 Welcome to the NTA Nightly. I'm Nisha Charles. This edition's top stories. Prime Minister the Honourable Alan Shastney calls for bipartisan support in arresting violent crime in the country. St Lucia is urged to have a national conversation on the worrying trend of suicide among the youth. The Government of St Lucia has taken another significant step towards addressing vehicular traffic in the capital city. All that was the latest youth development sports and the NTA Nouvelle Aquile. Prime Minister the Honourable Alan Shastney has called for bipartisan support and participation in helping to stamp out the scourge of violent crime in the country. The Prime Minister made the appeal during the Parliament's sitting of Tuesday 26 March 2019. Honourable Shastney expressed deep concern about the involvement of young persons in the commissioning of crimes as he referenced the killing of Cedars resident Stanley Pistol. Mr. Pistol, who operated a mini-mart in the community, was shot on March 13, 2019 during a robbery at his place of business. That particular killing touched me. To see somebody who is making a positive contribution in our society and who is working as hard as he was and I know the shop had been robbed previously and that's why he was there to protect his wife. It's very troubling and again we have to do more in order to be able to guide our young people better. That the ability to walk in and to shoot somebody for less than $100 is a damning statement against all of us and our own failures. I say collectively not passing the blame to any one more person than another but we have got to be able to address this with our young people and bring back a sense of values particularly to life. Prime Minister Shastney also addressed the worrying trend of suicide. Honourable Shastney told the House that now more than ever there needs to be a national conversation on matters surrounding suicide. The Prime Minister's comments were prompted by the death of a 17-year-old Denry resident. There are some suggestions with regards to bullying and other issues and this is a very serious matter in this country. We're seeing way too many young people resorting to committing suicide to solve a problem and I think that this is something that's going to require even a greater level of attention and maybe some uncomfortable subject matters that we have unfortunately avoided that we're going to have to address them because this is the reality of what our world is today. And again, a member from Denry, South if you can please again pass on the condolences of all of us to the family and certainly we always empathize when a young person particularly just getting into making a major contribution to our society is lost. And that was Prime Minister the Honourable Alan Shastney. Meantime the Department of Health and Wellness continues to appeal to the public to seek help to deal with suicide ideation. In the last year the Department recorded a decrease in the number of suicides. The Department recorded three completed suicides in 2018 compared to 13 in 2017 and officials are hoping that their efforts would result in further decrease. More from Fidel Neptune. Consultant psychiatrist Dr. Julius Gilead highlighted the changes in the suicide rates over the last three years. As was noted between 2015 and 2017 there was an average of about 7 to 8 completed suicides for the year and that was after the national health plan was started. But in 2017 there was a bump up to 13 which we saw a decrease last year to 3. Dr. Gilead applauded the suicide prevention efforts of the Department especially with the support of the national health plan and also sensitization activities. The consultant psychiatrist also noted that despite the decrease in suicide rates the Department will continue to embark on initiatives to mask significant gains in suicide prevention. We plan on doing things a little better this year to continue to sensitize the public as to the presence of the health plan and to remind the persons that it is there for them in case they're having suicidal thoughts. We as well want to go out a little more to the other communities because our efforts last year were centered mainly in castries apart from the TV ads. So we want to go out into the communities a little more to try to bring that help to persons out there who may not be able to come to castries to be a part of whatever activities that we have in here. Dr. Gilead is urging anyone whose life or whose loved one's life is in immediate danger because of suicide thoughts to call the national health plan at 2-0-3. Reporting from the communications unit of the Ministry of Health and Wellness I am Fennel Neptune. The Government of St. Lucia has joined global initiatives aimed at eliminating tuberculosis or TB by 2035. Anissa Antoine explains. Tuberculosis is a contagious airborne disease and is described by the Pan-American Health Organization PAHO as the world's deadliest infectious killer. Every day almost 4,500 persons lose their lives to TB and close to 30,000 people fall ill with the preventable and curable disease. While St. Lucia has a low burden of TB, there is still a need for persons to remain vigilant against the spread of the disease. Annually St. Lucia records less than 10 cases for every 100,000 persons in the population. In 2018, we had a total of five cases of TB and zero deaths. This is down from 2017 where we had 11 cases of TB and one death. And in 2016, we had a total of three cases of TB with zero deaths. In many countries, the existence of the HIV epidemic has been a main cause of TB. That is, many persons with HIV develop TB disease because of their immunosuppression or low immune system. In St. Lucia, between 2015 and now, there has only been one case of TB HIV co-infection. In St. Lucia, TB seems to occur in persons who come from low socio-economic situations or who have other diseases that can reduce or lower one's immune system like diabetes. Persons can be exposed to TB and be infected with TB but not develop TB disease. TB disease can have symptoms such as a cough for two or more weeks, bloody mucus, weight loss, night sweats and loss of appetite. Persons with TB infection but no active tuberculosis disease can be treated for dormant disease. The acting senior medical officer urges persons to get tested for disease. One of the ways to determine if someone has been exposed to TB is a skin test called a mantu test. If your doctor advises you to do a skin test, please do it. It is free for the person getting tested for TB. It is better to know if you have been exposed to TB to be treated and cured than to develop TB disease from a latent TB infection that could easily have been treated. So, even if St. Lucia has a low burden of TB, it exists and we hope that with awareness of tuberculosis, persons will become more vigilant. World Tuberculosis Day was celebrated on March 24th under the theme, it's time for action and TB. The goal is to end TB by 2035. From the Government Information Service, I am Anise Antoine reporting. After a long running sensitization campaign, the Government of St. Lucia has taken another significant step towards addressing vehicular traffic in the capital city. Here's Janelle Norville. Parliament on Tuesday 26th March 2019 made amendments to the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act to authorize the Castries constituency council to install parking meters within the city of Castries under the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act Cap 8.01. Minister for Transport and MP for Castries Southeast Honourable Guy Joseph opined that the installation would help alleviate the traffic congestion not only in the city of Castries but in the north of the island as well. Because there's no parking, people want to do a transaction to a bank or to a business place even if there's a branch in Castries. These people would go up north because the parking is better available even if they have to deal with the traffic congestion in the north. So creating short term parking within the city of Castries would help in the process of regulating that the parking areas designated would have time zones so there would be areas that are very short term parking maybe an hour, two hours so more people can transact their business within the city of Castries and not necessarily have to move out of town. According to the Minister, paid parking has been on the cards for years now however it has never been implemented. He noted that there are several advantages to the implementation of the initiative being undertaken by the Castries constituency council. Minister Joseph explained. Some people may be saying well why would you introduce parking meters that's more money for people to pay. But one illegal parking ticket, Mr Speaker, may cost you more than what or will cost you more than what it may cost you for every transaction you do in Castries if you pay for an hour or two hours of parking for the year. So when you look at the trade off or having to come into Castries with a driver who would have to circle around the wear and tear, the fuel, all of the impacts that it is having. So we believe that this initiative by the city council is a very good one supported by the Ministry of Transport so that we can allow that process to happen in a manner that is within the legal limits of the law. Without the amendments to the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act, Minister Joseph said the Castries constituency council would not be able to introduce the required parking regulations within the city of Castries. For the Government Information Service, I am Janelle Norville. And this is the NTN Nightly, coming up the latest happenings in youth and sports with Ryan O'Brien. Look at your breastfeeding. I give him both just now, but I don't think I can breastfeed. Why won't you breastfeed? The thing is my breasts are so small. I don't think I will have enough milk for my baby. My dear, you can breastfeed. The size of your breast does not matter. The more the baby sucks on your breast, the more milk your breast will make. People say your breast will fall when you breastfeed. I don't want mine to fall. Eventually, all breasts will fall. Once you wear a supportive bra, it will help maintain the muscles of your breasts while you breastfeed. Breast milk is very important for your baby's health. It is complete nutrition for your baby with the right nutrients. I did a lot of reading whilst I was pregnant and found out a lot of good things about breastfeeding. Really? Like what? You will lose the baby far much easier when you breastfeed. The baby is more intelligent and the baby gets sick less. It is also cheaper and practical since you wouldn't have to buy artificial milk or boil bottles. Breastfeeding does all that? Now you make me want to breastfeed. I want my baby to be healthy and smart. There's more. In addition, I saved a lot of money from not having to buy formula. Do you know how expensive formula is? No formula? How is that possible? The baby will go hungry? No. The breast is adequate for the baby's need from birth to six months. The baby needs no other foods or liquids during that period. Is that so? My sister had the baby last year and my granny insisted she give the baby to Oloma and she was only three months. Nothing before six months. The nutritionist will guide you on how to introduce foods to the baby. Wow! I learnt a lot. I had no idea breastfeeding was that important. Yes it is. Breastfeeding is the best thing you can do for your baby. Do it and you will see. You will also bond with your baby. I will, my girl. Nice talking to you. I'm happy to hear that. Also encourage your friends and family too. Welcome back. We join Ryan O'Brien for the latest happenings in youth development and sports. Hello once again. Welcome Ryan O'Brien if you are updated from the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports on the NTN Nightly News. First off, more on the concept behind Youth Exposé which will also mark the launch of Youth Month on April 5th at Constitution Park. The event replaced the Youth Overhaul, a youth festival to formally begin the recognition and celebration. In 2018, Youth Exposé was introduced to recognize and appreciate the contribution of young Saint Lucians to the development of the island. Youth and Arts from designers to visual and performing artists and entrepreneurs had a day dedicated solely to them. The Saint Lucian National Youth Council in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports will be hosting Youth Exposé as the official opening of Youth Month 2019. It will include a youth march pass and all the exhibition and side attractions such as culinary demonstrations by some renowned youth chefs. In addition to Constitution Park, activities will also be held at the William Peter Boulevard. National Director Special Olympics Junior Emmanuel Belize says a football team that won gold at Special Olympics recently showed grit and determination to win the competition. Mrs Belize spoke at the Juvenora International Airport on a team's return on Saturday during a welcome ceremony put on by the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports. Although we have won gold again, it was a new team. It's not the same team going all the time. So there was a mix of experience and youth. You could say youth because they're first-time travelers and they actually performed, they connected and they performed well. So in terms of the athletes performing, we recognize that they are truly people of determination because when they were down against Portugal in the finals for the gold medal, Portugal scored before them the first half and they came out in the second half and just went at it and they played and scored four goals in the last half of the game, which was really, really good. Belize stressed that the achievement was even more remarkable as it was a relatively new team that represented St. Lucia. Meanwhile, Minister responsible for Youth Development and Sports, the Honorable Edmund Estefan, made special mention of some of the outstanding achievements by the Special Olympics team while speaking during a sitting of parliament on Tuesday. The team gave an amazing performance. Winning gold in football, a silver in the track and field, a gold and free bronze in bossy. Also known as Italian lawn bowling. 16-year-old Pauline St. Lucia won gold while 22-year-old Anja Isidore and 24-year-old Cecil Fevery got St. Lucia's bronze medals in the singles bossy competition. 20-year-old Joshua Daniel Henry won a silver medal in the men's 400 meters at the Dubai Police Officers Club Stadium, running a minute 5.75 seconds for second place. St. Lucia holds the title of Special Olympics Football Champions on March 20, 2019, beating Portugal forward. Alec Pierre scoring in the 22nd minute, Austin Jeremy in the 24th and the 25th minutes, respectively. Portugal scored in the 18th minute, so St. Lucia was forced to come from behind for victory. With two wins and a draw, St. Lucia ended with 7 points, edge in Portugal 5 points, Canada 3 points and Sweden 1 point. To our nation's Special Olympic team, you and your coaches and your managers, you did a great job. Friday we'll see the second day of competition in the Inter-secondary Schools Track and Field Championships at the Darren-Sami Cricket Grand. Semi-finals and finals were held on the first day Wednesday. All indications are that it will indeed be a close race to the finish for top honours in both boys and girls' categories. And that's where we finish on our update today from the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports. I'm Ryan O'Brien. Thanks, Ryan. The St. Lucia Bureau of Standards has launched a committee to spearhead and participate in work on the adoption of international standards for cannabis, the details from Janelle Norville. The St. Lucia Bureau of Standards has established a National Ad Hoc Mirror Committee of the American Society for Testing and Materials, ASTM International on Cannabis, Committee D-37. This committee brings together representatives of educational and research institutions, state and non-state actors with a wealth of knowledge and experience that will guide the participation in the ASTM Committee and adaptation of the appropriate standards. Director of the St. Lucia Bureau of Standards, Mr. Emmanuel, explained the role of the newly launched committee. It will allow us to provide the necessary input in the development of international standards for cannabis, while cannabis is not legal in St. Lucia at present. As such, we do not have a full technical committee, but the work of this committee will be able to provide the necessary inputs in the international standardisation process. And the work of this committee does not speak to the legal issues of decriminalisation. But this committee basically is looking at normal, following the ASTM as a mirror committee and developing through St. Lucia's input and leveraging the memorandum of understanding that we have with ASTM to fully participate in the technical committees. The SLBS has an established memorandum of understanding with the ASTM International, which is responsible for the development of American standards for testing and metrology. Under the terms of the MOU, St. Lucia can join technical committees of the ASTM and contribute to the development of these standards. In light of the growing regional interest in the use of cannabis, the SLBS ad hoc mirror committee will review and follow the work being done by the ASTM. Representative of the cannabis movement in St. Lucia, Randall Bain, said the move provided comfort and there will be structure when St. Lucia is ready to get on board the cannabis stream. The St. Lucia Bureau of Standards, as we learned a minute ago, has taken the lead in the region, actually, by being, you know, getting the ASTM certification and so on and the assurances, quality assurances, guidelines and so on. So that's coming to the table. So the nation of St. Lucia and regionally can rest assured that at the end of this entire process that it will be standardized, it won't just be some ad hoc situation taking place by growers, distributors, et cetera, et cetera. It will be standardized throughout the life of the product from growing straight through the selling and using. The mirror committee is expected to meet four times annually to review the standards for development that are under the work plan. The orientation and launch of this new committee took place on Friday, 22nd March 2019. For the Government Information Service, I am General Norville. And stay with the NTA nightly. Up next, Primers Hutchinson is here with the NTA Nouvelle Enquire. I was in my neighborhood. It was a very dark night. I decided to go for a drink by a bar. On my way from the bar, I felt distinct to my right leg. When I looked back, I knew it was a full list. You happen to be in an area where there are snakes and you are bitten by a snake. This is what you do. You call for help and try to reach the Victoria Hospital within one or three hours. You will be seen immediately. My uncle at the time was a police officer called the Arm Victoria Hospital and told them that we're coming down for a snake bite. It's the only facility on the island which has a protocol and a treatment plan where you can be treated adequately. We call them before you go there so they can prepare for you. Rest assured that there are adequate supplies of antivenom with doctors who have been trained in the treatment protocols of the snake bite. Welcome back. We join Primers Hutchinson for the NTA Nouvelle Enquire. Thank you very much, Nisha. Thank you, Madam Department. Who is responsible for the information of the government here? This is GIS, a national television sub-hospital for NTA Nouvelle Enquire and Primers Hutchinson. The health department has continued to produce good quality health services for the people who suffer and who are sick and ill. This service is particularly beneficial for sub-hospitals such as St. Jude Hospital which is the first hospital in the world to suffer and who are sick and ill. There is a Greek doctor from the West Coast for the operation of St. Jude Hospital when Harrow declared that it would play a role as the health department to assist the hospital to facilitate these patients. We consider the safety of the people who suffer and who are sick and ill. In these three machines there are two health divisions for the ICU. As a result, it has increased the number of public services for the treatment of the patients. Currently, the hospital has been treating the patients since last week. It has been a long time since the last session of the patient. But Harrow has also made a call to change the way that people are living to be sick and ill. I am here today to exercise public relations for the first time and to resist to open the cause for the treatment of the patients and to advise the public to try to preserve the patients. Presently, St. Jude Hospital has a total of nine machines available to the public to find treatment for the patients. The Ministry of Health for Economic Development of the city, transport, explained that the treatment that legislation was made to enforce the law that existed to govern corporations, is now available. On behalf of Joseph, the Ministry of Health explained that the treatment that legislation was made to eat in a way to make it easier to treat the patients that existed to this day. But Joseph also added to the explanation that the treatment for the legislation is to facilitate the treatment of the first operation. In particular, it is for the city to consider the program for the Gawian Village. The program was made to form a legislation that had a way to not affect the construction of the city. The residents of the Gawian Village were particularly these young people to clean the old village where the treatment was made. For them, it was an effort to organize a good service for the Gawian Village. The head of the organization was Diane Felicien who was very pleased to have these young people to participate. These young people were taking care of the internet all that affected the city and the mayor with the village that we had to do. But we had to continue to educate the residents of the city of the city. It was necessary for the city to take care of the city with the new power of the city to connect with the mayor. We started with the city because it was necessary for the city to be affected by the mayor. It affected the city with the new power of the city. But, Ms Felicien, you need a lot of plans for the village. It was necessary for the city to take care of the city with the new power of the city and the residents in the city. But, Ms Felicien, you need a lot of plans for the city to be affected by the new power of the city. It was necessary for the city to take care of the city of the city but it's not as good as it used to be. Thank you, Pil Primus. And here's a look at what's happening to us weather-wise. The Atlantic high pressure system will maintain a moderate to brisk easterly to east-south easterly wind flow across the eastern Caribbean region over the next few days. Low-level clouds drifting along this wind flow will bring a few scattered showers over the islands during the forecast period. Tides for Castries Harbour low at 4.48pm, high at 11.59pm Tides for Viewford Bay low at 6.15pm, high at 1.06am Seas moderate with waves 4 to 6 feet or 1.2 to 1.8 meters The sun will rise Friday at 6.02am 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 Saint Lucia Government Facebook page or YouTube channel. I'm Nisha Trost.