 Welcome to the NTN Nightly. I'm Nisha Charles. This edition stops stories. Foundation works begin at the St. Jude's Hospital Reconstruction site. The Government of St. Lucia provides more tax relief to the business sector. The Royal St. Lucia Police Force receives a $30,000 donation from the Department of External Affairs and the NTN Nouvelle-Arcoyole. The Government of St. Lucia is pressing ahead with plans for an improved health sector. The St. Jude's Hospital Reconstruction project is well on the way, with over 300 tons of steel being prepared and laid for the foundation of the project. Approximately 60 construction workers are currently employed on the site, and this number will increase significantly as work progresses. At the Owen King EU Hospital, a sustainable management structure is being sought as the transitioning from the Victoria Hospital continues. Prime Minister of the Honourable, Alan Shasne speaking in the House of Assembly on Tuesday indicated that healthcare remains a top priority for the Government. The Government he noted has invested significant sums of money into the health sector and is working assiduously to get major health institutions on Ireland fully operational. That is why last year we spent $5.5 million as a Government in supporting families in need for healthcare. That is why getting the St. Jude's up and running and opening, that we've improved the quality of the facility at the stadium. That is why we're now improving and have improved the facilities in the primary healthcare services. And that is why we're going to have a massive training program, but more importantly that we're going to introduce a healthcare insurance, a card in which people now, when they are sick, they can go to the doctor. And the benefit to the state is that we will for the first time have a state of health of our country. We will know who has high blood pressure, who is pre-diabetic, and start capturing and addressing those problems before they become crisis. But more importantly that we will now have programs to be able to benefit those people. And we have the empirical evidence, Mr. Speaker, to show whether the fact that we're making a dent in our problems. According to Director of Implementation Nancy Charles, the Government is striving to have a structure that will ensure the sustainability and continuity of the Owen King EU Hospital. A proper governing structure would ensure accountability, transparency and maintenance of the hospital. The ability to fund the hospital according to the Director of Implementation also plays a critical role in the Government's plans. However, she explained that efforts towards the transitioning to the Owen King EU Hospital are continuing. We are currently working on the National Health Insurance, so the Ministry of Finance together with CDB and World Bank, they've started a project in looking at how we can incorporate, if not a full but a partial national health insurance. And with reference to the management structure, the Government has been in negotiation with Cayman Health City for a consultancy service to assist us in putting a proper management structure at OKEU. So you have been hearing a lot that we want to privatize the hospital and give Cayman Health City the hospital to run, and so forth, none of that is the case. We have asked for or we are negotiating a consultancy contract and by that I mean they will be bringing in professionals and persons because they have the worry for all and they know how to put in certain structures for hospital management and ensuring continuity. They will be assisting us with our local institutions who would be hired for the job, teach them, train them so that they can eventually manage the hospital on their own. As it relates to the St Jude Hospital, Charles explained that there were several issues with the existing structure. The condition did not allow for a proper health facility of international standards, and so the Government is taking the necessary steps to improve the facility. Some of the structures including the kitchen, the emergency unit, the warehouse and administrative centre to name a few require some rehabilitation work. I am pleased to say that we have started the process of the new wing of the St Jude Hospital. So let me remind you what is it that is happening at St Jude's. Some of the existing structure at St Jude's is not fit for use. So for example, the unit that was dedicated for dialysis, it was an existing unit, there are cracks in the building, the building is on site and so we cannot use that building for dialysis. It means we have to build a new structure to house the dialysis unit and also the main structure for the operations of the hospital, your operating room, our patient and so forth. This facility also was not keeping with the international standards for a hospital and so we now have to build a new wing for that facility as well. So construction for the new wing of the operating and operational centre for St Jude's Hospital has begun. I can safely say that right now we have begun excavation and we are preparing for the foundation and for the building of the structure. The Government of St Lucia shows the public that no effort is being spread in ensuring the health facilities on island admit international standards and are fully operational. For the Government Information Service, I am General Norville. The Government of St Lucia continues to provide tax relief to the business sector, this time targeting local manufacturers. Prime Minister Hon. Alan Chastney moved a motion in the House of Assembly on Tuesday, October 29th for an amendment to the Value Added Tax Act to zero rate the service of printing. The amendment also stipulated a definition for educational supplies. Hon. Chastney explained the reasoning for the amendment. Educational supplies as defined under the Value Added Tax Act 15.42 including newspapers, trade catalogs and advertising matter, magazines and books and patterns and samples with no commercial value are treated as exempt supplies under the second schedule of the VAP Act. When those same items are however produced or printed locally for a third party the production or printing thereof is treated as a service and subjected to the standard rate of that. So it means that we have manufacturers Mr. Speaker who by virtue of the existing legislation are prejudiced in their own country. The fact is that those items now can be imported and have no that on them yet if in fact those items are now produced in St Lucia they are valuable and we truly believe that this was an error because I cannot believe that either government would want in any way prejudice any of its local manufacturers. The amendment also sought to exempt Value Added Tax on imports of personal items food, clothing, toys and other household commodities contained in barrels from November 15, 2019 to January 31, 2020. The concessions on barrels are in accordance with the following terms and conditions 100% waiver of import duty on personal items food, clothing, toys and other household consumables contained in barrels electronics are explicitly excluded the number of barrels qualifying for concessions is 2 per household the upper limit of the value per barrel is easy $2,500 per barrel on the items qualifying for concessions qualifying items must be for personal use and not commercial use the usual penalties and fines apply if the goods are used for commercial purposes as is customary the appropriate legal instrument is being tabled in this house Honourable House to allow for the exemption of Value Added Tax on all qualifying items food, clothing, toys, household, consumables, personal items imported within the barrels during this period. And that was Prime Minister Hon. Alan Shastney The Department of External Affairs has donated a check of $30,000 to the Royal St Lucia Police Force The donations were made in support of the Marine Unit with funding raised at a Gallard dinner held in Martinique on December 13, 2018 Johanna Sultan is the Council General for Martinique, Guadeloupe and French Guiana The police especially played a very important role in the protection of borders especially when it comes to Martinique and St Lucia I mean we all know that a lot of contraband comes up from South America and St Lucia is really the first border and so in protecting her borders she indirectly protects those of Martinique and the islands further to the north so it was really important for us to assist the police and in assisting them we would also be assisting Martinique so it was really easy to sell the idea to the French they understood exactly where we were coming from and we received a lot of support Deputy Commissioner of Police Milton Daisy expressed gratitude on behalf of the Royal St Lucia Police Force for the donation towards the Marine Unit When I was told that the Marine Unit would be receiving this donation I was very pleased simply because I know about the Marine Unit I worked there and I know what resources are needed for us to be in operation and persons may not know but it costs a lot to maintain the Marine Unit even in terms of the fueling sometimes you have the fuel you do not have the parts and so on so we appreciate this gift of $30,000 it will go a long way in assisting us in putting our equipment together so that we could be out there to fight transnational crime The Czech presentation took place on Wednesday October 30th 2019 and this is the NTN Nightly, do stay with us Think about the children How will we save them? Chemicals and GMOs are not the solution Use organic and join Excessive agrochemical use, additives and genetically modified foods are harmful to health and the environment Join the Good Food Revolution Grow, buy and consume organic A message from Rye St Lucia and the Ministry of Sustainable Development with funding from the GEF Small Grants Program, UNDP Good Food Revolution Welcome back Ryan O'Brien is out on assignment but at this time we note the participation of the youth in Creole Heritage Month The incorporation of Creole Day celebrations among the youth and members of the private sector this year is indicative of the development of the language and heritage in St Lucia Companies were buzzed with activities last Friday Among them, Bank of St Lucia Bank of St Lucia, Souffre, Viejo, Rosalie, Waterfront and Bridge Street all redefined customer service on Friday by treating customers to an early junior Creole experience they would never forget Aside from the distinctive Madras D'Accord the financial institution serenaded customers with traditional folk music and added Creole breakfast to their long list of financial services According to the Bridge Street branch manager Octavian Charles Bank that is primarily rooted in St Lucia's soil Bank of St Lucia takes the island's culture and heritage very seriously In observance of Creole Heritage Month, the bank encouraged all its employees to communicate to customers in the island's native language as much as it was possible to do so The waterfront and Bridge Street branches also featured some of its local customers who sell a variety of locally crafted products in observance of Creole Heritage Month Charles added that Bank of St Lucia has partnered with the FRC on several projects which are currently under construction and are currently under construction In observance of Creole Heritage Month, Charles added that Bank of St Lucia has partnered with the FRC on several projects and is committed to supporting local Junet Creole Activities for 2019 took place in the communities of Beau-Séjeaux, Troselle and Vieillefort Meanwhile, financial investment and consultancy services Limited Fix also celebrated Junet Creole with its customers and the general public The company opened its doors at both its branches treating visitors and customers to breakfast and entertainment Here's Anise Antoine As an indigenous institution, Fix prides itself on culture, heritage, loyalty and family and Junet Creole is one of the many events that allows the company to demonstrate how important those values are to them Every year, Fix joins the rest of Corporate St Lucia to host its own Junet Creole celebrations as a gesture of appreciation to its customers but more importantly to keep the island's heritage alive for the younger generations Roger Williams from Lacklery says he was pleasantly surprised when he walked in I can't believe how many people are here and how many people are going to have breakfast and it's so magical It's the magic of the island that connects with the island Fix is the only island in the world where all its staff are Both branches came alive on Friday with Creole folk music breakfast being served by staff and 3 light false flashes of madras address and carefully placed antiquated products across the room. What stood out for some customers however, wasn't the decor but the close relationship the company has with its clients. My name is Isiya because we are co-fixers in the family. We are young people who need a lot of money to buy food. With the help of the initials, I am part of the Djetwara. I was joined by my mother who opened up for me to buy food for my family. So, to hear me say thank you fix for the money I have to buy food for my family. Financial investment and consultancy services limited was founded by the Honourable George Theophilist who hails from the community of Shwazel. The company's history is rich in St. Lucia's culture and according to company officials, fix will forever stay true to its roots, especially as it approaches its 28th year of doing business in St. Lucia. From the Government Information Service, I am Anisia Antoine reporting. And stay with the NTN Nightly. Up next, Primus Hutchinson is here with more junior quail celebrations in the NTN Nouvelle-Arquail. Everyone is at risk forgetting a foodborne illness. While most foodborne illness cases are mild and go unreported. Long-term health complications and even deaths can occur from a foodborne illness. Foodborne illnesses are caused by contamination of food at any stage of preparation. If you are a food handler involved in home-based food production, meat, fish, chicken or a big shop. As a food vendor, how you prepare food can put your customers at risk. Do you know the risks and how to avoid them? The St Lucia Bureau of Standards can help you. For more information, contact the St Lucia Bureau of Standards at 450546 or email SLBS at candw.lc or visit the website at www.slbs.org.lc. St Lucia Bureau of Standards, making quality and standards our way of life. Welcome back. We join Primus Hutchinson for the NTN Nouvelle-Arquail. My name is Madame. I am the Secretary of State for Information and Information in the government of the GIS. I am the President of the NTN Nouvelle-Arquail. I am Primus Hutchinson. I am the Prime Minister Alain Chastney. I am very happy to be here today. I would like to thank all of you for your time. I am Chastney. The business that has published a book called Artic d'Education, which I found very interesting on the list of taxwaters. I would like to thank you for your time. I would also like to thank the Barelle Commission for the Nouvelle-Arquail who has also tried their best because I would like to thank you for your time. I would like to thank the Commission for the Nouvelle-Arquail who has also tried their best to create a better business. The opposition also supported my presence with the pleasure to meet with you as they approached you to be暂혀. I would like to thank all of you for your time. I would like to thank all of you for the effort that you have done to enable me to join the Barelle Commission. to find the Barrel Commission, which has an advantage over my salary. We also have Prime Minister, a separate body, and the family of the special gas company which was an indicator, a senator, and also a mother, which I consider to have passed away recently. Prime Minister has complemented the government of Taiwan, which observes the national youth and participates here, and observes the salary. It is especially important for international musicians who are here, such as Ronald Bohingson and Louvre François and all the other artists who were performing in Taiwan. The project is to build hospitals in June, and to advance quickly. The project is to deliver a facility that can provide a discussion about whether or not the hospital is the same to receive treatment. This is what Dr. Selma visited. The 28th of October, more than 300 years old, has already been prepared to establish a foundation for the hospital. In addition, it is necessary to work to implement the project so that the employees can continue to work here. The project is also to provide a support for the entire service of the operation through the work that has been done to strengthen the fact that there is an establishment to ensure that the hospital can effectively also operate in hospitals that are facilitated. The 14th of October, the project is to provide a data that can be found on the left side of the building of the hospital. The celebration is to celebrate a very special day, as usual, and all those who organize it will also be pleased to come to celebrate the same. In the village of Azei, there is a big crowd of people who want to celebrate. So, for example, we have three people who are also working here to organize a participation. This is the village of Azei where we have a lot of people who are working here. We have a lot of people who are working here. We have a lot of people who are working here to support the operation. What is the name of the project? The name of the project is the project is called the project of Azei. Who is the director of this project? We have a lot of people who are working here to show the project of Azei. We have a lot of people who are working here to show the project. So, you want to explain what is the project? We are a group of people who are working here to demonstrate. We have a lot of people who are working here. What is the reason for the development of the project? We have a lot of people who are working here because we are working here in the village of Azei. We have a lot of people who are working here to show the project. We are a group of people who are working here Pizzla. What's that Pizzla? Plus that Pizzla, we call it HLA, that's a hondi-grapple. So here we are in a small neighborhood which is very old. So we have our phone, our cell phone, TVs, our radio. So I sell my mom's coffee. My woman calls her mom to pick up the coffee from my mother. and just as I said, my mother has a name for something, and she still has a sequiation. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. You're a special person. Yes, I'm not a special person. I'm a white person, I'm a white person. So I'm a white person, I'm a white person, I'm a white person, I'm a white person. That's what I want to know. But anyway, we're open to business, we're open to business, we're open to business, we're open to business, because my mother's at school, it's a very rare opportunity to go and have breakfast, being here not only because of this, but also because of our school. If the people here want to attend the exhibition, they can come see me, they can come to the conference, they can come see me. So, we are open to business, we're open to business, we're open to business. We can get to you by the name of Madame, underwears by her name, and she's a request, but he can't stop me from exposing him because he knew first of all that he'll expose him in a moment. He can't expose him. What are the three types of problems that you have to deal with? I have to deal with problems that I have to deal with one day, one day and a half. Except for one day, I have to deal with two days a day, I have to deal with seven days a month, I have to deal with three days a month. And I have to do a weekday job. My husband can't stop me from doing that. So you have to sell your house at the other end? Yes, I have to sell my house at the other end, that's my business. The only thing I can do is to sell my house at a different point. Even if you do not sell your house, you will have to do something. The first reason is that I don't stay home every day. If you don't, the house you are supposed to live in will destroy you, My baby used to play in the cabaret with my baby. So I asked him if he could come with me. He said yes, he could not come with me. He could not come with me. So he would come with me. That's why I asked him to come with me. We are quite lucky that we are able to do everything here. You just spoke to us before. I am Darion Louis, I am the father of Showa day. I am here for just about 10 minutes from the place where I come from. We are out here with you today. But tell us generally, what is the Showa day like? It is good. We have started this program. This is the show, the crafters have started. We enjoyed it very much. Showa day was very good. We came out from the place where we came from as main location, so Haudia Nuka really really enjoys Haudia. What do you think of Haudia Nuka? Well, I think it's very different. If you want to play stands in natural bamboo, I think it's very local artists who perform Haudia. I think it's Deban Dominic, WCK, Ebb, Midnight Grovers who perform elsewhere. I don't think it's very interactive craft, basket weaving, and it's a small sport, it's a fishing sport. So, I think it's very important to gain a lot of attention to Haudia. It's important to have a lot of people coming in to support us since we know how to do it, it's a lot of money. But, for example, we have a lot of people who support us. And the opposite of the money we have borrowed a year ago, we've received a lot of money. Because we are just helping the poor. So the right now we are supporting it. And we are really helping all of them. If there are people in need of their help, they are willing to pay for our food. They are very willing to buy our food. We are in the mid-air. When it is going to get dark the police will block us. We will be taking care of it... We will be taking care of it... We will be taking care of it... We will be able to live way ahead of you... We will live way ahead of you everyday. So join us tomorrow. Kill Decently See. See you tomorrow! Welcome. You have made an request... You have made an order to make peace. So we can make peace again. Pleter. What he is, he is a local. I better be careful, because the day after that, after I finish my program, I will be able to go to the court for the exam, and if I go there, I won't be able to go home. So every time I go to court, I have to go for the exam. Here's a look at what's happening to us weather-wise. Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with scattered showers, and possibly isolated thunderstorms across the windward islands. Elsewhere, fair skies becoming cloudy at times with a few showers. Moisture and instability associated with a share line will generate cloudy periods with scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms mainly over the windward islands during the next 24 hours. Residents and motorists in areas prone to flooding or landslide are advised to exercise caution. A tropical wave located over the Central Tropical Atlantic is more than westward near 12 miles per hour or 19 km per hour and is expected to affect the lesser Antelese by Friday. A second tropical wave located over the Central Tropical Atlantic is moving westward near 12 miles per hour or 19 km per hour. Tides for castries harbor, high at 4.46 p.m., low at 11.39 p.m. Tides for Viewford Bay, low at present, high at 5.53 p.m. Seas moderate to locally rough with waves and northally to northeasterly swells 5-8 or 1.5 to 2.4 meters. Small craft operators and the sea bathers are advised to exercise caution due to rough seas. The sun will rise Thursday at 5.58 a.m. And that brings us to the end of the NTN Nightly. Join us next time at 7 p.m. with a repeat at 7 a.m. You can also catch up with us anytime on the Celusia Government Facebook page or YouTube channel. I'm Nisha Charles.