 Welcome to NT and Knight Lane, I am General Norvel. This edition stops stories. The SLDB participates in a milestone credit initiative to transform the energy sector. The Goodwill Ambassador Programme deals more benefits with a donation of PPEs. And JICA St. Lucia supports relief efforts in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The St. Lucia Development Bank SLDB has partnered with the Caricum Development Fund in providing funding for projects in the energy sector. The Caricum Development Fund CDF last November launched a credit risk abatement facility, the CRAF. The goal of the CRAF is to incentivize more lending to small and medium-sized enterprises, SMEs, to fund renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Chairman of the SLDB, Nicholas Bernard, says the CRAF is important to the small business sector as they are hampered in sourcing financing. Mr. Bernard made the comments during the signing of the agreement between the SLDB and the CDF. The SLDB has engaged with various associations and private sector bodies in its vein of sustainable energy production and usage. Predominant among the issues expressed by members has been their perceived lack of creditworthiness. Through either their business size or the collateral available for security, there's been obviously a clear need for a facility of this nature to provide both lenders and borrowers and an added level of security confidence. We believe that with the right financing model, we can incentivize private sector members who are keen to move forward towards renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions for their businesses. This CRAF intervention is another pillar to support our national move towards a low carbon economy and the creation of a sustainable economy characterized by an environmentally friendly, productive, efficient and innovative private sector. The availability of this facility will allow business leaders to be creative in developing sustainable projects and technologies that we hope will revolutionize the business sector. The Chief Executive Office of the CDF, Rodinal Sumer, sends the credit risk abatement facility will aid in the transition to a low carbon economy in the region. Sumer stressed that a reduction in harmful greenhouse gas emissions will generate cost savings which will increase productivity and business competitiveness. One division of the CDF provides direct support dedicated financing to the energy sector in the form of concessional loans and grants. While another section which is what we're building out now has been engaged in developing a more market-based approach and market-based mechanisms that will support increased investment but working through established financial institutions. The primary focus is to incentivize additional lending from local financial institutions to the business sector for renewable energy and energy efficiency interventions in the member states that we serve. And incremental lending, focusing on lending that would not otherwise occur in the normal course of business. So we are stimulating increased market activity. And CRAF seeks to aid in the transition to a low carbon economy in CDF Caricom Member States through facilitating a reduction in harmful greenhouse gas emissions which hasten climate change and increase the frequency and severity of weather hazards which we are all too familiar with in the Caribbean and that impact our lives severely. St. Lucia is one of five countries in which the credit facility is being piloted. The others are Barbados, Guyana, Belize and Suriname. The CDF estimates that more than 100 projects will be supported by the CRAF to the tune of 25 million US dollars. However, Mr. Sumer laments the reluctance of commercial banks to participate in the initiative. The SLDB is the first financial institution to sign onto the program. So far we have identified three projects in St. Lucia that will benefit from the facility. Combined a total of approximately one million US dollars. And some of these projects have already received technical assistance under the CRAF. And we expect at least one of them to one business to be applying for financing was close to 500,000 US dollars or 1.3 million EC dollars. The SLDB on the institutional building side has participated in two capacity building exercises conducted by the CDF recently. Over four days your management and your frontline staff have participated in training that have provided them with a detailed orientation on the CRAF. And we've taken a deep dive into energy project financing, understanding key project risks and borrow credit risk. And the reason that we're doing this is that we're introducing models that would help to in the choice of appropriate technologies on the business side and also a renewable energy financing tool which would assist in improving the credit decision. So we are building capacity both through the SMEs and the financial institutions. Small businesses that operate in the sectors of tourism, agriculture and or manufacturing are eligible for financing. They can access loans from the SLDB for projects from 25,000 to no more than 750,000 dollars. In other sustainable development matters on World Earth Day 2021, Thursday 22nd April, Latin America and the Caribbean welcome the treaty into force of the new regional agreement on access to information, public participation and access to justice in environmental matters, otherwise known as the Escalzo Agreement. St. Lucia was one of the first countries to sign in 2018 and later ratified the treaty in 2020. Government now reaffirms the importance of this first regional environmental treaty and its commitment to protecting the planet and the people who defend it. The legal officer in the Department of Sustainable Development explains the next step in St. Lucia meeting the obligations of the agreement. More importantly, we need to look at our legal frameworks, our legal and procedural frameworks. So we know that the World Resources Institute, they are on the ground. They had selected three countries, St. Lucia, Jamaica and there's a third country. To look at the laws and I know a consultancy, I'm not sure if it is finished yet, but we are hoping that we will get the recommendations soon for us to know what we need to do in terms of our legal framework. The Escalzo Agreement requires each participating state to guarantee the rights of every person to live in a healthy environment. It also seeks to deepen environmental governance by strengthening community engagement. St. Lucia as a tourism destination continues to dominate the global scene despite the impact of COVID-19. The island is up for major accolades in the 28th annual World Travel Awards. More from Jesse Laos. St. Lucia has been nominated for six prestigious titles in the 28th annual World Travel Awards, including Caribbean's Leading Adventure Tourism Destination 2021, Caribbean's Leading Cruise Destination 2021, Caribbean's Leading Destination 2021, Caribbean's Leading Luxury Island Destination 2021, Caribbean's Leading Nature Destination 2021, and Caribbean's Leading Honeymoon Destination 2021. Jarene Georges is the St. Lucia Tourism Authority's Public Relations Manager. The World Travel Awards is a global initiative to really recognize and reward excellence in the travel and tourism industry. Travel and tourism professionals and consumers globally are invited to vote for the brands that they consider to be the best worldwide. The nominee gaining the most votes will be awarded the winner. With the 2021 nominations, St. Lucia is eager to add more titles to her prestigious list of accolades. And as we know in 2009, the destination captured the title of Caribbean's Leading Travel Personality, and from 2009 has continuously won the title of Caribbean as well as World's Leading Honeymoon Destination, with the most recent honor being in 2020. Minister for Tourism Honorable Dominic Ferre indicated, quote, all efforts made toward the advancement of the destination are to be recognized as a collective. And so we thank our service providers and the people of St. Lucia for continuing to place the destination among mechers of the tourism travel industry. We are optimistic that new titles would be attributed to St. Lucia and look forward to what lies ahead. The Public Relations Manager noted that service providers were also nominated. Service providers across St. Lucia have also been nominated for several prestigious Caribbean titles, and that includes Caribbean Leading Putic Resort, Caribbean Leading Destination Management Company, and Caribbean's Leading Honeymoon Resort. And several are also buying four titles of the island's best, and that is St. Lucia's Leading Currency Company, St. Lucia's Leading Beach Resort, St. Lucia's Leading Hotel, St. Lucia's Leading Resort, St. Lucia's Leading Destination Management Company, St. Lucia's Leading Tour Operator, and St. Lucia's Leading Travel Agency. Now you must register to vote, and voting is now open through August 2, 2021 on the World Travel Awards website. Voting is easy, they are listed by country as well as by the various categories, and so this is very easy. Voting is open through to August 2, 2021. The World Travel Awards Grand Final Ceremony will take place on October 12, 2021 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. For the Government Information Service, I am Jesse Leance. St. Lucia has joined the Americas in celebrating the 19th Vaccination Week during the week of the 24th to the 30th of April 2021. This week's observance is being held another theme, vaccines bring us closer, get VACs, bringing it to focus how vaccines can bring people closer by keeping them healthy and ensuring that diseases remain at bay. This is especially important as the hemisphere combats COVID-19. Tegla Jabatis is the Assistant Principal Nursing Officer and National Immunization Manager. The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the Caribbean region and the rest of the world, affecting us from all dimensions and causing us to interact in unimaginable ways. As the Department of Health and Wellness reflects, it is noted that we have come a long way from where we were at this time last year. Although we are still in the pandemic, significant steps have been made towards achieving the normalcy which was stripped away from us as a result of COVID-19. Several clinical trials were underway towards a vaccine of vaccines that could protect us from COVID-19 and its complications. St. Lucia has administered over 24,000 first doses and over 1,000 second doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine to date. As the ministry continues to roll out the campaign, everyone is encouraged to get vaccinated. The gains achieved with the elimination of measles, rubella, polio and tetanus through vaccinations leaves no doubt that the same can be achieved with the COVID-19 vaccines. However, Jabatis notes that a greater amount of the population needs to be vaccinated to achieve this. Therefore, we plead to you the citizenry to get vaccinated against COVID-19. By doing so, you reduce the burden of severe disease, virus transmission, hospitalizations and death. At this moment, I take this opportunity to recognize the hard work and dedication of our health team, our physicians, nurses, health aides, attendants and other health care partners who continue to sustain the national immunization program, especially during the pandemic. The gains of the national immunization program would not be possible without your efforts. You continue to advocate for vaccines and delivering quality service to the people of St Lucia. It has not been easy having to re-strategize considering the COVID-19 protocols which have been put in place. Additionally, your commitment and dedication took St Lucia through a successful introduction and roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine. While the focus is on COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines in the battle against this pandemic and aiming for population immunity, the ministry reminds the public about the importance of the regular vaccination program. Meantime, the Department of Creative Industries presented 47,000 face shields to the Department of Education and the Ministry of Equity on Thursday 29th April. The Personal Protective Equipment forms part of a donation made by the charity group in Canada until we meet again ACN, a caring network. From Goodwill Ambassador, His Excellency Peter Kenny Chitoli, Chief Education Officer Dr. Fiona Philip Meyer accepted a share of 29,000 face shields to be distributed to all schools on the island. We are privileged to receive the largest number, but not that it will support and go to every single child on island. We looked at our early childhood sector, at our special education centers, at our upturn girls, our boys' training center, our primary and secondary schools. And through those calculations, we're very, very happy to have been told that we received one per child. And that's what's significant for us. Deputy Director in the Ministry of Equity, Social Justice, Local Government and Empowerment, Uralis De Lea accepted the 13,000 face shields to go towards constituency councils for the vulnerable in the communities. This donation will go a long way in assisting our ministry in providing equipment, safety equipment to the vulnerable persons in our society. Only last week, we donated or distributed 4,500 hygiene packages to persons on social assistance and other persons who are disadvantaged by the COVID-19 virus. And face shields were not included in the hygiene packages. And so this very, we are elated for this generous donation that will complement the items that were in the hygiene packages. De Lea also accepted 5,000 on behalf of the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports for youth in the various communities. Minister responsible for culture and creative industries, Senators Honourable for Tunabel Rose, expressed thanks to the Goodwill Ambassadors including His Excellency Chitoli for the continued efforts to uplift St. Lucia, particularly during the pandemic. We want to say, of course, on behalf of the Government of St. Lucia, we want to say thank you to H.E. High Commissioner, not Ambassador, Ken Chitoli for this donation of 47,000 face shields. As you know, the COVID virus is still very prevalent in St. Lucia and of course we've been working feverishly to ensure that our citizens understand and appreciate the value, you know, of ensuring that they are protected against the virus. I'm sure our students, our young people, our communities would all be happy to receive that wonderful gift from Ambassador Chitoli. Senator Honourable for Tunabel Rose there. The Sister Isle of St. Vincent and the Grenadines continues to require and receive assistance amid the eruptions of the last Sufria volcano. Hermadi Mark reports on the latest relief initiative by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA. The Government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA, is joining the list of organizations aiding relief efforts in St. Vincent and the Grenadines as the country continues to manage effects of eruptions of the last Sufria volcano. Chief Representative of the St. Lucia office, JICA, presented a supply of blankets and water tanks to the Sister Isle. The National Emergency Management Organization, NIMO, is facilitating the shipment of the donation. We would like to express special thanks for NIMO in the Government of Central Asia to provide us with kind support to deliver the goods to St. Vincent and the Grenadines. I really appreciate the support of NIMO. The Acting Deputy Director of NIMO, Lindi Eresti, says the Japan International Cooperation Agency provides continuous assistance to the National Emergency Management Organization. Not only at this time in the provision of supplies but also in providing training to our fellow solutions as well as the volunteers and also in terms of provision of the various skills and technical training for our persons in St. Lucia. We are very appreciative of the efforts and the continued collaboration in fine-tuning our National Emergency Organization and also making St. Lucia more empowered in terms of dealing with resistance, resilience, as well as ensuring that we are able to manage our country in the event of any disaster, in a state of preparedness at this time. The National Emergency Management Organization thanked Jaika for their continued support from the Government Information Service. Hermedi Mark reporting. This is NTN Nightly. Up next, Primers Hutchinson with the NTN Nouvelle Aquial. Dentist was really nice and she told me that mouth rinsing is very important. How so? Rinsing with water gets rid of food in between your teeth which can protect you from getting cavity. No way! So after I eat a drink, it's a good idea to rinse out my mouth with water. Yes! Make sure to spit out the water after rinsing because swallowing will only bring the germs into your body. Remember, water is an easy and cost-effective way to instantly boost your health and a healthy body to fight any diseases. Welcome back. We join Primers Hutchinson for the NTN Nouvelle Aquial. Primers Hutchinson. Jean Chouazei, who is a very common advisor here, has prepared for eight years in his different powers with Chouazei. She is a representative for Chouazei Excalibus, her name is Bradley Felix, who made a declaration on her behalf that she would be able to visit her home in 2020. According to Chouazei's representative, several Chouazei citizens, particularly those who are here in the North Sea, such as Godzilla, such as Chouazei. I have plans to visit Chouazei as there is a great opportunity for people in Chouazei to be able to visit their home. I have a project to develop a place for people in Chouazei to buy and build a house. I have started. There are more than 300 applications I have done. There are also 16 communities with the same quality of Chouazei. I have the responsibility to the commercial, investment, industry and consumers who are also in Chouazei to choose Excalibus, such as Bradley Felix. I also have a project to develop a place for people in Chouazei to be able to visit their home with Chouazei. I have a project to develop a place for people in Chouazei to be able to visit Chouazei. I have a project to develop a place for the people in Chouazei to buy and build a home with the same quality of Chouazei. I have started. There are 16 communities to buy and grow in Chouazei. I have a project to develop. A new hope is that people from Chouazei could be able to visit their home I worked at Saltybus and Dabin, which I did, but I ended up working at Tanglo, which I worked at Yonsan, to replace the old Tanglo, which was in Montjuac. Also, there was a community center for community employees, which I worked at for a long time. After that, I worked at Pilouita, which was a world-class building for Nef, for a community employee project. Representative Bradley Felix Palledi said, if you work at Chimé, in Paris-Codeboué, Montete-La-Maze, you can choose from a lot of Paris. The Ministry of Responsibility for Sport and Youth Development is Edmund Estefan, a representation of the 2021 BGD, to continue to place importance on youth development in this area. It is a government commitment to make its own reality, to use the majority of the youth population. Estefan would like to make a presentation on this issue, to help the next year. Estefan would like to ask the 20 youth officers who have been working to place importance on youth development in this area. The Ministry of Responsibility for Sport and Youth Development said that the youth officers who work to achieve a good job, will not be able to help the youth who deserve to work in this area. The Ministry of Responsibility for Sport and Youth Development also said that it is an organization of youth services with contributions that I have done to develop youth in this area. I would like to thank Estefan for this opportunity to help youth development in this area. The Ministry of Responsibility for Sport said that it is an organization that will helpful service the state, with a government that has not worked with health services and have not been able to provide a lot. The Ministry of Responsibility for Sport has become very successful in finding a job like this, and it is the Ministry of Responsibility for Sport. The Ministry of Responsibility for Sport has invited the department of Youth Organization in this area to keep the youth in good direction. as you can see, the MAM Executive One Court for Escortability. Premier Minister Settlesi, on behalf of Alain Chassnay, declared that Government Settlesi needed commitment for Industry Fig Bayer. With Industry Fig, I hope that the other customer will be pleased to be here. Premier Minister Chassnay made an announcement that he would like to present a BGA to learn in the next century. Premier Minister Chassnay, I hope that the MAM Executive One Court will be pleased to be here to learn in the next century how to implement BGA's Banana Productivity Improvement Project. I hope that the Premier Minister will be pleased to be here to address the situation of production that is going down in the next three years. Premier Minister Chassnay, I hope that the Premier Minister will be pleased to be here to participate in an industry that is worth $30 billion to improve production in this case, to address the needs to help the actors who are in the production to control the disease in Tibet, who have affected production to help the actors who are in the production and to establish a way to work with them to make their needs better. Premier Minister Chassnay said that the acting rate that has increased by 29.3 percent in the last several years has increased by 266.8 percent. It is also reported that the acting rate has increased by 16.2 percent in the last six years. So the Premier Minister Please give us $6 billion to grow and develop our industry, so that we can do more. If you want to know more about the new product, thank you so much for giving me a lot of invitation. If you want to know more about the new product, thank you very much. Thank you, Pil Primers. That brings us to the end of NTN 19, Join us next time at 7pm with a repeat at 7pm. You can also catch up with us anytime on the Singlish Government Facebook page or YouTube channel. I am Channel Novel.