 Welcome to the NTN Nightly, I'm Nisha Charles, this edition's top stories. The Department of Fisheries is in the process of developing a national fisheries policy. The Ministry of Health and Wellness is finalizing arrangements for the arrival of the United States Naval Ship Voluntary Medical Mission. The Government of St. Lucia and MSC cruises are furthering discussions for a port facility in the south of the island. All that was the latest in youth development, sports and the NTN Nouvelle Arquéon. The Department of Fisheries in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO posted a workshop for stakeholders to develop a national fisheries policy which will inform the manner in which the sub-sector initiates actions to sustain safeguard and expand fisheries livelihoods. We hear more from the Ministry of Agriculture's Amanda Faye Clark. The workshop is an integral component of the technical cooperation project, which is entitled Assistance with the Development of a National Policy on Fisheries. Its objective is to revise the national fisheries plan in order to incorporate clear policy statements on a number of thematic areas impacting the local fisheries, marine and aquaculture sector. Deputy Chief Fisheries Officer attached to the Department of Fisheries, Thomas Nelson explains concerns such as illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, post-harvest issues on the ground such as sanitary and phytosanitary measures, trade and the overall impact of climate change on the industry are forefront of this week's deliberations. We have had an agriculture policy. We have also had a food and nutrition policy that really speaks to how we should move forward in terms of the development of the agriculture sector that includes fisheries and the agricultural policy speaks to food security, it speaks to sustainability, it speaks to pollution reduction, it speaks to a lot of the legal aspects in relation to whether it be land management, ocean management and a whole lot more. So this fisheries policy is not being developed in isolation of work that has been undertaken in the past. Fishery and Aquaculture Officer of the FAO Dr Yvette Day-Wadi says her organization remains committed to assisting governments in implementing the best strategies for securing fisheries livelihoods and thus, applauds the initiative of St Lucia's fisheries leaders in developing a policy document that is unique and representative of the reality of the local fisheries sector. This morning we were reviewing an important document which is now in force in St Lucia. The SASAP, the sectoral adaptation to climate change and action plan, this workshop has enabled to see the limitations that exist in the SASAP before the lenses that we have, critical lenses but constructive lenses that we have, we realize that the SASAP document has some limitations and this policy actually will benefit these gaps analysis to make it an instrument which is very useful to the country. The role of fisheries and marine resources in the national economy is important. Improving the productivity of fisheries is vital in ensuring food and nutrition security, improve fisheries livelihoods and promote economic growth. Results fisheries leaders say will be sustainable, wants policies to protect the environment and natural resources are fully implemented by law. From the Ministry of Agriculture, I am Amanda Faye-Clock reporting. The Lucia's Prime Minister and Chairman of the Caribbean Community Characum, Honourable Alan Shastney has expressed a grave concern about the ability of St Lucia and the region in dealing with the catastrophic realities of a Category 5 hurricane. Honourable Shastney concerns come against the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian which devastated the Abaco and Grand Bahama Islands in the Bahamas archipelago. Characum and the OECS are taking a collective approach to provide assistance to the Bahamas following the devastation by Hurricane Dorian. Prime Minister of St Lucia and Chairman of Characum, the Honourable Alan Shastney indicated that upon examination, regional heads agreed that logistically it was not feasible to get supplies to the Bahamas given the location, and so it was decided that cash donations would be more practical. The Prime Minister spoke to the issue during Tuesday's sit-in. So we all agreed to contribute $100,000 and I think that Barbados put in $500,000. I know in the case of Trinidad and also of Jamaica that in addition to some cash they've also given them troops. In the case of St Lucia and Dominica that we are in the process of sending up nurses and doctors and policemen who actually speak Creole, because clearly there is a community up there that they're having difficulty in communicating with. The immediate lesson at the same as the Speaker and that's why I wanted to make the intervention this morning and I'm very grateful to the Leader of the Opposition to allow me to do so, is I think that we have to be honest with ourselves in that the preparations that we have for hurricanes or the process that we're going through predominantly is concentrated on the pre-hurricane period. And I'm not so sure, well, I am sure that we're actually taking into consideration the level of catastrophe that we've seen now in Dominica, in the BVI and in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Honourable Shasne noted that the move towards the government and ensuring that government processes and other relevant information was available electronically is crucial in the event of a disaster where documents and livelihoods are lost and individuals have to be evacuated. Additionally, the Prime Minister asserted that it is imperative that the country start a reserve of funds in case of such an eventuality. It's for that reason that I have said, Mr. Speaker, that we now need to put more measures in place to deal with the aftermath of these storms. Right? So the ability to get people registered to know where they are and where they're moving to is critical. And that is, and it's a point that I wanted to make today, that we still have a tremendous amount of work to do in light of climate change. And that while we're desilting and clearing bushes and doing all these things and giving people advanced warnings of the hurricane, I am not so sure the same level of preparedness is being put in place to deal with an aftermath of the size of a Dominica, the size of a BVI. Currently, what we just saw in Abaco and I think that even though we're further south, we have to put these these things in the practice. And the point from member of Castro himself is extremely well taken. The Prime Minister assured that the government is working assiduously to obtain the necessary sources to ensure functionality and return to normality following a disaster. For the government information service, I am General Norville. The Ministry of Health and Wellness is finalizing arrangements for the arrival of the United States Naval Ship Comfort Voluntary Medical Mission. The United States Naval Ship Comfort will be in St. Lucia from September 23 to October 2, 2019, and will be providing free medical services to residents. Services at the walk-in clinics will be provided from September 25 to 30 of 2019 at the OKEU Hospital and the National Cultural Center. Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Sharon Belma George, says the ministry has been holding meetings with the coordinating team from the ship. Due to the size of the hospital ship and the depth of our harbor, we will not be able to accommodate the vessel at point seraphine, as was indicated earlier, but it will be both out at sea and a smaller vessel from Laplace-Karenage Gate No. 2 will transport patients to the ship. All surgical patients and patients requiring CT scans need to be accompanied by an adult when coming for surgery. That is, the person would need to come with the patient when they're doing the procedure and also remain with them on the ship during the provision of care and also during their admission on the ship. All patients confirmed for surgery are required to attend pre-screening on Tuesday, September 24, 2019 at 8 a.m. at the OKEU Hospital. These patients will be contacted by the Ministry of Health. We also want to indicate that all other clients would like to access surgical care on the ship who have not yet sent in a referral to our office. There is still an opportunity where you can come in to one of the clinics at either the OKEU or the National Cultural Center to be seen and reviewed by the team and then you can be scheduled for surgery. Arrangements have been made through the president of the National Council of Public Transportation to provide shuttle service to the OKEU Hospital via the Cicero and Bexel buses and the National Cultural Center via the Lecleri buses. During the medical visit, contraband will not be allowed. These includes cigarettes, marijuana, alcohol, licensed and unlicensed firearms and weapons. During the clinic set up on September 23 to 24, 2019, the public is alerted on increased activity from the port to the site of the clinics. This will include low flying helicopters. The Ministry of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development continues to roll out its early childhood education reform with a workshop on the Early Learners Program Phase 2 Sensitization. Anise Antoine has more. The Early Learners Programme intends to address essential aspects of policy and practice in order to improve the reading levels of all learners at the early primary levels, grade K to grade 3. The Ministry of Education is currently in Phase 2 of the Early Learners Programme, which focuses mainly on language policy, teacher professional development and curriculum and assessment. Dawson Raghunanan is the Acting Deputy Chief Education Officer within the Ministry of Education. The ELP continues to provide a targeted approach towards improving reading and for the past few years, especially about two years ago, we have seen the data and there are many realities that we must consider. At the beginning, when the first assessment was done in 2016, it was realized that only 9% of students between grades K to 3 are reading at or above the grade level. After a year of intervention, the number had risen to about 16%, and that is very commendable. The Reading Development Programme for young learners is being administered by the OACS Commission and funded by the United States Agency for International Development, USAID. Lisa Sargusin Terence is the Reading Specialist for the OACS Early Learners Programme. The vision of the education sector strategies that every learner succeeds and to achieve that vision, seven strategic imperatives have been identified. The Early Learners Programme allows us to respond to a number of these imperatives, such as improvements in teacher professional development, curriculum and assessment, and the quality of teaching and learning. We are grateful that the US government through USAID has approved funding for the ELP and has further granted us an extension of 18 months and in September 2020 to improve the reading levels of our K to 3 students in the region, thus allowing us to address one of the cross-cutting themes of improving achievement in levels in cost-subject areas such as literacy. The six beneficiary OACS Member States in which the ELP is being implemented are Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Senkitsa and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. From the Government Information Service, I am Anisia Antoine reporting. And this is DNT and Knightly. Ryan O'Brien is up next. Think about the children. Think about the children. How will we save it? Chemicals and GMOs are not the solution. Use organic and join. Excessive agrochemical use, additives and genetically modified foods are harmful to health and the environment. Join the Good Food Revolution. Grow, buy and consume organic. A message from Ryan St. Lucia and the Ministry of Sustainable Development with funding from the GEF Small Grants Program, UNDP. Welcome back. We join Ryan O'Brien for the latest happenings in youth development and sports. It's the weekend once again and I'm Ryan O'Brien with your update from the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports on the NTN Nightly News. St. Lucia and youth are being urged to take advantage as the National Enrichment and Learning Unit, NELU, is accepting applications and are currently conducting interviews for the Skills for Youth Employment Sky Project. The Sky Project is specifically targeting disadvantaged youth, including those with disabilities between the ages of 15 and 30. The project is aligned with national, regional and international agendas on continued education and training. One such agenda is United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which articulates that by 2030, there must be substantial increase in the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship. The National Enrichment and Learning Unit will receive funding to train 1,150 young people over a three-year period, 350 in year one, 400 in year two and 400 in year three. The training will be certificated at Caribbean Vocational Qualification, CVQ level, and will be offered in districts throughout the island. More than 35% of trainees will be male, more than 35% female, and 12% will be young people with disabilities. Forms can be obtained from the Nalews office located upstairs People's Discount Drugstore at a corner of St Louis and Chisell Streets, social transformation officers, youth and sports councils, Nalews coordinators around the island. Persons who have applied are being urged to attend the interviews. Challenge swimmer Cameron Bellamy, who successfully took on a channel swim from Barbados to St. Lucia last weekend, spoke about the experience during a press briefing this week. Although not ending where he initially planned, the swimmer was delighted to have achieved the desired goal. The end of the swim was pretty difficult. We got a current going south and we tried to get into view for touch rocks and to push it pretty hard. But it was kind of a with a spectacular place to finish under that cliff touching those rocks. I know what it would be nice to finish on the beach and and have like and meet people on the beach, even though I would have been kind of out of it and everything and wouldn't be able to walk. It was nice to finish there because it was very picturesque and from what I've seen of St Lucia so far, it's just like that beautiful, beautiful island. Bellamy said he felt very welcomed when he got on St Lucia's soil. The welcome I had when I got in, you know, having the Prime Minister visit me on the boat with my mom was was amazing to me. And since I've been here, the hospitality has been amazing. So just to start off, I just want to say how grateful I am to the two St Lucia and solution people for having me on your island. The feet by the South African born swimmer also helped raise money for charities in Barbados and St Lucia. And that's how we end our weekend update from youth development and sports. I'm Ryan O'Brien. Thanks, Ryan. The government of St Lucia and MSC Cruises are furthering discussions on the development of a port facility in the south of the island. Prime Minister Honourable Shastney revealed that talks held with the third largest cruise ship company in the world have been promising. The emphasis by my government is to improve the quality of cruise shipping in castries, but not to expand the quantum of it and that all of the increases in the size of the ships would be facilitated in the Deview Fort area in order to be able to balance the cruise ship industry in solution. I think having two ports certainly augurs well and gives us that additional room. Furthermore, developing in the south gives us the opportunity of developing more home porting and that really is the business that we would like to be able to to see more success in. And that was Prime Minister Honourable Alan Shastney and stay with the NTN Knightly. Up next, Prime Minister Hutchinson is here with the NTN Nouvelle Arquio. I'm innovative. I'm competitive. I am productive. I'm creative. I constantly improve what I do. And how I do it. I provide excellent customers to visit. I never stop learning. I give all my best, always. The National Competitiveness and Productivity Council embracing excellence. Welcome back! We join Prime Minister Hutchinson for the NTN Nouvelle Arquio. M. Madame, Department of Universitability, for informing the Government of this session of the GIS, for the National Television Competition with NTN, especially the Nouvelle Arquio, and also Prime Minister Hutchinson. Government of this session, in discussion and at the University of Aetid Touristic Center, which is well advanced to to keep an opportunity to establish a facility in the same way as this one. For this one, we have Alain Chassney, the young leader of the University of Luzern in Switzerland in the first place in the first place in the country. It is expected that this university will serve only for this one but also for the other countries. According to Chassney, we have considered difficulties for the people who have come to the United States and for the industry, tourism, as well as other countries. It is also expected that this facility will provide education and will help the university to benefit from it. For the Luzern education program, it will also provide academic education and practical education. For the Ministry of Education, we have also considered the Limo-Sham Hotel in the country. And we have also considered the Touristic design of the electricity, so that we have a opportunity for the young people to follow the educational and business design of the electricity. For this one, we have also considered the University of Luzern of the United States, especially here in the Hanay. So, we have also considered the Limo-Sham Hotel specifically for the University Hotel We have a group called Luzern. If you agree with that, you can proceed to fight for the land. We have a plan to work in a way that has already been built. We already have a company to work with. And then we have a group of assets. Then we have the government. We have to continue to make commitments to modernize the public service in the country. And we have these ways to make the government available for all of this. Why is that? The government has to work to modernize the public service in the country. And the government has to work to make the government available for all of this. But what is the possibility of developing economic transportation? We have explained to Joseph that this is an issue of transportation that is automatically applied in any way. The people who are working on the service in the country have to serve the internet. The government has to work You should be able to find information on how to work in a more effective manner. Your chef, Mr. Quesco, has modernized the public sector. He is a nurse. He is able to provide services to the service government. He is able to provide services online. He is able to provide applications for the service driver online. He is able to provide services online. This government is a company by the Touristic MSC. It is a discussion to develop a facility for the service driver. Prime Minister Aline Chastney said that the discussion is about how to work in a more effective manner. Prime Minister Chastney said that the government is able to provide facilities for the service driver. Prime Minister Aline Chastney said that the government is able to provide facilities for service drivers. How to get work done online? Prime Minister Aline Chastney said that the government is able to provide facilities for business drivers. Prime Minister Prab silhouette has published a technique to build視 And here's a look at what's happening to us weather-wise. Over the extreme northern portion of the Lesser Antilles, it will be generally cloudy with some scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. Elsewhere it will be occasionally cloudy with a few scattered showers and a chance of isolated thunderstorms. Moisture and instability in the lower atmosphere over the eastern Caribbean islands will cause some scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms over the next few days. A tropical wave located about 700 miles or 1,126 kilometers east of the Windward Islands is producing a large area of disorganized cloudiness and showers. The wave is expected to move quickly westward at about 20 miles per hour during the next few days and some development is possible while it approaches and moves across the Windward Islands this weekend. A tropical wave located near the west coast of Africa has the potential to develop into a tropical depression early next week as it moves westward across the eastern tropical Atlantic. The tide for Castries Harbor was low at 12.39pm and is high at present. The tide for Vieux-Four Bay was low at 206pm and will be high again at 8.22pm. The sea is moderate to locally rough with waves and northeasterly swells 5-7ft or 1.5-2.1m. The sun will rise Saturday at 5.53am. 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 Selenusia Government Facebook page or YouTube channel. I'm Nisha Charles.