 Coming to you from RGIS Studios, I am Anisia Antoine and this is your midday news brief. The Government of St Lucia is paying close attention to public financial management with a number of initiatives aimed at strengthening the various measures to be introduced, including legislative reform. Governor-General Sir Emanuel Neville Snark, in delivering the Thuring speech on Tuesday 9th April, underscored the Government's commitment to economic governance. Consequently, the existing Financial Administration Act, CAP 15.01, will be repealed and a new Public Financial Management Act introduced. A debt management strategy which aims to raise stable and consistent levels of financing at minimum cost will also be introduced. The importance of productivity to the overall performance of the local economy and the nation was emphasised recently by the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council. The Productivity Council, during a presentation to fifth farmers of the Cicero Secondary School on Productivity, showed the effect of procrastination on their personal and collective productivity. The topic, Procrastination Kills Productivity, was presented to the energetic yet attentive fifth farmers by Glenn Simon, communications specialist with the NTPC. The NTPC provides timely and effective recommendations to policy makers, the private sector and other stakeholders on issues relating to competitiveness and productivity in St. Lucia. The OECS and the Regional Security System, RSS, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding MOU to better protect police and preserve the ocean space in the eastern Caribbean as the birthright of every Caribbean national. According to OECS Director General Dr. Didicas Jules, the MOU will see the implementation of the 6.3 million Caribbean original ocean policy and strategic action plan to ensure the space is managed sustainably to leverage economic opportunities for member states. This has been your Midday News Brief. Thank you for watching.