 Welcome to India Nightly. I am Humadi Mark. This edition stops stories. Santhusia records a steady decline in the number of COVID-19 cases. The Rastafari community discusses COVID-19 vaccination with health officials. And the OAS celebrate people of African descent. The Ministry of Health and Wellness is reporting a steady decline in the number of COVID-19 cases. People accessing care respiratory clinics as well as the number of admissions at the respiratory hospital. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sharon Belmar George is encouraged with the progress thus far in managing the third wave of infection. With the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, the CMO is hopeful for improvements in the quality of life for citizens. However, Dr. Belmar George warns that the battle against COVID-19 is not over. Understand and acknowledge the level of frustration that the public has had to endure by the many protocols and lockdowns in the past year. These measures have been implemented in an effort to reduce the impact of the virus on our vulnerable population. As we reduce the cases and the risk, we have been reducing the strict measures in a controlled manner. At this point, we remind the public that although we note the flattening of this third wave, we still have over 100 active cases. We would like to alert the public that mass crowd activities and open socialization is not recommended nor approved at this time in our management of the pandemic. We continue to receive numerous reports of widespread socialization across the island. We are still at high risk at this point in time. Dr. Belmar George says the public health team is working to reduce the number of active cases to less than 50 in order to enable safe opening of activities. The CMO is urging the public to cooperate and be patient. The premature social activity will lead to an upsurge of cases given the exponential transmission typical of this virus. As such, everyone is reminded to continue adhering to the infection prevention and control measures that have proven to reduce transmission of the COVID-19 virus and keep us safe. These include the following to wash your hands often if soap and flowing water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Wear your mask which covers your nose, mouth and chin. Maintain physical distance from others and avoid crowded activities. Let us all work together to sustain the safe reopening of school in April and maintain the numerous gains that we have achieved thus far. A total of 3,977 people have recovered from COVID-19 in St. Lucia. There have been 58 COVID-19 related deaths up to 25 March 2021 with a total of 4,161 cases to date. Meantime, the director of the Pan-American Health Organization, Dr. Carissa Etienne, is warning of a COVID-19 surge in the Americas. In the past week, over 1.2 million people were infected with the virus in the Americas, while 31,272 people have died. The pandemic is particularly dire in South America, where the infection is reported to be spiking in Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay, where the health system is buckling under the pressure. Cases are also soaring in Brazil, Venezuela, Bolivia, Peru and Guatemala. In the Caribbean, a majority of cases were reported by Jamaica, where they have reasons steadily for several weeks. Cuba is also reporting an increase in cases, along with Aruba, Kerasol and Antigua and Vapuido. What I've just described is an active public health emergency. The COVID-19 virus is not receding, nor is the pandemic starting to go away. Vaccines are coming, but they are still several months away from most people in our region. Until they arrive and until most of the population is vaccinated, we must continue to do what works. Wear a mask, maintain your distance, avoid large gatherings and follow the guidance of your local health authorities. And this is especially important with holidays coming up in many countries. People cannot and must not let down their guard by engaging in close contact with others. Dr Etienne informed that OECS member states can expect the first shipment of vaccines from the COVAX facility between April 5th or April 6th. Some countries in our region have received zero doses of vaccines through COVAX thus far. Other countries are getting enough to vaccinate a mere two to three percent of their populations. Although we expect that, you know, every country in Latin America and the Caribbean will receive some vaccines in early April, those deployments of doses are not and I stretch not enough to protect vulnerable groups. So this makes it imperative that rich countries with surplus doses of vaccines, that they share their doses with countries that have received few vaccines through donations to COVAX all by other means. Director of PAHO, Dr Carissa Etienne. Members of the RACIFARI community were granted the opportunity to gain knowledge and voice their concerns in regard to the COVID-19 vaccine. More in this report from Frenel Neptune. The Ministry of Health recently held a sensitization session with the RACIFARI community, aimed at bringing awareness and building confidence among them of the COVID-19 vaccine and the policy. Family Life Educator in the Bureau of Health Education, Naomi Grandisson says it is necessary to engage the RACIFARI community in dialogue as they also play an important part in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. There are persons within the community who are interested in taking the vaccine, but the misconceptions have been out there. So we're hoping that the information brought forward for these persons can help them to clarify some of those misconceptions so that they will be more open and for those who have their belief and their faith that we can find a way that we respect it and we give them the reassurance that this process, this vaccine is voluntary. This is a policy of the government that it be voluntary and persons not be forced to take the vaccine. And this is something that is very important for their principle and their practice. So giving that reassurance too also helps us to develop that level of trust and hopefully it's not just about the vaccination but also the trust and the collaboration between the two of us. Ambassador of the Ethiopia Africa Black International Congress, YBIC, the Honourable Priest Kailash Leo says despite a rastafari community opposing to vaccination in general, they welcome the discussion with health officials and chat away forward. Our main focus is that the members of the rastafari community who do choose to take the vaccine, that they are that assurance that if it is that any harm is caused to them after taking the vaccine, that they will be duly compensated or they will be taken care of if it is that there is some adverse side effect or there is something that happens to them. And also so for the people who do not intend to take the vaccine and to maintain that principle, that they have that official exemption that will not prevent them from actually moving and participating in the activity or whatever means of economic achievements that they have to actually do. The Ministry of Health reminds the public that the choice to receive the COVID-19 vaccine is voluntary. Reporting from the Communications Unit of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, I am Fonal Neptune. The Organization for American States OAS this week is celebrating the fourth annual Inter-American Week for people of African descent in the Americas. The OAS Assistant Secretary, His Excellency Nestor Mendez, underscores the importance of observing the annual event with activities that foster greater awareness and respect for the heritage and culture of people of African descent and their contribution to the development of society. This seminal week was established by the member states of the OAS in February 2018 to remember the legacy of slavery and the slave trade, to be continually mindful of their consequences on the lives of Afro-descendants and fostering greater awareness and respect for the diversity of the heritage and culture of the people of African descent and their contribution to the development of society. The immense positive contribution that people of African descent have had on the socio-economic, political and cultural spheres of our societies is undeniable. The observance is being held under the theme Ending Slavery's Legacy of Racism, the imperative for strengthening justice and resilience in Afro-descendant communities in the Americas in the face of COVID-19. The theme highlights the ongoing struggle to eradicate the vestiges of structural racism which permit our societies and the fundamental need for the implementation of measures to address its root causes and engender a more just society. The COVID-19 pandemic has glaringly unmasked these social inequities where in some cases Afro-descendants are more likely to die from COVID-19 than any other racial group, primarily due to disparities in economic inequality, overcrowded housing, environmental risks and limited access to healthcare. The virus of racism must be confronted and eradicated. Activities commemorating the observance includes virtual exhibition, workshops and panel discussions. The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force has resolved to ramp up intelligence-driven patrols and hotspot policing amid a soaring homicide rate. Commissioner of Police Milton Desi says police are making headway into their investigations into recent killings. He says particularly disturbing was the tag-acid attack on Executive Secretary of the Grosely Minnibus Association, Hermia Lord. She was shot at point blank and a defenseless person, a male coming to a woman. This I think is something that we need to look at and actually we are pursuing a suspect in that matter and we are hoping that justice would be served when this person is arrested. Desi encourages the public to assist the police in their investigations. In fact instead of circulating voice notes or messages that you could get to someone, the Office of the Commissioner, a close friend as it has been communicated, police that you trust, somebody give them that information which would be relayed to the investigators so that we would be able to see light through our investigations. So I'm appealing to members of the public and also thanking those who have come forward to give information. Commissioner of Police Milton Desi. This is Ntien Naikli. Up next, Primus Hutchinson with the Ntien Nouvella Quayol. Welcome back. We join Primus Hutchinson for the Ntien Nouvella Quayol. This is NIC, 29.4 million dollars. It was set in March 2021. The Office of the Commissioner for Police Milton Desi has a total of 27 million dollars and the Ntien Nouvella Quayol has a total of 4 million dollars. The Office of the Commissioner for Police Milton Desi has a total of 10% for 20 months The Office of the Commissioner for Police Milton Desi has a total of 10% for 20 months. It has beeneraplaced five times. It is that number the dentists working the first time against Ntien Nouvella Quayol. First, The Office of the Commissioner for Police Milton Desi has a total of 10% for 20 months. So may everyone in our workplace then complain because we Settlesie, comme paye à cap, préparé pour industry touristique la vie au point amoutant, qui c'est un bon signe à faveur économie Settlesie pour s'y citer encore. Organisation pour les Settlesie, ou à portée qui, la téné, une augmentation en limo, moune, qui désobéit protocol pour protection corona, et que ça c'est un premier quartier l'année salaire. Vapo'a police camoutoué à 27 décembre 2020 pour les vies amour de mars 2020, y'a registré 126 cas des obéissances pour protocol par opération business paye à Selma. Police a été 18 mounes vétées 1118 pendant y'a-moune-touvé-codanie, la téné, 17 mounes qui désobéit quarantine à Khayyumem, y'a portée au rapport qui 12 festes t'aient proué à Khaymoune, et police a été 6 mounes par conséquence de ça. Y'a aussi a été y'a moune-touvé-codanie en session coûtée plusieurs mounes t'aies semblée, et police a vétées 16 les vestes. Police a aussi t'aie appellé par ciasse et par secteur transportation publique à coup encore. Coûtée y'a vétée 1118 cas des obéissances par chauffeur d'autope passager. Police a coûté par porte-platte-code pièce à y'a. Y'a a été y'a moune-touvé-codanie à d'ailleurs hôtel a qu'y'a vétée 10 les autres. Superintendent Dr. Mashama Silly déclare qu'y'a pas misé des obéissances protocol, si des mounes qu'y'a t'aient ni masse 6,000 mounes pour period salar. Police a été des 100 y'a mounes, 17 mounes t'aies fait print-code a lot moune, et counte moune-touvé-codanie. Police cafe publique a sauvé qu'y'a coûté l'oie pour moune-touvé-codanie. Dr. Silly annonce aussi qu'y'a pas finisement cement park depuis vradi les deuxième pour les sec avui qu'y'a commencé a s'étter au soir pour quatre momentes. Y'a business ni pour fermer d'ici au soir. Police concerné aussi qu'y'a moune-touvé-codanie coûté un cabaret cabret a qu'y'a pas d'la main sans suivre ces protocol qu'y a placé. Bivoua qu'y'a ouest-ce que ça a pour ménagement plus tôt cette l'ici? J'y a préparé et qu'y'ai présenté y'a un video pour vous placer qu'y'a un grand héritage salar pour cette l'ici. Posatation video a qu'aie un cad section qui qu'aie mou toué diverses activitie. Peu exemple, théâtre, danser, ex chanson, aussi diverses bénéfices qu'y'on peut trouver là où y'on peut y tomber un bas valet héritage mondial. Moune qui j'a fait diverses contributions aussi pour c'est plus tôt, hein, trouver dégoué l'honneur héritage salar aussi y'on discussion et puis misé Giles Romulus qui c'est go-gwek de tout développement tôt été démenagement, développement, c'est plus tôt cette l'ici, a pas mis plaisir dans l'activité. D'où on m'a ad-favoué 2000 vétés, bioautorité, démenagement plus tôt cette l'ici, et puis c'est pour on y va, Dr Gail Rigabet ex-departement, qui est USCOSAB pour attotner développement sustainable, c'est pour du production salar qui a cad section, c'est ministre Dr Rigabet qui presenté programme là, officiellement, comme c'est les qui USCOSAB du wanton salar comme c'est du USCOSAB du wanton salar, il y a du SILI-VES, WEG qui est gouverne operation initiative salar et, monsieur le Président, s'assoit qu'on a tout à bout du nouvel, on m'a carré messieurs autres pour qu'à garder, on m'a carré invité à se faire. Je vais me remercier de quoi ça fait la vie et je vais poser tout à lot, nouvel à quoi il y a la presse on m'a carré de poser tout à homo Messieurs fuel primers that brings us to the end of NTN Nightly Join us next time at 7 p.m. with the repeat at 7 a.m. You could also catch up with us anytime on the government obscene to your Facebook page or YouTube channel. I'm Hermione Mark.