 Welcome to NTIA Nightly. I am Genelle Norvell. This edition stops stories. Stringent measures have been imposed on the hotel property where 60 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed. The World Bank approves US $30 million for St Lucia's COVID-19 response, recovery and resilience development policy, and Rainforest Adventures makes a meaningful investment in its home community of Barbano. Chief Medical Officer Dr Sharon Belmar-George has provided insight into the COVID-19 related death of a British national at a resort here. A 52-year-old man arrived in St Lucia on December 30, 2020, and died January 9, 2021. Speaking during an update to the nation on NTN Thursday evening, Dr Belmar-George informed that the deceased did present a negative PCR test result upon arrival and up until his death, displayed no COVID-19 symptoms. He was not a COVID patient with respiratory symptoms or a known patient who was sick. He got into a situation from her habit and he passed away at the hotel. But as our protocol where we test the dead persons just to ensure we're not missing any cases, we found out that he was COVID-19. And like I explained earlier, we report our cases as a COVID-related death. We're not saying COVID killed the person. We're saying COVID related in that they were positive for COVID either while they were in care or after their death. Okay, now he arrived here in St Lucia, 30th of December. Did he arrive with a negative PCR test? Yes, he did. Did he arrive from the UK directly from the UK? Yes, he came from the UK with a negative test. So the question in everyone's mind, was he already infected with COVID upon arriving in St Lucia? Do we have any idea if that is the case? Or did he contract COVID here on Ireland, perhaps at the property? This is difficult to say given that COVID-19 has an incubation period of 14 days. And that is to say that from getting into contact with someone who has it up to 14 days later, at any point in that period, you could become positive for COVID-19. So he could have come in with his negative test and throughout the first 14 days at any period, from the 2, 3, 5, 7, 12, he could have become positive at any point in that period. It is with these known risk factors in mind, the CMO says, that a lot of emphasis has been placed on protective measures at accommodation properties. But is this case indicative of the need for second testing for visitors? We do test if we're concerned about the result or the timing of the result that they're coming in. So we do some level of testing. Also, at our quarantine facilities on the seventh day, we test. But even with a test, and if you look at the protocols around the world, some persons with 3, some 5, some 7, up to the 14th day, the test gives you a result on one day. We can choose to test when people come in, that's one option we can, but it will not change the protocols that you need to adhere to up to the 14th day. So it's the country to decide at what point you test, but it will not change what the requirements are during the first 14 days of the incubation period. Meantime, the ministries of tourism and health are continuing investigations into the death of the UK national, as well as the results compliance to COVID-19 measures. During the period November 23, 2020 to January 13, 2021, a total of 60 cases were documented, including the COVID-19 related death of a 52-year-old UK national. The Department of Health and Wellness has instituted additional stringent and immediate measures to halt the situation while also conducting extensive contact tracing and testing of guests and employees. Affected employees are being quarantined and isolated at the property to reduce community transmission. 54 employees and 4 tourists tested positive. Donaldine Vita is the permanent secretary in the Department of Tourism, Information and Broadcasting. Although we have serious cause for concern, we have a high level of cooperation from the property. We have mandated an increased room stock for quarantine, if it is that the ministry continues to find any cases among the guests or among the staff. At this point, we have been informed by the ministry that it is under control. We have the commitment of the property, the management, as well as CMO's team that they will continue surveillance and the property itself will ensure that every measure that has been put in place, including not receiving new guests, as of, probably I shouldn't say the date to expose... Well, it is as expected to be today. Yes, so no new guests have been received, logistics have been made for outsourcing to another property, and so in terms of the current guests who are at our house, they are not allowed to leave the property except for repatriation or medical purposes. Ms Vita says the authorities have been grappling with several breaches in the tourism industry, from the transportation centre to hotels. However, with the assistance of the police, there have been quick redress. They have been breaches and the Ministry of Health has put measures and they continue to be strict to respond to the level of severity of the breaches. The Department of Health and Wellness and the Ministry of Tourism have identified and corrected the breaches and have increased surveillance to ensure compliance to the existing and new protocols. The management of the property has reiterated its commitment and has pledged its cooperation to safeguard the health and safety of guests, staff, and the general public. Meanwhile, the Royal St. Lucia Police Force has made several arrests and even prosecuted individuals for breaching the COVID-19 protocols. 323 people were stopped and warned for not wearing masks and keeping social distance. In the south of the island, an individual was charged for refusing to wear a mask without due reason. Milton Desi is the Deputy Police Commissioner. This person was arrested, taken to court and was fined $650 for not wearing a mask. Urgent persons in these times when most some places are closed, some persons have not returned to work, that the best they can do is to wear their masks because we will be arresting persons for wearing a mask. Although persons may say why arrest persons for not wearing masks, but it is the law. Eight people were arrested for breaches at bars and nightclubs. Two individuals were transferred to government quarantine after they breached protocols at their signed hotel. The public transportation sector remains challenging with 83 instances of breaches. We had our road checks on the various roads and persons stopped in the traffic check. There were 83 persons, but these persons were cautioned and in some instances, the excess passengers were asked to get off the bus by the driver. So he would know in the case of 15, who were the last five passengers he boarded. In that case, with the police, we would seek assistance to get another bus to take those persons to their destination. Deputy Police Commissioner Milton Daisy. Still on the enforcement and legal front, the Chief Medical Officer has refuted claims that the country at the height of increasing COVID-19 infection rate was left without national protocols. The nation had been informed that revised protocols were being instituted from December 15, 2020 to January 11, 2021. However, that date passed without an update. The CMO says at the command center level, the matter was discussed. We looked at all of the various phases where we were at with the various sectors and analysis was done. So this was prepared. It was also presented to cabinet as to do we continue on or do we stay on? And the statutory instrument which guided the period did not have an end date. So it was because there were no changes to the protocol. It was not necessary to now put in a new date or to put a new statutory instrument. So the statutory instrument did not have the end date that was presented during that meeting. So in terms of the legal situation, the same protocols which were in place during that period would continue to hold. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sharon Belmar George. On other COVID-19 related note, the World Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved the US $30 million St. Lucia COVID-19 response recovery and resilience development policy credit. This quick disbursing credit aims to help mitigate the negative economic impact of COVID-19 on the most vulnerable St. Lucia's. The World Bank Country Director for the Caribbean says this financing aims to provide St. Lucia urgent support to protect lives and livelihoods and strengthen economic resilience. St. Lucia's GDP is projected to contract by 18% in 2020 due to the nearly complete halt in tourism. This World Bank financing is expected to help the government enhance the capacity of the health sector and provide short-term relief to the poor, small businesses and the most severely affected workers. It supports measures to ensure business continuity and safe jobs. Prime Minister the Honourable Alan Chastney says the loan is repurposed for budgetary support given the increasing invisible cost to manage the pandemic. The Respiratory Center at Victoria. Nobody thought we were going to have to. We thought we were closing down Victoria and we're talking about millions of dollars in staff and supplies to be able to keep that facility open, the Cuban doctors that are here. The third part of it has been our bonds. So we had $900 million worth of bonds due and 25% of them we expected were not going to turn over. So that's $175 million. So the monies that you're getting are all to fill that gap. And so we have $540 million of payroll. We've not skipped a beat. The $310 million in debt financing that we have not skipped a beat. The $400 million in operating costs, the additional $36 million in operating costs for COVID. Plus the $175 million, we have met that gap. And that's what I'm so proud of the team that we have and the work that everybody has done under very trying times. The financing which is from the International Development Association, IDA, is interest-free with a maturity of 40 years, including a grace period of 10 years. This is NTN Nightly. Stay with us. 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. Corporate Citizen Rainforest Adventures has made a significant contribution to its home-based community, Barbara Nome. Jesse Leos reports on the handing over ceremony of a playground to the forest or preschool. The ceremony, according to General Manager of Rainforest Adventures, marked the culmination of almost a year of planning. The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Natural Resources and Corporatives and Parliamentary Representative for Babano had solicited the assistance of the corporate entity to complete the playground. A venture General Manager, Darryl Raymond said was a no-brainer as it aligned fully with the organization's commitment to community. Rainforest Adventures believes in green spaces. We believe in allowing people to play and enjoy the natural environment. That is our ethos, that is what we are about as a company. So a project like this naturally we would embrace. Even more importantly, we believe that physical activity, particularly among our young people, is critical. So this space allows our young children to recreate and play and sets the foundation for their development. We also see this park as a place where members of the community at large can come, families can come with their kids. So it will encourage community building and family cohesion and bonding. And also, most of our team members, we have about 90 staff. The majority of them are from this area and community surrounding. Many of whom have children who have either attended or currently attend this preschool. So it is our little way to give back and say thank you. Minister of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development, Dr. the Honourable Gail Rigoport, highlighting the importance of play to the development of children, welcome to the play area. The engagement in play builds a child's creativity and imagination. It provides for the development of important social skills, such as learning to take turns, cooperating, getting along and team building. Additionally, children develop their fine and gross motor skills in the simplest play activities, such as throwing and catching a ball. Play helps children learn to develop skills in expressing themselves and exploring their experiences, ideas and emotions. Minister and Parliamentary Representative for the area Honourable Ezekiel Choseff expressed a gratitude to Rainforest Adventures for their assistance in completing the project. We have discussed it and again, apart from establishing this facility, Mr. Rimon has agreed to employ a full-time person, especially whilst we are speaking of the use of this facility by the students at the preschool. You heard Mr. Rimon speak of the use of this facility by the community. So definitely by employing someone to behave full-time on weekends, we are hoping that the community can see the need for us to bring our children here and to recreate. The Children's Playground was officially handed over to the Forasau Preschool on Wednesday, 13 January 2021. For the Government Information Service, I am Jesse Leance reporting. The Government of St. Lucia has welcomed the mandatory pre-departure testing for all international arrivals to England. The measure comes into effect worldwide on 15 January 2021, including for passengers departing from Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Davis and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. A limited exemption has been granted until 21 January for arrivals from Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda and St. Lucia to help Britons in those countries return home. More from Daniel Du Bois. Since the opening of St. Lucia's borders on June 4, 2020, St. Lucia has had stringent measures in place for incoming visitors. Among them is a negative PCR test. Prime Minister Hon. Alan Shastney has been a strong advocate regionally and internationally for the adoption of PCR testing before travel and continuously championed the policy as vital to the survival and restoration of confidence in international travel. The Prime Minister's statements were made on the heels of the recent announcement that passengers travelling to England and Scotland by air, sea and rail after 15 January 2021 will be required to present a negative PCR test certificate before they are allowed to travel. Canada also implemented the same policy on January 7, 2021 with some states in the US also following suit. It is welcome news that the United States, Canada and the UK have recently all decided to impose now that all persons coming back to those countries would require a COVID test. At the beginning of COVID, St. Lucia and our technocrats sat down and developed a protocol in how we could coexist with COVID. And one of the things that was very clear to us is that if we were to open up our international borders it would require a PCR test for persons coming to St. Lucia. And we were also able to create a tourism bubble here on Ireland to help protect the guests that were coming and as well as being able to protect our citizens. Shortly after the opening of borders in June 2020 the Prime Minister of St. Lucia was featured on several international news networks and newspapers, some of which included CNBC, BBC and the New York Times where he advocated for airlines and countries to implement pre-testing to help boost consumer confidence in travel and tourism. Causing persons to be pre-tested a certain number appeared before getting on the plane I think brings confidence back to the tourists themselves as well as protecting the state. And I also heard the idea of people being pre-tested before they go back in order not to have to do the quarantine. I want to say that St. Lucia supports that policy strongly. We've shown that we have implemented that successfully in this country. We think it's just crazy that the airline industry has not adopted pre-testing as a prerequisite before getting on a plane. St. Lucia has been able to successfully reopen the tourism sector with thousands returning to work and many off-shoot businesses operating once again. Reporting for the Office of the Prime Minister, I am Danielle Dubois. That brings us to the end of NTN Nightly. Join us next time at 7pm with a repeat at 7am. You can also catch up with us anytime on the St. Lucia Government Facebook page or YouTube channel. I am Janelle Norville.