 Welcome to NTIA Nightly, I am Genel Norvel, this edition's top stories. The Ministry of Health engages the minibus sector on best practices for COVID-19 prevention. Caribbean countries urge to participate in COVID-19 vaccine trials and exploring alternative pathways for common entrance students who scored below the national mean. As St. Lucia moves into the final stages of reopening the local economy, the Ministry of Health and Wellness has been engaging minibus operators in a dialogue on the best practices and behaviours to prevent the spread of COVID-19. More in this report from Fernelle Neptune. As part of reinforcing health protocols for COVID-19 on public transportation, the Ministry of Health and Wellness recently convened a meeting with bus drivers around the island. The bus drivers were provided with guidance for decreasing the risk of passengers and themselves contracting COVID-19. Chief Environmental Health Officer Parker Ragnanan spoke on the protocols expected for public transportation. The protocols are not very strenuous but they are important. So we talk about one, the wearing of a mask. Both the drivers and the passengers are expected to continue to wear face masks. The issue of hand sanitizing and it is important for provision to be made to allow for adequate sanitizers to be available for hand sanitizing as well as to maintain some physical distance on the vehicle. We think that is important to allow for space between passengers as well as to look at the procedure and the protocols for cleaning and decontaminating a bus. Ragnanan says the discussion with the bus drivers was quite engaging. Transport sector is looking at whether there is a possibility for increasing the number of passengers that they presently can have on a vehicle. That discussion is ongoing and no decision was taken on that matter at this meeting. We need to be very careful in terms of looking at public health and public health measures and we are adamant that these measures must be adhered to notwithstanding other arrangements that individuals would like to make. So we continue to emphasize the needs for protocols and adherence to these protocols. As it stands right now, up to 10 people are permitted to be on a public transport. Reporting from the Communications Unit of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, I am Funa Leptun. Meantime countries in the Americas are pulling their efforts to ensure access to treatments and vaccines for COVID-19. Director of the Pan American Health Organization, Dr. Carissa Atien, says as the global scientific community intensifies efforts at finding a vaccine, it is critical that the region ensures equal access to the life-saving tools when they become available. The last few months have ushered unprecedented collaboration among scientists, governments and global partners to develop coronavirus treatments and vaccines in record time. Today, there are more than 150 vaccine candidates in the pipeline and more than 20 of these are already being tested on volunteers with active participation of countries in our region, such as the United States of America, Canada, Brazil and Argentina. It is important that Latin America and the Caribbean join these clinical trials so we can participate in this global effort to accelerate the development of vaccines that are safe and effective for everyone. However, countries should only participate if it is done right with the adoption of proper regulatory, technical and ethical measures. Dr. Atien said that the PAHO Revolving Fund for Vaccines can be used as a strategic asset to buy and distribute vaccines for COVID-19 when they become available. PAHO is also involved in the WHO Covax Facility, a group effort to negotiate with vaccine producers. 20 of the 150 current vaccine candidates are already being tested on volunteers. The Covax Facility is grounded in the same principles of our Revolving Fund, shared resources and equitable access at affordable prices. The facility will negotiate on behalf of many countries worldwide with the producers of all promising COVID-19 vaccine candidates. This will enable countries, regardless of their income level, to secure better prices and assume less risk than if they negotiate individually. No country should do this alone, especially since we improve our chances of success and reduce competition if we work together. The Covax Facility is the best option to guarantee equitable access through fair allocation across countries and to reduce the risk of having no supply if a specific vaccine candidate fails. The PAHO Director says the region must now plan on how it will select, manufacture, pay for and distribute a COVID-19 vaccine. There is need Dr. Atien noted for the region to improve its regulatory capacities on immunization, post-market surveillance and boost vaccine programs. The Ministry of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development has alerted parents, students and teachers to the alternative pathways for common-entrance examination students who performed below the national mean. 45% of the common-entrance candidates failed to do so. Chief Education Officer Fiona Meyer has indicated overall improvements this year, not every child was successful. In keeping with the department's ethos of no child left behind, the Chief Education Officer indicated that there are other pathways which can lead to student success. Policy documentation over the last 30 years has made provisions for children up to the age of 13 by the 1st of September of the academic year to have an additional opportunity to sit the common-entrance examination in the following year. This is done in collaboration with the school's principal and is based on the space requirements at the school. The Department of Education explained that it is important that parents speak to school administrators and look at the various options available. The Department of Education in its total wisdom has seen it fit to invest in the care program. And in that regard has made facilities and resources available so that students whose parents want to engage us for the Office of the Chief Education Officer can make provisions for their children's education. And in particular, we applaud the care program for the soft skills, the improvement in literacy and numeracy skills that so many of our students desperately need and they have been able to provide. The important point to note is that there is a reintegration of students when after a year that they've completed care, they are given opportunities to come back into the secondary school setting as per discussions with the Chief Education Officer through that office and with the various principles of the secondary schools. In September 2019, the Center for Adolescent Renewal and Education care in partnership with the Department of Education, Innovation and Gender Relations offered places to students who performed below 30% in last year's Combinations examination. These students were admitted into the Junior Life Program, JLP with the option of reintegrating into a secondary school upon completion of the JLP or continuing into the Adolescent Development Program at care. The Chief Education Officer added that important factors in students' success are parental involvement, support and monitoring. That way, while necessary, there can be early intervention. And likewise as educators, we must focus on early intervention as early as kindergarten, as early as grade 1, grade 2 to note whether deficiencies lie with our children and how best we can support them. It is not about simply putting them through the primary school and getting access to higher education at the secondary school level, but it's about ensuring that they have the skills in order to do so. As I conclude, I will say to you, colleagues, our parents, the general populace, as adults, we must lead by example. We must lead by example in our words and our deeds. We have to speak positivity into our children. We have to affirm them. We have to value them. We have to point to improvements that they've done. And as you get the results, dear parents, note that our children are watching us intently as to our reactions. It is a time to hug your child and to really give them the impetus to continue to improve upon whatever they've started. Parents of students who attained a grade of 30% or less are encouraged to consider care as a pathway for their child. Interested parents should contact the school's supervision unit at 468-5261 or email at ceosecretaryateducation.gov.lc Government's decision to rebrand the St. Lucia Marketing Board is bearing fruit and proved sound as the Ministry of Agriculture assists farmers in mitigating the effects of COVID-19. Heroes Anissia Antoine. The Government of St. Lucia made a critical decision to restructure and revise the scope of the St. Lucia Marketing Board. One of the major threats of the newly structured board will be the facilitation of exports, as well as ensuring a more effective structure of farmer production and marketing to meet local, regional and international standards. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Natural Resources, Physical Planning and Cooperatives, Honourable Ezekiel Joseph, explained the rationale behind rebranding and reshaping the Marketing Board at this time. What we were told when we went around before COVID-19 planning for the 7-Crop Programme, right, that a number of the hoteliers were telling us, look, the reason why we are engaging small farmers directly because of reliability, okay? Now, on the ground, the challenge is that these small farmers, on their own, cannot, on a sustainable basis, supply the hotels. What's also happening is that you find they are cutting each other. Yes. All right? And also, the challenge, one of the challenges they had was the question of a timely payment. Yeah. We can say that since we have commenced restructuring the Sanction Marketing Board, we have not, and I'm happy to say that as minister responsible, I have not been, have the unfortunate responsibility to go to the minister of finance to ask for a bill on the Sanction Marketing Board. Yes, very good. The Sanction Marketing Board is holding on its own. They pay not farmers on a timely basis. By Morphelicia, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Natural Resources, Physical Planning and Cooperatives stressed on the importance of having an effective marketing body in creating and maintaining the demand for the goods produced by local farmers. We had a meeting with the marketing board and it's about rebranding and restructuring of marketing board to arrive at a suitable name and a suitable strategy to ensure that the marketing board gets the recognition that it needs. But as far as the access by farmers to the marketing board, during COVID, you've seen a resurgence of the visibility of the marketing board. Farmers came to the local market, came to the marketing board and the marketing board served as that herb that was always envisaged by the Department of Agriculture and the Government of San Bushia. So they were able to access that island-wide network that they have of food and redistribute to the persons that required it for their retail and for their other sources. So farmers were able to get an income in a time where hotels were closed, restaurants were closed from the marketing board during that period. So they served us well during COVID-19 and we want to ensure that the marketing board remains a strong institution to continue serving us well. The Permanent Secretary explained that under the newly restructured marketing entity, a pack house will be created. So a pack house is an area where you receive food, you clean it, sanitize it, package it and distribute it. The difference with this pack house is that it is going to be her substituted by hazard analysis, critical control point, which is an international food safety standard that you have to achieve if you want to export. So that pack house will serve as a hub. You'll be able to package and redistribute food. There will be a small lab for quick testing of chemical residue to ensure food safety. So that will be a hub, an easy redistribution center that farmers can access through the marketing, through the management of the entity. And once that is in place, then we'll see the resurgence of a strong marketing of local produce, locally, originally and internationally. The Ministry of Agriculture officials reaffirmed the Government of St. Lucia's commitment to supporting and assisting farmers. From the Government Information Service, I am Anicia Antoine reporting. The emergence of new airlines has served to assure Prime Minister the Honourable Alan Chathney of the viability of the regional air travel as Liat faces turbulence. The regional carrier is on the brink of liquidation due to substantial financial losses. Liat suffered an EC $12 million loss in 2019. Into 2020, months of losses due to coronavirus measures was the last straw compromised in its operations. The Government of Antigua and Barbuda, a shareholder of Liat, has indicated that a new entity called Liat 2020 will be formed. Honourable Chathney believes that the liquidation of Liat is creating new impetus in the Caribbean aviation industry. Those persons who had said, there's nothing to replace Liat, six airlines have stepped up. I think the important part is that I'm very, very happy that the other islands now have agreed to lower their inter-regional taxes. So, Lucia, when we introduced our new tax, created a two-tier system where we charge $98 for international travel and $60 for inter-regional travel. And we've always indicated that if the other countries are prepared to lower it and have a common tax, we're prepared to do so. I'm hearing things like $35 or $30 or $20. So that's very exciting. Prime Minister Chathney says existing carriers have expressed interest in expanding their operations. Also encouraging is the cost reduction on the number of flights. We're seeing airfares of $99 to fly to Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Vincent, and I think as far as Tortola. Inter-Caribbean is also looking to expand in the region. SVG is going to be looking to expand. There's a local company here with San Lucia helicopters that are looking to get into new equipment to expand. Caribbean Airlines and Air Antilles all have expressed interest in terms of expanding routes in between the regions. Liat has an overall debt of $100 million. And this is NTN Nightly. Up next, Prime Minister Hutchinson with the NTN Nouvelle, a quay all. In an effort to ensure patient and first responder safety, the St. Lucia Fire Service has reviewed its patient transfer procedures, especially for patients with respiratory distress. Face masks will be provided. At no time during transportation should the face mask be removed. Please be patient and cooperative during this time to ensure you receive the best possible care while keeping our first responders safe. Welcome back. We join Prime Minister Hutchinson for the NTN Nouvelle, a quay all. Thank you so much, General. Thank you, Madam Department. The University of St. Lucia Fire Service and the National Television, the NTN Nouvelle, a quay all. Thank you, Prime Minister Hutchinson. The Ministry of Education and the University of St. Lucia Fire Service are here with Dr. Gil Rigabet. We are very happy that your incident took place on Sunday the 12th of July in Baudelaume, Puget Island, near Genfith, Vila Moïse. Minister Rigabet said that it was worth the effort that the University of St. Lucia Fire Service has done in terms of sexual relations and family relations. I hope that you will always continue to do so. According to Dr. Rigabet, the system that we follow and that we live in is in a way that is not equal to the government that has been in a state that is justifying the Ministry of Education that if a situation is long ahead of the election, this system will have the opportunity to do so because it is not suitable for the government to have to deal with this so that it is not invisible for the people that are in the way. Dr. Rigabet also said I am also grateful for the efforts I have made, for the diversity I have done, and for talking about the Pensala. This is why I continue to do so, mainly because of the advantages that women have to face. This is a situation that, in the end, is a culture that can be justified in the first place. The Minister of Health, the Minister of Health, the Department of Health, and the Minister of Health, I have done so much to solve and resolve this situation, and I also work very closely with other agencies and other international organizations to continue to do assessments and to help them deal with this situation. I am also grateful for the diverse efforts I have made to correct domestic violence in this place. The Janné législation is an assistive place for public education, and the increase of resources available to the public generally. The Minister of Health, Café Yoan, calls for the authority to enforce and establish the Janné législation to seriously address the situation of domestic violence in this place. I am also grateful to the Department of Health, the Department of Health, the Minister of Health, the Minister of Health, and the Minister of Health, that I have also done so, particularly through the media, to work closely with other international organizations. This is why the Janné législation is so positive this Malaadi Corona situation. The human being, under the name of the 27th of January, the large key and we do necessarily see it with a testy a clear quarantine up a whistler whistler it any put up a little bit of portrait man put that man a cafe as a be a past key say we go to a home and say a city show so I wish I could need to have a moon key a quarantine you see so I see But, as you can see, in the 16th phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, the authorities have to pay a lot of attention to the needs of the citizens. So, I advise you to encourage the public to continue to follow all the protocols, such as mass services, health services, etc., etc. The Ministry of Health has made a call to the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Tourism to strengthen its work, particularly for the citizens of Yocamadi Public Law, to encourage the family and the examiners who have come to this country to stay in quarantine for 14 days. Not everyone in the country who is currently in quarantine can go to the police to learn compliance. The public phone number is 468-5349-468-532, which is 468-5312. If you have any information about the people who follow these protocols, particularly those who stay in the country. The hotels that are in compliance and protocols such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the citizens who have visited this place, such as the city of Bahia, I have organized various activities for their work, to know who is going to act, and these tourists to this hotel, and their experience as a hotel. I would also like to welcome from the hotel begatons, Madam Walter Patrick, to explain the quality of the place for the tourists in this hotel. The main thing I do is sanitize my hands. After sanitizing my hands, I put on temperature, I put a temperature, you call it, no money, papier, and then Clewom put you a coin call, you can put it on your computer. Okay. La Cléa, we sanitize it, we sell it to the guests, we add it to the guests, and then call it again. We have a conversation with the guests, to reflect, and then to remind, how do you say remind? To change. To change. That holiday, I'm going to stay in Rizotla, and I want to do all the services in Rizotla, and I want to accommodate the Ministry of Tourism to add entertainment, because after going on a vacation, and then eat, drink, and go to school. Thank you, Madam Patrick. The hotel that makes these guests change every day. It is necessary to follow all the protocols to protect the hotel, the three of you. So, you have to put the master in the property, the master can eat and serve you. So, you have to do it. And then, we have a guest, and then we have a cat. Cat for the first day. And then, let me ask you, because it's new, so I have been doing this for a long time, I have been with the guests for a long time. Can you explain to me what you have to say? I have been working for Hotel Sandals, Mamzell, Judith et Table, in the city of Prézint, and I have been working for Hotel Sandals in the same way that has led to the operation to make the guests work. That's all for this new interview. Thank you, Madam. I thank you so much for your invitation, for the invitation to come today, because I have a lot of new things to do in the future. That's all. Thank you, Mr. General. Merci, Opel Primus. And that brings us to the end of NTN Nightly. Join us next time at 7pm, with a repeat at 7pm. You can also catch up with us anytime on the St. Lucia Government Facebook page, or YouTube channel. I am the General Novel.