 Welcome to the NTN Nightly, I'm Nisha Charles. This edition stops stories. Saint Lucia updates its influenza preparedness plans as the novel coronavirus continues to spread. A new home for the castries, Fisher Folk Cooperatives, the Department of Health and Wellness solicits the assistance of the public in conducting a survey on chronic diseases. All that, plus the NTN, Nouvelle, Arquio. Saint Lucia is updating its influenza preparedness plans as the coronavirus continues to spread. The World Health Organization reported on the new strain of the coronavirus in Wuhan, China on January 9, 2020. As of January 25, 1,320 cases have been confirmed. Of those cases, 1,297 reported from China with 23 cases outside of China across nine countries. Local health authorities have been working closely with international and regional partners as they provide guidelines to manage the virus. Dr Sharon Belma George, the chief medical officer, updated the public on what is known so far about the virus. Coronavirus is cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe respiratory illness such as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and also severe acute respiratory syndrome. The signs of the infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, usually a cough which is dry or unproductive, shortness of breath and difficulty, and breathing. In severe cases, pneumonia may develop and severe respiratory syndrome which is what leads to death. This new strain has not been previously identified in humans and we wait as with other countries we've been receiving information on this new virus as it is being investigated. It's limited information on the characterization of the behavior of the virus, the severity of infection and also the levels of transmissibility. Dr Belma George says that although the risk level for the Caribbean sub-region is currently classified as low and the disease is at an early stage of the outbreak, the Department of Health and Wellness is proceeding with the necessary vigilance and preparation to reduce the possible impact on the population. We have been updating our existing influenza preparedness plans and some of the activities that we have been working on includes but not limited to the education and sensitization of our health workers, non-health stick holders and the general public, the enhancement of our port health services, active surveillance at high-risk institutions, prompt recognition strategies, measures to ensure isolation of ill cases in designated hospital isolation wards, establishing diagnostic capacity, working with the Caribbean Public Health Agency, contact tracing and quarantine of suspect cases and the promotion of general hygiene measures or an infection control for border agencies, healthcare professionals and the general public. In the interim, the public is asked to continue to practice standard recommendations to prevent and reduce the spread of infection of respiratory illness or in general. The Department of Health and Wellness will continue to monitor the coronavirus. In the interim, it asks persons to continue the standard recommendations to prevent the spread of viral infections which include washing of hands, covering your mouth and nose with disposable tissues or clothing when coughing or sneezing, as well as avoiding close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing. A new home for the castries Fisher 4 Cooperatives was recently commissioned, signaling a new era for the organization and its membership. Amanda Faye Clark brings us the details. The overarching aim of the Casteris Fishers Cooperative Society Limited is to improve the livelihoods of its member fishers and that of the Casteris fishing community while promoting the sustainable use of marine resources, contribute to food and nutrition security and economic and social developments. President of the Casteris Fishers Cooperative Society Limited, Thaddeus Augustine says the time is ripe for the entity's membership to step into the future and play a greater role in their development and safety, particularly while out at sea. Three critical areas were singled out for focus this year, namely capacity building, policy advocacy and policy engagement. When talking about fishers and cooperatives, there are a lot to talk about such as climate change, safety at sea, bylaws, weather report, marine police, open season, closed season for fisheries, and the list can go on and on. But I do not really want to talk about these things. I want to make reference to just what we call a seed, a small seed was sown. Minister with responsibility for the island's fisheries development Mr. Hon. Ezekiel Joseph, in applauding the latest achievement of the Casteris Fishers Cooperative Society Limited, insists that the organization's vigor in attending to the needs of its membership is seen by his ministry's leaders as commitment to further exploration and augmentation of interventions to enhance the potential of the national fisheries economy. We see this sector as very important, very, very important. Because when we look at the figures last year, the first half of last year, compared to 2018, the figures are very encouraging. Over $22 million was realized by that sector, $22 million for the first half of last year only. The only other sector that can compete with the fisheries sector now is the banana industry. So which means your contribution is significant. In fact, the figures for 2019 between January to June is 50% higher than what we realize in 2018. Developing the capacity and knowledge base of its members to manage successful fisheries operations and to participate in sustainable fisheries governance and management at all levels are some of the areas to receive attention in 2020. From the Ministry of Agriculture, I am Amanda Fee Clark reporting. Another agency is in full support of the implementation of Article 164 of the revised Treaty of Shargaramas across Kharka member states. The experts say Lucia will be moving swiftly to take advantage of the benefits for those whom they represent. CEO Sunita Daniel says there needs to be a development strategy for manufacturers, otherwise the full benefits will not be achieved. I have a few more officers who will be working directly with those businesses, those companies that have been targeted to benefit under Article 164. There are some major industries, for example, malt producers, bear, stout, animal feed, the solar water heaters for domestic purposes, furniture manufacturers and water manufacturers. That's just a little snippet from the long list of domestic enterprises who will be protected. So there will be an import tariff levied on competing products coming from Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana, who am I missing and Trinidad. So about 70% and 100% more tariff will be placed on products coming from there so that our infant industries and our domestic industries have the opportunity now to grow. The agency will also seek to explore what deficiencies manufacturers are experiencing. We have a market research unit in-house and we'll be doing a lot more research on the markets, really guiding our businesses as to where they should be exporting to. We'll also be going into the markets within CARICOM and within OECS to look for additional opportunities for them. One of the things that we really want to do also is a lot of this is maybe technical for them. We really want to address where the gap is and for a lot of those businesses, they don't have the proper equipment, they probably don't have the proper standards. They may have a few weaknesses internally and that's one of the things we really want to look at as much as possible that we address those needs. So is there a piece of equipment that they are missing to meet the export market? And so we'll be looking for ways to assist them in getting funding to ensure that that equipment is in their operations. Are they missing any particular standards? Are they having difficulty meeting standards? And that's where we will come into play with the Bureau of Standards to ensure that they are able to meet those standards. Article 164 of the revised Treaty of Shagaramas was ruled out among CARICOM member states on January 1, 2020. And this is the NTN Nightly. We'll be back in a moment. The Independence 41 Gospel extravaganza 2020 kicks off our Independence celebrations on Saturday 1st February 2020 at 7pm at the National Cultural Center. Under the theme, now is the time, let's praise, reflect, love, give thanks. Come join us for a night of inspirational pieces featuring gospel groups, singers, dancers and musicians from various denominations around the island. Take in an amazing production, building on the origin of Negro spirituals as we worship together. Now is the time, let's do this together. Welcome back. The Department of Health and Wellness is enlisting the help of the general public as it continues to roll out its Steps Behavioral Risk Factor Survey. The survey, which commenced in December of 2019, is patterned after the World Health Organization's Steps Survey, which is done every five years on chronic diseases. In St. Lucia, every year, 82% of all deaths are attributed to chronic diseases. The survey seeks to understand why the population is dying from these diseases. Anise Antoine reports. The Department of Health and Wellness has embarked upon the Steps Behavioral Risk Factor Survey to monitor the causes and effects of chronic diseases. The survey, which began in December 2019, monitors behavioral risk factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption and unhealthy eating, as well as biological risk factors including high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and obesity. Dr. Shana Sir-Felbot, Senior Medical Officer of Chronic Diseases at the Ministry of Health, explained that the Behavioral Risk Factor Survey is divided into three steps. We ask questions as it relates to the health, what diseases they suffer from, and things like that. That's the first part of it. It's actually a question. And the second part has to do with measurements. So blood pressure is measured, waist, the size of the waist, the height, the weight. The third part, or the third step if you want to call it that, has to do with the biochemistry. We actually examine the blood for the respondents. So we do total cholesterol levels, we do triglycerides, blood sugars, and we actually test urine to check kidney function and the salt content in the urine, which will allow us to know how much salt persons are actually consuming. So that survey is very important because as we look at chronic diseases, we have to look at the risk factors or those things that make persons more prone to getting those diseases. Al Madola, Assistant Principal Nursing Officer at the Ministry of Health, is urging the public to cooperate with the enumerators and nurses during the data collection process. As you see those persons come into your house, we really need your participation because if we do not respond and we do not get the numbers we are looking for, you can imagine all our efforts and contributions are going to go to waste. So we're doing this survey not just because we want to take up your time because we know persons are busy, but we're doing it because we need that data. We need that information so that we could use it as to make changes in our programs that the ministry, we can help the ministry in policy making to make changes in programs that we already have established. Is it working? Is it not working? We also need it so that if we could help schools, you know, make change programs, activities, and also if we need any funding, we need evidence. 71% of deaths worldwide are attributed to chronic diseases. In St. Lucia, 82% of the mortality rate is attributed to chronic diseases. From the Government Information Service, I am Anissia Antoine reporting. Experience a true St. Lucia spectacle with amazing clothes, traditional dancers, musicians, and more, led by the Royal St. Lucia Police Force and include communities, ministries, and business houses. Join in the excitement and let's show the best of St. Lucia. Now is the time. Let's do this together. Welcome back. We join Primus Hutchinson for the NTN Nouvelle Arquio. Mr. Ma'am, Department of University of Sabley-Thé, Information, a government set-les-y, the CGIS, a Summit for National Television, NTN, Caposito Nouvelle Arquio, Presito Primus Hutchinson. Department of Certesies, set-les-y, Jack-up with Dimash, to make public the next step to the sick-and-poor Corona. Corona is a sick-and-poor Corona that can help the people in your lot and develop a patient. According to the Saint-Modial Organization, Corona can help people with the pleasure of a patient, an American, an Australian, and a lot of people in your lot. After the pandemic, Corona can help people move their fever, get sick, and have a problem with respiratory system. As in the new pandemic, Saint-Modial, and the National Agents are all working together to help the sick-and-poor Corona. According to the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Sharon Belma George, the sick-and-poor Corona is still in the process. In the Department of Certesies, each one of them takes the quality of the march to keep an ear and preparation to try and reduce the possibility of the next attack on the population. Dr. Belma George declares that the Department of Certesies, has made a lot of preparations to help the sick-and-poor Corona and also to help them with education, in general. I have actions in place to increase the number of services and to help people with the need to support families who are paid by hotels and to help people with the need to visit the country. I have actions in place to help people who can be affected in the hospital and to help people who can be affected to continue the attack on the population in place to help people with health benefits. I have actions in place to help people with the need to continue to treat illness or want to help people in the public center. Always get help to remember that the work to be done will help us in the best possible way and we don't have to worry about other people. With Sp and the support to help you country adresse pay the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the Thank you to the government of Japan for continuing to assist and make contributions to the management of the area. The Ministry of the West Coast Ability to make the citizens and representatives of the parliament to build a zero-flood bubble, to complement the authority, and therefore to address the problems of the area, and to ensure that this place is still clean. Thank you to the government of Japan for continuing to assist and make the citizens and representatives of the parliament to build a zero-flood bubble, to complement the authority, and therefore to address the problems of the area. Thank you for continuing to assist and make the citizens and representatives of the parliament Thank you for continuing to assist and make the citizens and representatives of the parliament to build a zero-flood bubble, to complement the authority, and therefore to address the problems of the area. Thank you for continuing to assist and make the citizens and representatives of the parliament to build a zero-flood bubble, to complement the authority, and therefore to address the problems of the area. Thank you for continuing to assist and make the citizens and representatives of the parliament to build a zero-flood bubble, to complement the authority, and therefore to address the problems of the area. Thank you for continuing to assist and make the citizens and representatives of the parliament to build a zero-flood bubble, to complement the authority, and therefore to address the problems of the area. Thank you for continuing to assist and make the citizens and representatives of the parliament to build a zero-flood bubble, to complement the authority, and therefore to address the problems of the area. Thank you for continuing to assist and make the citizens and representatives of the parliament to build a zero-flood bubble, to complement the authority, and therefore to address the problems of the area. Thank you for continuing to assist and make the citizens and representatives of the parliament to build a zero-flood bubble, to complement the authority, and therefore to address the problems of the area. The pressure system will continue to generate light to moderate easterly winds across the eastern Caribbean region during the next few days. A lingering weak frontal trough will continue to cause occasional cloudiness and showers over the northern Leeward Islands during the next 24 hours. Low-level moisture and instability will cause a few showers over the remainder of the region during the forecast period. Tides for Castries Harbor, high at 5.54pm, low at 12.23am. Tides for Viewford Bay, low at 12.59pm, high at 7.01pm. Seas, slide to moderate with waves 3 to 6 feet or 0.9 to 1.8 meters. The sun will rise Wednesday at 6.31am. And that brings us to the end of the 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'm Lucia Tras.