 Welcome to the NTN Nightly. I'm Nisha Charles. This edition stops stories. Development plans for St. Lucia have taken shape with the National Integration, Planning and Programme Unit. Work on the second phase of the John Compton Dam rehabilitation project to begin in June. The Caribbean Network of Francophonie Institutions discussed matters of sustainability, all that plus the latest in youth development, sports and the NTN Nouvelle en Quaiol. Government development plans for St. Lucia have taken shape with the National Integrated Planning and Programme Unit, NIPP. The NIPP, established in September of 2018, is a newly formed unit within the Department of Finance. The unit's key mandate is to establish new evidence-based national infrastructure planning and program paradigm across all relevant government agencies. The unit was officially launched Thursday 25th April. Here's Anise Antoine. The unit is also responsible for defining the overarching vision, strategy and roadmap for the development of the national infrastructure agenda by assessing the current and future infrastructural needs of agencies and the overall public service and ensuring that financial and capital resources align with national priorities. According to the Honourable Prime Minister Alan Shastney, the launching of the NIPP unit is a milestone for his administration. Upon assuming office in 2016, an area which needed urgent attention was that of infrastructural development. And so what happened was that we went through two budget processes in which we clearly realized that we had a problem. And the problem was that the capacity to determine where we were going. So, even within the Ministry of Education, where was the growth of the population going? Where were the new schools going to be required? New roads in terms of planning? And we saw a huge problem in the Ministry of Physical Planning, in that the Ministry of Physical Planning was undertaking two activities. One is a longer-term planning and policy process, and then the DCA, which is a regulatory side of it. And they were trying to do it coexisting in the same space. The NIPP unit's Director, Howard Wells, says the unit must undertake key activities, including the collection and categorizing of all existing infrastructure data within one central database to define the overarching vision. Another major activity to be undertaken by the NIPP is the review of St. Lucia's National Vision Plan, which was approved in 2008. The vision plan outlined bold new ideas that would have transformed many sectors of St. Lucia, including the total redevelopment of the city of Castries. However, since the approval of the plan, a lot has changed. For instance, there is now increased emphasis on climate change and its impacts on small island developing states like St. Lucia. We've also witnessed the energy revolution and a push towards greater use of renewable energy. A new urban planning paradigm now exists, where greater emphasis is placed on people and the environment. Providing support to the National Integrated Planning and Programme Unit will be the United Nations Officer for Project Services, UNOPs, as well as the University of Oxford. Though our collaboration with the Infrastructure Transitions Research Consortium led by Oxford University, UNOPs will support the NIPP unit in the development of cutting-edge innovative and well-integrated planning tools and modeling techniques that will support evidence-based policy decision-making, taking into account long-term demands on infrastructure, as well as climate-risk vulnerability of existing infrastructure assets. This information will not only ensure that infrastructure investments are correctly prioritized, sequenced and managed, but will enable the attraction of external investments through the development of robust, evidence-supported business cases. Therefore, as a consequence of these new tools, St. Lucia is leading a dramatic change in public policy design based on technical evidence and sound methodologies. The NIPP unit will not replace any existing structure or agency within the government of St. Lucia. Instead, the unit is mandated to network with all departments to provide strong evidence-based assessments necessary for the justification and alignment of infrastructure plans and strategies to the country's national infrastructure priorities. Meantime, moves are afoot to reinvigorate the city of Castries. Consultation with stakeholders under the Castries Vision 2030 strategy have concluded. The initial goal of the Castries Vision 2030 was to review the 2008 National Vision Plan for Castries District in a collaborative effort chaired by the government of St. Lucia through the National Integrated Planning and Programme Unit NIP. The United Nations Office for Project Services, UNOPS, was support from the Office of the Mayor of Castries. Initial consultations for the Castries Vision 2030 began in 2018 and on Thursday, April 25th, the official Castries Vision 2030 report was handed over by the UNOPS Multicountry Manager to Prime Minister Alan Shastney. From the inception of this project, it was agreed to review the National Vision Plan of 2008 through the lens of a new body of science with regard to urban development and planning, expressed by the SDGs, in particular SDG No. 11, the new urban agenda and the international guidelines on urban and territorial planning. Blending all these guidelines into one clear statement for Castries resulted in a theme, making St. Lucia's capital a vibrant, resilient and smart heritage city for its residents and visitors. In summary, the Castries Vision 2030 report is structured in seven chapters for public outreach in an easy-to-read document. Among the key highlights are 10 transformational projects out of a pre-selection of nearly 100 proposed interventions. A key component of the city regional vision and desired spatial structure is the road infrastructure. The vision proposed to establish a new road hierarchy with highways outside of the city region, urban avenues inside the city region, and a north-south link corridor to bypass Castries City region. A network of parking rides is proposed at Shock, Kuldisak, as well as around the inner city. The inner city and adjacent parts of the core city should be declared low-emission zones with strict parking regulations. A complementary key component in the sustainable redevelopment of Castries City region is the establishment of a new public transport system that will include a combination of large, medium-sized and minibuses, as well as local ferries and water taxis to maximise the use of uncontested waters in and around Castries. Aerobase development for Castries prioritises seven focus areas. Despite this focus, it needs to be stressed that all areas matter in the implementation of the Castries Vision 2030. The downtown Castries focus area comprises several proposed strategic interventions, aimed at creating a liveable and walkable by brandowntown, with day and nightlife culture and wayfinding. Interventions include creating bus terminuses, parking ride facilities at strategic locations, redeveloping the central market area, creating a central green and car-free esplanade with organised vending. But in order for the Castries Vision 2030 to materialise, a roadmap for implementation must be adopted and adhered to, which include national and local leadership, evidence-based planning and monitoring and planning system review and reform. Once endorsed by Cabinet, the Castries Vision 2013 would override the 2008 National Vision Plan for Castries. Work on the second phase of the John Compton Dam rehabilitation project, which involves the dredging of the reservoir and transport of sediment, is set to begin in June 2019. The announcement was made by Wasco's representatives, as well as the contractor who met recently with residents of Tetsime Millet, Vanad, Jackmell and Envirens during a townhouse-style meeting. Project manager for the John Compton Dam rehabilitation project, Phase 2, David Ferrajo of Vinci Construction Maritime Affluvial, disclosed that the suction dredge which will be used to distill the John Compton Dam is already en route to St Lucia from Europe and is expected to arrive at podcast trees by April 30th 2019. Once the equipment arrives on island, a total of 14 trailer trucks will be used over a 5-day period to transport the heavy dredging equipment from podcast trees to the John Compton Dam. Assembling of the marine equipment will then take place. Specialized experts including three divers have been contracted to conduct the underwater works. The crew will be responsible for the removal of woody debris from the reservoir among other responsibilities. Permanent onshore pipelines will also be laid from the reservoir to the sediment disposal area in preparation for the suction dredging. Meanwhile, head of the project management unit of Wasco, Gordon Wike, presented a status report on Phase 1 of the project, construction of the sediment disposal area. The works are being undertaken by Megacontracting Inc., a local construction company. Phase 1 began in May 2018 but the works have been hindered due to the heavy rains specifically during the last quarter of 2018. Once completed, the SDA will be used to dispose of the sediment from the reservoir when the dredging phase begins in June. Therefore, preparations are well advanced for the commencement of Phase 2 of the project. Hence, Wasco is requesting the co-operation of all residents and commuters in the area to ensure that the traffic management plan is implemented to cause minimum inconvenience. From the Government Information Service, I am Anisa Antoine reporting. And this is the NTN Nightly. Ryan O'Brien is up next. The problem starts with finding a suitable spot. It extends to double parking. Offloading zones are ignored, thus inconveniencing commercial activity. Handicapped spots are occupied by drivers who use the quick errand excuse. And of course, there's the constant fear of parking tickets. In an effort to curb these and other parking-related issues, the Castery City Council will be implementing short-term paid parking. $3 an hour can save you $500 in parking tickets. Short-term paid parking, coming soon. Welcome back. We join Ryan O'Brien for the latest happenings in youth development and sports. Welcome to your update focusing on youth development and sports on the NTN Nightly News. I'm Ryan O'Brien. An important aspect of the staging of the National Youth Awards is to give young citizens the opportunity to have their contributions to the development of the society highlighted in a very meaningful way. That's the view of the Director of Youth, Mary Wilfred. Miss Wilfred made the observation during a press briefing ahead of the National Youth Awards due to be held on Saturday evening. And one of the things about the youth awards is to actually pluck out young people who are doing great things in the community, but they are unknown. We don't know them. It's been brought to the surface during youth awards. So we see young people engage in small businesses having an impact on the community. We see young people taking their own resources to do things in their community as well. We see students involving their council and doing good things at school, teacher appreciation day, doing things for their school, cleaning up their school and trying to give their school a good image. Miss Wilfred, sing along the nominees, vying for the prestigious Youth of the Year Award. We have Kithleen Karoo, Anita Felix, Krishna St. Bryce, Junior Dillies, and Sue Ann Shalry. These are our shortlisted nominees for Youth of the Year 2018. Youth Awards will be held Saturday, April 27th, 2019 at the Financial Administrative Centre starting at 7pm. Minister responsible for youth development and sports, the Honourable Edmund Estefan, says the Government of St. Lucia intends to tap into the limitless talent of St. Lucia youth and to be proactive in providing them with the opportunities needed to realise the potential. Minister Estefan expressed these views during his contribution to the debate in Parliament on the Appropriations Bill 2019-2020. It is through this allocation, or these allocations, of providing vital resources, focus commitment, support, and by creating and providing new opportunities that many of the economic and social challenges which hinder the ability of our youth to contribute to our economic growth and development can be tackled in a sustainable way. New Development and Sports Minister said the approach will be a focus on interventions that will empower young people. We do so with the full intention to have them tapped into the new opportunities that we are creating as we pursue our national goal of inclusive growth. We recognise, Mr Speaker, that we are created equal in this world, but we do not have the very same talents and giftings. Physical education teachers in St. Lucia have been advised to remember that physical activity is essential regarding content and the medium through which it is delivered. The sentiment was expressed by the director and co-founder of the Caribbean Sports and Development Agency, Mark Munger, who was the guest speaker at a recently concluded physical education and sports conference held here. So the content of physical activity is important for us as PE teachers, that we have a responsibility to ensure that our students are engaged in physical activity just as content. Doesn't matter what, and that idea of daily, that recommended 60 minutes of whatever it is you agree on, of physical activity. But also physical activity as the medium, and we know that already, right? So I don't want to be preaching to the choir here, but the idea that this powerful medium of moving is the medium that we use to educate ourselves in about and through physical education. Mr Munger also cautioned that physical education teachers should not overlook the fundamentals of physical activity. So let's not divorce the fundamental motor skills that we do as prerequisite for sports skills. So when we do throwing and catching, we're not doing throwing and catching for throwing and catching's sake, it's linked to something else. It's linked to the sports that we use throwing and catching for, whether it's the javelin or the cricket ball or the net ball. And so we're developing those throwing and catching skills as fundamental skills, the running, jumping, hopping, skipping skills. Both in terms of developing, yes, their physical literacy, but also leading to providing them with the foundation for quality sport performance, meaningful quality sport experiences. This year's physical education and sports conference was the second of its kind. And that's a wrap on your segment, looking at youth development and sports for today. I'm Ryan O'Brien. Thanks Ryan. The annual meeting of the Caribbean Network of Francophonie Institutions was held this week at the Obeige Seraphine Hotel Conference Room. The meeting provided an opportunity for discussions on matters of mutual interest and cooperation. Chief among them was the use of available avenues by St. Louisians and other Francophonie nations for development at the national and personal level. Marcia Simforian is the Secretary General of the National Commission for UNESCO. The language barrier as it relates to the language of communication, which is French, hinders us in terms of being able to fully access, not just access funding and resources, but also engaging fully with the work of the organization. In terms of participating at the high level meetings and ensuring that we get the things that we require for our own development in St. Louisia. So it's one of the things that we're going to be looking at and discussing in terms of perhaps ensuring a more open organization that's a little more embracing of multi-linguistic, you know, the multi-linguistic realities of the member states, you know, and that perhaps you can consider being able to participate using our Creole, for example. It's a discussion that has to be had. St. Louisia is not the only member state affected Dominica as well as in a similar situation. The issue of language the Secretary General says is not unique to St. Louisia and warrants a holistic approach. Access to higher level education through French speaking institutions. Increasingly we've seen that that is a very possible thing, not just in the region, but beyond in Canada, for example, through the Francophonie Scholarship Program. So it is important that we encourage students to do the language, to learn the language, and to get certified in the language. The Ministry of Education has started a program, a pilot program, where they're encouraging students at a secondary school level to do their French certification, because it requires certification to be able to attend those French institutions. And the advantage being that those French institutions, the tuition fees are null or very minimal. So it's a plus for students to consider going to those institutions to pursue higher education. So the issue of certification is key, and we hope that the Ministry is going to continue with expanding the pilot project so that students can start to get certified even at the primary school level. And that was the Secretary General of the National Commission for UNESCO, Marcia Simforium. And stay with the NTIA Nightly. Up next, Primus Hutchinson is here with the NTIA Nouvelle Arquillon. Everyone is at risk for getting 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 456-0546 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 NTIA Nouvelle Arquillon. Mr. Houtain Nicheur, Mr. Madame du Patement d'universes-censabilité pour information au gouvernement C'est leci, ça c'est GIS, ça c'est le pays television national, pays NTIA, qui a posé tout nouvel à l'accueil, posé tout Primus Hutchinson. Le gouvernement a appris un initiatives pour implouder un programme qui a gédé un quimeré façon pour développement fait un pays. De voyons ce monnaie, un sartre financiel, j'ai dit, les fans s'acquavent, plusieurs grecs éclatent gaux officiels. N'y hot cette lycie éclatent pays, tu pourras en somme épiper au ministre Honorable Alain Chassnay pour expliquer gaux initiatives à la diverse officier en affaire d'éveloppement, écrinace, adressé sur le monnaie, en permis de cet évoire post-latif, honte université Oxford, qui a assisté cette lycie, et puis programme cela. Premier ministre Honorable Alain Chassnay posé un pile-force à son raison villes castrues, avec pays à généralement, n'y briser, n'y en fait déjà une nouveau. Il fait référence pour cet établissement financier, quitte bâti depuis un mi-temps, c'est l'année 1940-là, pour t'aider les habitants pour un set-à-temps, seulement. Mais nous, l'année 2019, n'a qu'il n'y a pas existé toujours, Honorable Premier ministre l'a noté. Premier ministre Chassnay déclare qu'il est déjà arrivé pour payer à n'y en fichier à l'image-neuf, pour changer pour tout cet établissement, et quitte bâti villes-là, c'est pour faire l'éveillement plus acceptable, la place, tout à fait, business, transportation, avant de me plisier l'autre aspect de développement. A propos de cela, directeur pour au-dessus de cela, pour planer et développer programme nouveau de cela, pour castruer, en particulier M. Howard Wells, pour s'attendre à mes explications des programmes-là. Et donc, avant de me plisier les bâti villes-là, mais après le gouvernement, j'ai appris des marches pour contrôler cela. Mais le gouvernement, à présent, n'a pas besoin de cela pour faire un plan général, côté qu'il y a des gens qui veulent faire des projets à présent, qui n'ont pas besoin de cela, qui savent combien de projets cela fait, qui coûtent, qui s'investent, et puis, qui problème, avant de acheter un propriétaire, pour exemple, qui problème, il faut joindre avant d'investir cela à sa fête. M. Wells, on sait aussi, il y en a un c'est plus important de développement, en bas pour au-dessus de cela, c'est pour mettre des villes castrues en F. Comme M. Slady, à l'adresse-là, castrues, comme villes, n'ont pas besoin de problème. Castrues, from Rodney Bay, mais toujours, castrues n'ont pas besoin de problème. On ne peut pas quitter villes castrues, on ne peut pas quitter villes castrues et qu'on va vivre de l'autre côté. Cela a affecté la vie, ensuite. Castrues n'ont pas besoin de problème. On n'a pas besoin d'activités, on n'a pas besoin de choses à faire. Aque, on n'a pas besoin de d'objet, on sait tout d'abord qu'on a des problèmes. The action is to keep castrues and to live their lives. We have to work hard to take advantage of the economy. After the development of the government, we have to pay more attention to the economy. to increase the number of tourists who visit and the number of people who pass through the country. The government plans is to increase the number of tourists who visit and pass through the country, including 386,000 people in 2017 for 641,000 people in 2022. According to the Prime Minister, we are looking for a positive percentage. For the tourist government to provide a good call for the foreigners who visit the country in the reverse way, we are looking for a positive percentage in different ways to encourage people to spend their money in the country. This is a result of the number of tourists who visit and pass through the country. We are looking for a positive percentage in the tourist industry to provide a good call for the foreigners who visit and pass through the country. Among the new developments of the tourist sector, we are looking for a good call for the foreigners who visit and pass through the country. We are looking for a positive percentage in the tourist industry to provide a good call for the foreigners who visit and pass through the country. For the Prime Minister, we are looking for a positive percentage in the tourist industry to provide a good call for the foreigners who visit and pass through the country. plan, and embrace the previous projects like Bolvadla, Jadefle, Meyrepras for Mounmaché, Femilicastry, Pricofortab for Mounvisité, Nipotle, Yovle, Sunni, Peroues, Desafekouim. Plans developement, Nouveau Touristique Salar, and also embrace the previous common consulate, Exofuye, and Guverdement Cylon, Wermisla, Espoir, Sakai, Innecon Sector Touristique Salar, Mounmaché, Nipotle, Yovle, Sunni, Peroues, Desafekouim. Merci au pile primers, and here's a look at what's happening to us weather-wise. Skies are partly cloudy, becoming cloudy at times with widely-scattered showers. A trough system over the eastern Caribbean will continue to cause cloudiness and some scattered showers mainly over the central and southern islands during the next 24 hours. Tides for Castries Harbor was low at 2.56 pm and will be high again at 9.42 pm. The tide for V4 Bay was low at 4.23 pm and will be high again at 10.49 pm. The seas slide to moderate with waves 3 to 5 feet or 0.9 to 1.5 meters. The sun will rise Friday at 5.44 am. I'm Nisha Charles.