 Welcome to NTN Nightly. I am General Norville. This edition stops stories. The Government of St Lucia is bolstering St Lucia's COVID-19 testing capacity. The St Lucia Chamber of Commerce supports Government's institution of new protocols and the Ministry of Health and Wellness embarks on a collaborative effort to strengthen St Lucia's healthcare sector. Prime Minister the Honourable Alan Chastney has fulfilled his promise to resolve the issues confronting the Ezra Long Laboratory due to the increase of COVID-19 cases here. The lab has been weighed by the volume of samples for testing and processing. During his address Tuesday on the new protocols Honourable Chastney informed that the forensic lab will now receive samples from two of the largest facilities viewfort and grizzly polyclinic for processing. This is to reduce the backlog and burden on the Ezra Long Laboratory. Antigen tests will be used for screening in high-risk settings and workspaces. Training on antigen testing began today. Exit tests for travels will be facilitated at private laboratories. Mass testing will be introduced to increase population coverage in light of increasing cases and community spread. Two additional wellness centers will be used as testing sites. One in the south and one in the north. Nationals will also have the option of testing at private laboratories. The St Lucia Medical and Dental Association reaffirms its support of the Government's decision to institute a seven-day state of emergency in the first instant, the 10-hour curfew and shortened pre-testing timeframe for arrivals. Public Relations Officer Dr. Monique Moplesi says the medical fraternity is anxious by the steady climbing cases and anticipates that these measures announced by the Prime Minister will contribute significantly to the infection reduction effort. A lot of our members have been very anxious because we've been monitoring the numbers very closely and we've seen it rising and rising and rising but at the same time we are hopeful. We know that if everybody follows protocols, if you social distance, if you keep on your mask, if you keep cleaning your hands, wash with soap and water and if that's not available, you know, use your sanitizer, then we can handle this. But it must say that's why members have been pushing towards the stricter protocols, the curfew and all of this because we need to get it under control. The numbers have been quite alarming and now we're up to 18 deaths. We need to do a little more. Dr. Monique Moplesi says the association is also pleased with the government's approval of rapid testing in the national COVID-19 response. We're very happy that the government has allowed the rapid test to come in because it puts less strain on our main system, the PCR system. As you know, they're floundering right now. They're inundated with all these test results right now. So the rapid will help bring some much-needed relief to those people who are testing, as well as thank you to our forensic lab for doing some much-needed backup and support there. Dr. Monique Moplesi, Public Relations Officer for St. Lucia Medical and Dental Association, appearing there on the National Television Network's program, The Morning Brew. The Government of St. Lucia omits increasing cases of COVID-19 in country as implemented stricter measures to prevent and control the spread of the virus. These measures include a state of emergency which came into effect on Wednesday 3rd February 2021, for an initial period of seven days, allowing for the further restriction of movement with a curfew from 7pm to 5am from Wednesday 3rd February as well. Additionally, only essential services will be allowed to operate during this period. The St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture has thrown its support behind the Government of St. Lucia. Karen Peter is the President of the St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce. Based on our consultation and information at our disposal, the St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture wishes to indicate that we support the implementation by government of additional and more stringent restrictions on movement of citizens for a stated period to control and minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The Chamber supports the extension and further limiting of non-essential commercial activity during that period, aimed at limiting non-essential movement of people. We also look forward to more assertive police enforcement of all law related to the COVID-19 virus. We are equally convinced that if proper implemented and recommended protocols faithfully followed, this will be in the best long-term interest of business, citizens and the economy. The President notes that despite the negative impact on the business community, the health and well-being of the public remain paramount. Our members recognize the invaluable contribution of their team members to the success of their businesses. Our members also understand that the safety and well-being of team members and customers must remain in the forefront. Thus, we wish to say that we support the steps being taken by the government to address the backlog in testing and provision of results to persons. We note the efforts to procure a technician from Trinidad and Tobago to make additional equipment functional. The hiring of additional administrative staff to support the work of the lab and the decision to divert testing for tourists to private labs, thus easing pressure on the public facilities, and we must continue to look for ways to improve this even further wherever possible. President of the St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, Karen Peter. The list of public sector and private sector commercial and business activities and or services allowed during scaled-down operations in St. Lucia as per statutory instrument 25 and 26 of 2021, effective as of the 1st of February to the 10th of February 2021 includes financial banking and insurance services, electricity, water and telecommunications services, supermarkets, mini-marts, community grocery shops and bakeries, hardware stores, food supply and preparation services including restaurants, food trucks and food stalls, farming and fishing activities, sanitation and solid waste management services, gas stations and petroleum services, call centers, broadcasting and media, manufacturing and exports, air and seaports, customs brokerage and career services, online commerce and services, vending, food or agricultural produce, healthcare services, police, fire, emergency services, safety and security, private security, public transportation services, automobile garages, auto parts supply services, tire supply and repair services, law offices, accounting firms, hotels for international tourists, public service government ministries, agencies and statutory bodies, construction sector, judiciary and magistrate court. Businesses seeking additional clarification on these matters are asked to contact your commercial membership organizations or the Ministry of Commerce at email mincommerce at govt.lc or contact number 468 4218. This is Ntia Knightley. When we come back, the Ministry of Health and Wellness embarks on a collaborative effort to strengthen St. Lucia's health sector. Stay with us. Be aware of and follow water conservation practices. Here are a few tips to help you save water. Wash dishes in a basin of water instead of a running tap. Soak pots and pans instead of letting the water run while scraping them. Check toilets for leaks by putting dye in the tank. If color shows in the bowl without flushing, there is a leak. A leaking toilet can waste thousands of gallons of water. Use a bucket instead of a hose to wash cars and reuse grey water from laundry to water plants. Water conservation reduces energy consumption and strain on the water distribution system. Conserve water whenever possible and remember every job counts. A message brought to you by the Water and Sewage Company Incorporated, Wasco. Welcome back. The Ministry of Health and Wellness on Wednesday, February 3, 2021 received confirmation of 77 new cases of COVID-19 from a batch of 413 tests conducted at the Ezra Long Laboratory. This batch consisted of samples taken from January 25 to February 1, 2021. The Ministry on Wednesday also confirmed the recovery of 73 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19, bringing the total number of active cases in country to 759. One of the active cases as at news time was in critical care at the respiratory hospital while all others was stable. One of the cases is a 41-year-old male non-national. He was placed in quarantine while awaiting receipt of his test results. The individual has since been placed in isolation. The other 76 cases are St. Lucia Nationals who range in age from 12 years to 67 years. They are from the Barbono, Ancelary, Grosile, Dennery, Labry, Castries and Viewport districts. They were seen at a community-based respiratory clinic for assessment and were tested for COVID-19. These individuals were placed in quarantine by healthcare practitioners while awaiting their COVID-19 test results. Arrangements have since been made to place them in isolation. The contact tracing team is undertaking investigations to identify the contacts of these confirmed cases. The Ministry of Health and Wellness on Wednesday also confirmed two COVID-19 related deaths, bringing the total number of deaths in country to date to 18. Death 17 is a 65-year-old male and death 18 is a 82-year-old male. Both individuals had underlined medical illnesses and were in care at the time of their passing. The Ministry of Health and Wellness extends condolences to the families and loved ones of these individuals. The new cases now bring the total number of cases diagnosed in country to date to 1,556. The Ministry of Health and Wellness in collaboration with the World Bank Group work to strengthen St. Lucia's healthcare sector. Moindesh report from Fernel Neptune. The initiative is referred to as the performance-based finance mechanism and is a major part of St. Lucia's health system strengthening project. Performance-based finance coordinator of the St. Lucia Health System Strengthening Project, Neyam Jabatis explains, this system provides incentives or benefits to both the providers and recipients of healthcare. First of all, we want to reduce mortality from communicable diseases. In our case, we are focusing on diabetes and hypertension. So this would be the overall goal, to reduce mortality. And also if you want consequences of diabetes, diabetes and hypertension. Jabatis notes the aim of the initiative is to improve healthcare in St. Lucia, to produce positive outcomes to patients and to encourage people to utilize the health services. So there are two sets of people receiving incentives. One would be the, let's look at the most important persons, the clients. So the clients would receive free, for now, for now they would receive free laboratory testing. The persons who provide the service, what they would do, they would be receiving additional funds, which they could use under agreed conditions based on their performance. So if for example we set a target and then they have achieved the target or surpassed the target, we're going to reward them or provide them incentives so that they can use that service to enhance the services, maybe to train their staff or to do other things. Performance-based finance programs are prevalent in many low and middle income countries, but the system will be new to St. Lucia. Reporting from the Communications Unit of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, I am Fenel Neptune. The Caribbean community, CARICUM, intensifies efforts to measure the results of regional integration. We hear more from CARICUM News Times to San King English, France. The need to increase the implementation of programs, dwindling resources and increase in demand have led the CARICUM Secretariat to formulate actions towards a results-oriented work culture across the community. Considered as a crucial element in the CARICUM reform process, the CARICUM Secretariat started a results-based management RBM system in 2016. By 2018, RBM was fully integrated into the work program and community operational plan. On Wednesday 27th January, the CARICUM Secretariat and the Independent Evaluation Group of the World Bank launched a new partnership to continue the implementation of Phase 2 of the CARICUM RBM system. The partnership will see the establishment and institutionalization of the RBM policies and practices in three member states and three regional institutions initially. The member states are Dominica, Jamaica and St. Lucia, while the institutions are the Caribbean Examination Council, the Caribbean Development Fund and the CARICUM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security Impacts. Here are some highlights of the CARICUM results-based management system and the Global Evaluation Initiative launch event held virtually on Wednesday 27th January. We must work together, smarter, more collaboratively, efficiently and result-focused. We cannot focus on a plethora of actions all over the place without streamlining the activities towards achieving efficient, accountable and transparent results. All the processes leading towards the result must be transparent and traceable and people, whether politicians, IDPs or the electorate must be held accountable and responsible for achieving or not achieving results. We're really delighted to be working with our CARICUM colleagues who are passionate as we are about the results agenda and building monitoring and evaluation capacity in the region to support it. Now, the importance of monitoring and evaluation was recognized by CARICUM back in 2014 when the heads of government emphasized in their strategic planning the need for a results-oriented approach to project and policy implementation. And it is based on this original emphasis that we have now joined forces to face this challenge together. The GI is a broad and inclusive partnership that will provide a platform where diverse actors interested in tackling this challenge can come together to coordinate and scale up their efforts in supporting monitoring and evaluation capacity development in as many countries as possible. And as a result of these combined efforts can contribute to the evidence needed to tackle development challenges and make better public policy decisions. That report from CARICUM News Times to Sunking English Francis. And that brings us to the end of 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 St. Lucia Government Facebook page or YouTube channel. I am Janelle Norville.