 Welcome to Nation Beat. I am General Norville bringing you this brief on the pulse of our nation and highlights around the heart of St Lucia. The National Emergency Management Organization urges preparedness as the hurricane season intensifies. The Government of the Republic of China Taiwan contributes to St Lucia's climate change battle. St Lucia's to be sensitized to the risks associated with transporting agricultural produce across borders. And the Department of Fisheries saving lives at sea. St Lucia's are being urged to be prepared as the Atlantic hurricane season enters its peak period. In fact, the National Emergency Management Organization is advising that residents and business interests in the private and public sectors review their emergency plans as a number of weather systems churn out at sea. This week, three cyclones are under close watch although only Hurricane Isaac is of immediate concern to the lesser antelies at this time. The formation of three tropical cyclones as the Atlantic hurricane season reaches its peak has raised awareness on the threats that weather systems can pose to residents. However, the National Emergency Management Organization is asking the public to stay in a constant state of preparedness not just now but at all times as hazards can take forms other than those posed by atmospheric systems. We advocate for continual preparedness. We advocate that you make sure that you have a plan. We advocate that you make sure that you have a kit, a survival kit. And if you have not done so now is a good time to do that. We want to stress that you are not only doing it for the hurricane season or for Hurricane Isaac. This is what you need to do at all times to make sure that you are prepared for any eventuality that we have. We cannot overemphasize that. Preparedness is a continual thing. Preparedness is something that you need to engage in all the time. Over the weekend, advisors were issued for Hurricanes Florence, Helen and Isaac. Two of the three do not pose a threat to Saint Lucia this time. NEMO through the Saint Lucia Met Office has been monitoring the progress of these systems. Hurricane Isaac is the system that poses a threat to Saint Lucia at this time. Given my discussions with the Met Office this morning, the director of the Met Office, we note that the system is expected to pass again based on the models somewhere between Dominica and Guard Loop, which means that it is expected to pass north of Saint Lucia. That is not to say that Saint Lucia is completely in the clear. We know that these systems are very unpredictable. Anything can happen at any time and it is for us to make sure that we are prepared to deal with any eventuality that may result from this system. It's the latest we have and we are monitoring this for the entire Caribbean, the Windward Islands especially. Authorities are cautioning the public to guard against inaccurate messages which are circulating or contain information that is not specifically for Saint Lucia. We want to make sure that persons take the information seriously. We want to emphasize the point that you need to listen to what is coming out of the Saint Lucia Met Office and what is coming out of the National Emergency Management Organization. Already we see voice notes going around. We see WhatsApp messages going around that are not relevant to Saint Lucia. The information for Saint Lucia is what is coming out of the Met Office. Also, we have protocols that dictate the actions that we take at various times. So what Saint Lucia would go by, the Nemo Saint Lucia and Met would be based on the protocols that we have already agreed to. At this time, we are not under any watches or warnings. We will wait to see what is going to happen at the 6 p.m report and tomorrow but at this time we are not under any watches and warnings as yet. Earlier today, Hurricane Isaac was located several hundred kilometers east of Saint Lucia and moving westward. On the forecast track, the center of Isaac is expected to move across the letter Antilles near or over Dominica and into the eastern Caribbean Sea on Thursday. It is still expected to be at or near Hurricane intensity when it reaches the islands. Residents and interests in Saint Lucia are advised to closely monitor the progress of the system through the Saint Lucia Met Office and the National Emergency Management Organization in Saint Lucia. From the Government Information Service, this is Richmond Felix. Works are progressing on the construction of the sediment disposal area SDA at the John Compton Dam. The works began in May this year following the approval of part funding by the Caribbean Development Bank, CDB. Anicia Antoine reports. A delegation from the Water and Sewage Company, WASCO, which included the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Physical Planning, Natural Resources and Cooperatives, Hon. Ezekiel Joseph and Chairman of the Board of Directors at WASCO, Francis Denbo, visited the site to get a firsthand view of how the project is advancing. The project is in the first phase of the disilting process at Saint Lucia's largest reservoir. We commence construction of the sediment disposal area at the Dam sometime in April of this year and our goal is to complete construction of that area by November of this year. Basically the sediment disposal area is the site wherein we are going to dispose of all the salt that we plan to extract from the John Compton Dam, that is from the reservoir of the John Compton Dam. The sediment disposal area will comprise the building of ponds and the starter dike, which as you can see they have just begun construction of. The delegation also got an opportunity to sit with the project manager and engineers who provided a general assessment report on the works and further explained the various aspects of the job which has been divided into two phases. They informed that the site for the dike has been stripped and prepared and the foundation for the structure is currently being laid. The amount of silt you have within the confines of the dam wall is about 1.7 million cubic meters of silt. That's the equivalent of at least 50 football fields and each football field is loaded with at least 20 feet of silt so there's a lot of silt to extract from the dam and it's not going to take two years it may take 10 years for the extraction. As you know you cannot desilt throughout the year it's only during the rainy months you could desil that dam. The completion of phase one will mark the commencement of preparations for the second phase of the desilting process which will be the suction dredging of the John Compton Dam. From the Government Information Service I am Anisia Antoine reporting. We're St Lucia set to host the first ever nationally determined contribution forum from October 11 to 12 2018 A Czech presentation made by the Republic of China on Taiwan to the Government of St Lucia is seen as timely and opportune in aiding the region's efforts to combat climate change. As part of the 2015 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change small island developing states were asked to submit their intentions in regards to the fight against climate change. Since then many seeds have found it difficult to source financial backing to help implement the processes needed in achieving the respective targets. Due to this the Government of St Lucia the Organization of Caribbean States Commission and the United Nations Framework on Climate Change under the auspices of the NDC partnership began work in 2017 on the NDC Finance Initiative to help mobilize efforts. The first step in the process being the inaugural NDC Investment Forum. Today it's my pleasure and honor to be with you here to make a donation on behalf of Taiwan for the first ever regional NDC Investment Forum. As a responsible and a responsible partner in the development Taiwan is capable and willing to contribute to the global efforts against climate change. A bilateral cooperation project in St Lucia over the last decade have demonstrated. Like St Lucia Taiwan is an island state prone to be to the impact of the climate change. As the record breaking rainfall over the past three weeks have shown Taiwan has a lot of experience technologies and the best practice to share in the area of reducing greenhouse gas as well as natural disaster prevention and the management. We believe that Taiwan should be given a bigger voice and the wider space in the global forum on climate change such as UNFCCC. Let me conclude by saying that fighting climate change Taiwan can help and the Taiwan needs will help in making that possible. Sustainable Development Minister the Honorable Dr Gil Rigabet in accepting the contribution commented on the need for partnership in respect to the funding of such endeavors. The NDC Investment Forum which will be held in mid-October is critical to our endeavors in this part of the world as we recognize the difficulty that we as small island states have in mobilizing the requisite financial resources to fight climate change. Your donation Your Excellency will go a long way in ensuring the success of that forum and I pray that it is a blessing and will trigger a tsunami an avalanche of investment resources all con intended because we really do need the resources to undertake the work program and to implement our NDCs as suggested. The check presented was in the amount of $30,000. The audit department of the government or St Lucia is mandated to promote greater accountability in the public service. The department monitors and reports on whether funds appropriated by parliament are used fittingly. Director of Audit Yvonne James and Audit Principal Joy Stephen recently explained the mechanisms of their department at the studios of the government information service. The director of audit informed that it is the responsibility of her office to report to parliament at the end of every financial year. And to do this we would send this report through the minister of finance that it be laid in the house. The minister would then forward that report to the clerk of parliament who would put it on the parliament's agenda at the next sitting of parliament. There are provisions made within the legislation that if the minister of finance does not lay the report before the house within a timely manner that the director of audit can forward that information directly to the clerk of parliament and it should be laid in the house at the next available sitting. The director of audit noted the importance of the department to the island citizenry. We want the St Lucia public to know that there is an audit office and there is an agency that exists specifically to hold ministries and departments to account for the funding that they receive. That persons are not just given an appropriation budget and they're left to spend. There are checks and balances within the system that is aimed at protecting the common the common citizen and we are there and we are functioning. For more information you can check out the website of the audit department at www.auditsinglucia.com and for the full interview tune into the national television network on monday september 17 at 8 p.m. This is nation beat when we return the eccb to roll out enhanced banknotes. Heavy storms mean flooding and that means being prepared with hand sanitizers, child-sized raincoats and boots and insect repellent to protect your child from germs and waterborne illnesses. Plan for emergencies. Plan for your children. Welcome back. Free schools within the Grosely constituency have opened a new academic year with the assistance from the minister for social justice and equity. Chevron Marius reports. On behalf of the ministry of education and and education district one and your schools the Grosely schools we say thank you so very much for this generous program that you have started. The underprivileged children from the Grosely constituency are now better equipped to attend school now that the parliamentary representative honorable Leonard Montute has handed over school supplies to the Grosely, Moshe and Grand Riviere primary schools. The schools each received school bags school supplies and an estimate of 1500 notebooks each. These were donated by Mr. Sheldon Sherry and his wife residing in the United States. Mrs. Barbara Montute and Ms. Angela De Rose. Mr. Montute stated that people should make an effort to assist the underprivileged children in their constituency and ensure that they get an opportunity to receive an education. I want to appeal to the wider community of Grosely those of us who can to continue to make our contribution and if you have not started to begin to make your contribution whether it is to this program or to any other educational program I want to appeal to the community to support our schools our efforts can go a long way and we can achieve a lot more if we all put the little that we have together and make a contribution in supporting our schools. As parliamentary representative for Grosely it is my responsibility to assist in the development of my constituency and that does not mean infrastructural development solely. More importantly to me is human development and if we are to achieve the goal of overall wholesome human development education must be the centerpiece to that development and so children the future of our society and indeed our country rests on you as to what kind of life we're going to have what community we're going to have or future we're going to have and as such it is my pleasure for us to invest in you because we have faith in you and we have every confidence that you will turn out to be good citizens the kind of products that we are expecting out of our schools. The principal and students from the Grosely Primary School expressed their gratitude for the much needed supplies. Similar sentiments were echoed by the principal of the Moshi Primary School. So Mr Montute you and your team I think is a very great job I would like to know that this initiative continues because who benefits most from this initiative the children. This is a great way of helping tomorrow's generation and I know they are very grateful. Minister Montute appealed to the Grosely residents to continue supporting the schools in their constituency. Thank you Mr Montute. Reporting from the Ministry of Equity, Social Justice, Empowerment and Development Sports, Culture and the Local Government, I am Chevrolet Marius. The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank ECCB is preparing to roll out a new suite of enhanced bank notes by mid 2019. The new notes which will be made from a polymer based material will replace the current notes made from cotton. Deputy Governor of the ECCB Trevor Bradford made the disclosure during a recent appearance on ECCB Connects, a program produced by the Regional Bank. Bradford said the polymer is a much more durable substrate with a number of features that enhance the durability of the notes resulting in the notes lasting much longer in circulation and costing less in printing costs. The difference between the current note and the new notes to be issued is the orientation of the notes so the the note will be lateral in that sense not horizontal and then if you're pulling out that note you will look from the top to the bottom so that is going to be a major feature of these notes right so the all the features the security features that we currently have on the current notes will be enhanced will remain so that persons are using the notes will see that there's some familiarity so we didn't want to disturb you know the the concept of notes that people have been accustomed to for all of these years. The new notes will have a tactile feature for visually impaired individuals so that they can feel the note. Other crucial differences are the enhanced security features the 2050 and $100 notes will have a holographic window that will protect against counterfeiting. Now it's a see-through window so when you hold a note up into the air and into light you will see through that holographic panel. What makes that a very important security feature is that if someone tries to copy that note let's say put it on a photocopier or whatever as a counterfeit that portion will turn out black and so right away it would have spoiled the efforts of any counterfeiter. Now the $5 and the $10 have similar holographic windows but on a smaller scale so there if you look at the note there's a triangle with a future plant colored plant and in that that holographic window it's a smaller one but a triangular one it will have the same feature so if the notes are held up you can see through that that particular holographic window. Former ECCB governor Sir Dwight Venet's image will be featured on the new $50 note in tribute honoring his legacy and the more than 25 years that he spent at the central bank. The $50 and $100 notes will be the first set of notes in circulation, Bradford said. You can see more of this on the interview right here on NTN. Don't pack a pest that's the message of a campaign spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in conjunction with select Caribbean islands including St. Lucia more on this initiative from Hingson Butcher. St Lucia has partnered with the United States Department of Agriculture to help control the movement of pests and diseases into the country. The collaboration has enabled St Lucia to join eight other Caribbean countries in an initiative referred to as Don't Pack a Pest. The program is geared towards informing and educating the traveling public of the risks associated with transporting agricultural produce across borders. The Don't Pack a Pest program is a traveler education program. It's a multinational program and St Lucia has partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture becoming the ninth partner in the Caribbean region and signage is installed in passenger areas in airports and seaforts throughout the Caribbean to deliver the message when you travel declare agricultural items Don't Pack a Pest. St Lucia's agriculture has come under enormous pressure due to the entry of numerous exotic pests and diseases many of which has devastated the sector threatening the livelihoods of our farmers and placing a huge burden on the local economy. It is recorded that 98 percent of the pests coming into the country enters through passenger traffic. You try we encourage persons to not pack agricultural material or quarantine type material so as he said fruits vegetables those things can unintentionally have a pest or disease that may cause damage to a country so that's the idea of the Don't Pack a Pest program we encourage persons to know do not pack agricultural material when you're traveling because passenger baggage has actually been identified as one of the high-risk pathways for the introduction of unwanted pests and diseases into the Caribbean region and by extension the U.S. The Department of Agriculture in St Lucia is working with several organizations including customs and the St Lucia A&C Port Authority to ensure the success of the program. The Don't Pack a Pest program is expected to be launched in St Lucia before the end of 2018. From the Agriculture Information Unit, I am Hingson Butcher. At the top of the broadcast we urge preparation as the hurricane season enters its peak period and as we close a look at how government is ensuring that fishermen are safe in order to preserve the lives of fishermen at sea the Department of Fisheries has implemented measures to encourage fishermen to carry the appropriate safety gear. The Fisheries Extension Officer for Labry, Viewfort and Savants Bay Haddinger Pierre says some fishermen do not make regular use of safety equipment. We encourage fishers if there are fishers that are going to listen to this program we encourage them because at the time of inspection they have the equipment but sometimes they don't go with it so we encourage fishers to go out with their safety gear and equipment because you never know when the day will come you'll experience engine problems maybe it might be rough weather your vessel capsizes you need the safety gear don't just have it there go to sea with it. Mr. Jepier says fishers can be fine for not having safety gear while the marine police has also been alluded to direct fishermen without the appropriate gear back to shore. Ideally I mean we wouldn't want to rub salt in the wound but they should be fine because if you have the safety gear and equipment it's not only a matter of your life being saved you have people that are being that are going to while they're risking their life to save you so you'll need to take all the necessary and think of it that way when you have a fish investor that's thousands of dollars investment what do you see the necessary safety so you can get that investment back on shore. Yes so they are the solar project they save our lives at sea we are the department we offer training our extension officers offer training to fishermen on the use of these gears and even when to use it and how to use it effectively we want to use this program as a reminder to the fishers that if they have any difficulty issues with using the safety at sea gears they would always contact the extension officers who will be readily available to train them so that their lives matter at sea. Several fishermen's groups have already undergone training with the police marine unit on various safety practices and that's Nation Beat. Join us next time as we fill the pulse and heart of our community. I am Janelle Norville.