Unit of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, I am Fina Neptune. And this is the NTN Nightly. We'll be back in a moment. Let's celebrate our 41st Independence Anniversary with a musical explosion! Friday 21st February at 7 p.m. The City Center comes alive! At the best of St Lucia concerts! Enjoy performances, our best of the past and present! Invader Ashanti Her Black T. Carroll Arthur Michael Robinson Tennyson John Ricky G Slobunts and many more amazing talents We'll take the stage! Welcome back. St Lucia's youth relished the opportunity to be heard by the nation's leaders as they participated in the National Youth Parliament on Tuesday 18th February. More on that in a moment. But first, the youth parliamentarians interfaced with the Cabinet of Ministers and held frank dialogue on many issues of national interest. Here's Danielle Dubois of the Communications Unit at the Office of the Prime Minister. Members are candid and informative exchange as youth parliamentarians joined the Cabinet of Ministers at their regular Cabinet meeting on Monday. The 17 youth parliamentarians are gearing up for the first sitting of youth parliament on Tuesday 18th February 2020. After months of training and engagement, 17 young persons from around the island will fill the seats of our highest chambers, the House of Assembly. Shine Savory, who is the youngest among the selected for the debate, expressed how forums like these are important and give them an opportunity to make a valid contribution to decision-making. This morning we were invited to Cabinet to have a word with some of the ministers and this opportunity was really beneficial to us because we were able to hear from the actual parliamentarians who have this as their profession and being able to hear their experiences. We heard some advice for if we would like to have actual parliamentarians in the future. We got some advice on the proceedings and hearing this as a youth parliamentarian, what is supposed to be mimicked in parliament from people who actually have experience, as they said, some going on 30 years of this experience. It was beneficial to us being able to internalize it because even though it is a youth parliament, we still have to take this seriously. The youth parliamentarians will serve a 10-year of one year where they will be expected to engage in training, youth advocacy and community outreach. What we are doing this time around that has never been done before is having the youth parliamentarians serve one year as their 10-year and of course during that time when they are not necessarily sitting within the structure of the house they will be responsible for community engagement etc. So the youth parliamentarians would have already done community projects in December where they were responsible for giving every child, one child in their constituency a gift. They were responsible for feeding the less fortunate in Kashi's central. So then all of this is part and parcel of being a parliamentarian. So of course we want to give that practicality to it. So as I mentioned before, the one-year stint as a youth parliamentarian will start in February and end when the new court is selected. Chavon Bryan, who will serve as Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, went on to give details about the papers being laid at the house on Tuesday of this week. The motion that is stable in the parliament tomorrow is one that deals with education reform and not just the overall reformation of the system but we're looking at several other areas with the inclusion of technical vocational education training and we also are looking at the abolishment of the common entrance examination process. The motion aims to bring out our proposals as a government to redefine how we approach the holistic development of our students and the main areas that are targeting in the motion are the primary and secondary school levels. At the end of the session, the ministers gave each parliamentarian a token of appreciation in the form of a St. Lucian flagpin. Reporting for the Office of the Prime Minister, I am Danielle Dubois. And coming off that session, the young parliamentarians were eager to take their place in the parliament chamber. Under the theme New Faces of Democracy, youth parliamentarians gathered in parliament on Tuesday for the independence youth parliament debate. The youth debate sought to discuss a number of issues including education reform. The motion before parliament on Tuesday was the establishment of a national curriculum that is balanced and broad based which fosters the holistic development of the child. Education Minister and member for Kashi South, Alan's plant, tabled that motion. In the past years, our knowledge regarding child development has expanded, Mr. Speaker. At this stage, teachers, parents or guardians alike would want a lot more from the children's education that is in tune with each child's unique needs and skills and one that prepares for other to. Mr. Speaker, in characterizing school subjects, the holistic approach seeks to empower children to use their academic learning as a foothold for their social and measurable skills. Our holistic approach in building our students must prepare them for the future and help them tackle any of life's uncertainties. Mr. Speaker, an education system must focus the child as a whole which means it must cater to the physical, emotional, social and cognitive development of children. This in turn creates progressive thinkers of society. Member for Gastry's North and Youth Prime Minister, Siobhan Bryan, deemed that the establishment of the national curriculum was integral to education reform. He says it begins at the primary school level with the introduction of an aptitude test. This aptitude test is not just meant to just be given to a primary school student to a primary school student, sorry, and entered and assessed by the teacher. This aptitude test ensures that the parents are included in the dialogue. And we recognize the strength of families in this country, Mr. Speaker. When the parents are involved, Mr. Speaker, holistically, the child develops at a more tuned rate, Mr. Speaker. A lot of the deficiencies that happen at Worms, Mr. Speaker, they are transferred to the school system. You have children, Mr. Speaker, coming from Bokkun homes dealing with all social ills, drug abuse, physical abuse, mental abuse. I like the member for Gastry's South said, Mr. Speaker. All those factors come into play at the time a child may or may not decide to sit the common entrance examination. The independence youth parliament was organized by the National Youth Council as part of activities for St. Lucia's 41st independence celebrations. And stay with the NTN Nightly. Up next is Primus Hutchinson with the NTN Nouvelle Arquillo. It's up to you and me to keep St. Lucia away above the rest. Sharing your information is so important to cover economy. We rather move to improve. Call the Ministry of Tourism at 468-4629 to be part of this movement. Welcome back. We join Primus Hutchinson with the NTN Nouvelle Arquillo. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Madam Department of Investing and Investing for the Government of the National Youth Council, and the NTN Nouvelle Arquillo. We welcome Primus Hutchinson. We also welcome the Nouvelle Arquillo to be part of the activities for St. Lucia's 42nd independence celebration. We also welcome the Nouvelle Arquillo to be part of the activities for St. Lucia's 42nd independence celebration. I will finish in the beginning of Thank you. Wilco Street is a place where you can help to improve the way that is easier and more comfortable. For Wilco Street, Peter St. Francis, it is a place where you can help. We have a lot of people who are working in the city, but it is critical to make the most of the necessary places to make it easier. We have a lot of people who work in the business. The first phase is to make it easier and more comfortable and more comfortable. We have a lot of places to work in the business and to sell various items for the public. What we are doing is making it easier to make it easier to make it easier to make it easier and more comfortable to make it easier and more comfortable. We have a lot of people who work in the business in Ceant, and we do a lot from June to June. We have a lot of people who work not pleasing to the public nor cheapen at the moment. We also have a lot of facilities to make it easier forヨルシ address. Yugo also felicitates his employer, who is a resident of Shoe Azei, for working with his employer. There is work that is a little easier. There is a studio and a restaurant that provides service for the boss. So, Yugo, let the boss try his lot at the restaurant. Here, Yugo is a resident of Shoe Azei, who is also a resident of Shoe Azei. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has done the consumer trade, which is also a representative of Shoe Azei. We are Bradley Felix, a co-founder and director of Shoe Azei for Shoe Azei and Shoe Azei. I am Felix, and I am here to help the Greek and international business. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has done the consumer trade, which is a representative of Shoe Azei. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has done the consumer trade, which is also a representative of Shoe Azei. Investment in Shoe Azei is also a representative of Shoe Azei's site, where we provide services to the business community, and the work the people doing their job. We also provide services to the public, where the tool is used and served for diversity. We also provide work to the west side, to serve Adelsa Shoe Azei and the Shoe Azei trade. Minister of Education and Collaboration with the Agents Commonwealth of Learning, UNESCO and Hewlett Foundation to organize a four-day workshop on how to build capacity for the education resource and the needs of the call. The initiative, like IED, is to reduce the amount of money that is spent to buy materials that can also improve the capacity of the institution. The resource of education is that it is possible to find a place to study, to learn and to find materials that are available to the public, that can help people to pay for them. It is also possible to find a place to study, without any restrictions, if there is a need for education. The Ministry of Education and the Agents Commonwealth of Learning have developed a way to help people to get education. At that time, it was the 25th of January. And that's how we found this new initiative. Thank you so much for watching. Thank you for the invitation. I would like to say thank you very much to all of you, and thank you very much to all of you. Thank you very much, Prime Minister. And here's a look at what's happening to us, whether wise. Partly cloudy, hazy and breezy, becoming cloudy at times with some widely scattered showers. The Atlantic high pressure system will continue to generate moderate to brisk easterly winds and rough seas around the eastern Caribbean region for the next few days. Moisture and instability at the lower levels of the atmosphere will continue to cause occasional cloudiness and showers over the eastern Caribbean islands during the next 24 hours. A plume of thick Saharan dust haze is expected to cause a significant reduction in visibility and air quality around the eastern Caribbean during the next 24 to 48 hours. The tide for Castries Harbor was higher at 12.55pm and will be lower again at 7.53pm. The tide for V4 Bay was higher at 2.02pm and will be lower again at 9.20pm. The seas locally rough with waves and northerly to northeasterly swells 7 to 10 feet or 2.1 to 3.0 meters. Small craft operators and sea bathers are advised to exercise extreme caution due to brisk winds and rough seas. The sun will rise Thursday at 6.25am. And that brings us to the end of the NTN Nightly. Join us next time at 7pm with a repeat at 7am. You can also catch up with us anytime on the San Nusha Government Facebook page or YouTube channel. I'm Nisha Charles.