 Welcome to the NTN Nightly, I'm Nisha Charles, this edition's top stories. The Government of St. Lucia continues on its path to sustainable growth, St Lucia launches its list of summer festivals for 2020 and tourism ends 2019 on a high note. The Government of St Lucia is continuing on its path of sustainable growth, so says Prime Minister Hon. Alan Shastney as he delivered his New Year's address to the nation on Sunday, January 12, 2020. In his address entitled Now is the Time, Prime Minister Shastney made mention of the recent International Monetary Fund assessment on St Lucia, which described the country's growth prospects in the near term as favorable. The Hon. Prime Minister projects that commencement of infrastructural projects will substantially boost growth in the 2020-2022 period. Unemployment, which was at 25% when we came in, has been reduced to 17% according to the most recent reports from the Statistics Department and we anticipate a further reduction this year. The undisputed fact is that our economy has recorded growth in every single year since we took office. When I addressed you at the start of 2019, I spoke to the implementation of a number of our government's plans. Several of our signature projects are underway, especially in the southern part of the island. We're excited about the airport redevelopment project. Our first FBO private jet facility is now operational and the rebuilding of St. Jude's Hospital continues at a rapid pace. The Prime Minister touted the success of the first international horse racing event in Vierville, which attracted over 7,500 visitors. The public showed their overwhelming support for the project by coming out in spectacular fashion for this day at the races. Many had flown in from New York, Toronto, London and all over the Caribbean region to participate in the rebirth of the South. The next race is scheduled for mid-February, just in time for our 41st Independence Anniversary. The Hon. Prime Minister outlined road infrastructure projects which are ongoing and still to come on stream. It is expected to cost nearly $350 million, the largest such investment in St. Lucia's history. We're addressing our road infrastructure with an island-wide road rehabilitation program, the upgrading of feeder roads, the rehabilitation of the West Coast Highway, and building on the East Coast Highway to more easily connect the north to the south, and thereby address the traffic congestion in the Grosele Highway. The financing of these projects is being provided by the Taiwanese and the CDB, and other development agencies with the loans supported by the fuel and airport tax. Some of you have already seen the results with which the work in Cassinbaugh Road in Grosele, the Forest Air Road, the Tiemont Road in Union, the Salterbus Road in Choiselle, the Bel Air Road in Castry Southeast. Work is eminent for the road in Denry Village, Blasia, Spring Roads in Miku South, and the new development roads in Soufere, just to name a few. The Ministry of Infrastructure Rehabilitation program will cost EC110 million, the Millennium Highway and West Coast Road 130 million, the Kuldesak Bridge 30 million, the Shock Bridge 22 million, and the feeder roads 50 million, nearly $350 million in total. And that was the Honourable Prime Minister Alan Shastney speaking at his New Year's address to the nation. St Lucia Nationals and visitors alike can look forward to the 2020 edition of its summer festivals. The Ministry of Tourism, Information and Broadcasting, Culture and Creative Industries, the St Lucia Tourism Authority, and Events Company of St Lucia, in collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center, launched this year's lineup, which runs from May to October to June. The 2020 edition of the St Lucia Summer Festival promises to be even better than the last. With the continuous growth of the festivals, the Government of St Lucia has invested even more funds into the festivals, so as to make it an even bigger success. Minister of Tourism, Information and Broadcasting, Culture and Creative Industries, Honourable Dominic Fading, indicated that St Lucia attained the highest number of visitors ever in 2019, approximately 400,000. He explained that the increase in arrivals is in part as a result of the growth of St Lucia's festivals. The Tourism Minister explained that the Government is committed to supporting all that is local. In that whole restructuring, we wanted to bring St Lucia, St Lucia's culture, St Lucia's music, St Lucia's people, and St Lucia's festivals to bring them all. What we did was, we said that Carnival had to be the number one festival, because in that era, you would note that the production levels of jazz really was superior to what you did in Jeanne Carrillo in Carnival and some of the other authentically solution festivals. I am so happy that we have seen after three years of this policy shift that Carnival has received the adequate financing that it requires to take it to the next level. And so for the first time this year, we have spent 4.7 million dollars in the Carnival festivities and the results from our stats guru Rosie tells us as well that it was the best carnival we've had in terms of tourism arrivals, where we saw some 5,000 people. The Caribbean's biggest summer festival, the St Lucia summer festival, consists of unforgettable events running May through October. The festival features worldwide jazz grates in collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center, St Lucia Carnival Roots and Soul Festival, and ends with St Lucia's rich cultural, ethnic, and artistic heritage on full display for Creole Heritage Month. Chief Executive Office of the Events Company of St Lucia, Lauren Sidoni, highlighted the reconfiguration of St Lucia's calendar of events. Since the launch of the festival, not only has ECSL's responsibility increased to all national events, including independence and national day celebrations, but the number of events on St Lucia's calendar has significantly increased, causing ECSL to take stock of its events. Mercury Fest is now a government-sanctioned event, along with the CPL and Women's Cricket, all with the potential to attract thousands of visitors. Thus, ECSL has confined its summer festival to St Lucia Jazz, Carnival, Roots and Soul, and Creole Heritage Month events. This year's summer festival promises to be an exciting one, featuring all of those festivals that we have now grown to love, running from May to October. St Lucia once again will collaborate with Jazz at Lincoln Center to produce the 2020 edition of St Lucia Jazz. The CEO of Events Company of St Lucia gave an introduction into the lineup, which includes American jazz pianist Chik Korea, Trumpeter Alfonso Horn, and the Gotham Kings. Regional artist Mahir Burro from Martinica will fit here as well as international jazz artist Willie Jones III celebrating Roy Hargrove. One of Jazz's most sought-after dramas, Willie Jones III leads an all-star ensemble to celebrate the music of the late great Roy Hargrove, Jones, who for nearly 10 years performed in Hargrove's best-known quintets and the Powerhouse RH Factor, honors the trumpeter, whose ground-breaking work influenced musicians across genres. St Lucia Jazz in collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center is scheduled for the 7th to the 9th of May 2020, followed by St Lucia Carnival with the Street Parade on the 20th and 21st of July 2020. Dates for the Roots and Soul Festival will be announced at a later date and activities for Creole Heritage Month will be held in October. The St Lucia Summer Festival and the St Lucia Jazz was launched simultaneously on Friday 10th January 2020. For the Government Information Service, I am Janelle Norville. St Lucia's tourism product has ended 2019 on a high note. The industry recorded in excess of 400,000 visitors for 2019. St Lucia's Minister for Tourism, Information and Broadcasting, Culture and Creative Industries Honourable Dominique Fede noted that the tourism sector continues to grow exponentially over the last year. According to the latest tourism figures, St Lucia saw a 7.1% increase with over 400,000 stayover arrivals for 2019. The Minister expressed gratitude to the tourism industry workers for their continued effort in making St Lucia one of the world's leading destinations. It is quite an extraordinary year that we have had and really I am full of praise and gratitude and admiration for the work that all the thousands of tourism workers, whether they are vendors, whether they are in the arcade or the dayboat sector or hotel employees, people who are taxi drivers, immigration officers. It is with profound thanks and congratulations I make this announcement and dedicate this success to all of you for your outstanding contribution towards our sector. Minister Fede stated that the Government has been placing a greater focus on investing in local businesses. The Minister also explained that with these new opportunities arising, local participation has been growing faster than foreign investment. And it is a great indication to us that the linkages that we are trying to see from tourism is actually being derived from our policies, from our promotion of the statistics and from our promotion of the fact that we want St Lucia to be included in this new thrust of advancing tourism. The Ministry of Tourism continues to work with the OECS to improve business and traffic flow in and around the city of Castries which will accommodate the increase in cruise arrivals. Because tourism should not disrupt the lives of local citizens and we want to reduce that as much as possible. So we are looking at the traffic arrangements in Castries and how we can cushion the blow it would have on pedestrian traffic and vehicular traffic as well, people that are looking to do business in and around the city centre. So that project I know there are contracts that are going to go out for tender for the construction of some of the designs which have already been approved in some of the areas. So that is moving ahead with great pace. With a yet-to-date increase of 5% in November of 2019, the total tourism arrival figures for 2019 is estimated to be approximately 1.3 million. From the Government Information Service, I am Anisia Andouan reporting. Prime Minister Hon. Alan Sharsney has congratulated her Excellency Tai Ing-wen on her re-election as President of the Republic of China, Taiwan. According to Taiwan's Election Commission, a record 8.17 million voters cast their ballots for Tai. Hon. Sharsney says the government and the people of St. Lucia remain extremely grateful for the many projects and vast assistance which Taiwan continues to provide to St. Lucia. He looks forward to the continued strengthening of cooperation and relations between the two countries during her new term. I think that sends a very strong message by Taiwan and the public of Taiwan in terms of clarity on the way forward. The significance of this is that we have a very good working relationship with President Tsai. We have a significant amount of projects that are pending or have started. So we have $150 million U.S. loan that has been approved. $100 million of that has gone to the international airport. $42 million has gone for the road rehab development program. $4 million U.S. was used for the Ministry of Education and rehabilitation of schools. And $4 million was going into housing. And that was Prime Minister Hon. Sharsney speaking at a Pre-Cabinet briefing on Monday. And this is the NTN Nightly. We'll be right back. Welcome back. The year 2020 has been designated the international year of the nurse and midwife by the World Health Organization. St Lucia will be joining in the celebrations as it recognizes its nurses and midwives over the next 12 months. The country will also take the opportunity to help raise the status and profile of the profession by actions to alleviate the many challenges faced by nurses in St Lucia. Courtney Sturage is the chief nursing officer. Globally, the nursing and midwifery workforce comprises almost 50% of the health workforce. In St Lucia, it is no different. All our midwives are nurses and represent the highest group of health professionals on island with over 1,200 nurses actively working in various settings which include hospitals, wellness centers, hotels, nursing schools, nursing administration, and nursing homes. Nurses provide nursing care for patients from the womb to the tomb, from the beginning of life to the end. They provide nursing care not only to the sick but also to the well to ensure that they maintain good health. They administer life-saving vaccines and medicines to provide health and provide health advice among many other actions. The chief nursing officer says despite the major role that nurses play, there are opportunities to increase the understanding of the value of nurses in order to expand investments in education, practice, and research. 2020 is an opportunity to highlight the enormous sacrifices and contributions of the hardworking, dedicated, and devoted nurses and midwives. We must acknowledge, appreciate, and address the challenging conditions nurses and midwives face at work, which includes increased rates of nurse migration, job security, poor working conditions, inadequate nurse to patient issues in the clinical setting, inadequate funding and scholarship opportunities for advanced education and training. We look forward to increased investments in the workforce to improve such conditions. The management and staff of the Ministry of Health applaud all nurses in St. Lucia and thank you sincerely for your contributions and dedication to the health sector and to the people of St. Lucia. As chief nursing officer, I celebrate this accomplishment with all the nurses and midwives in St. Lucia. 2020 is our chance to shine. It's our chance to showcase and to celebrate our profession. And in keeping with changes in international old prices and government's application of the modified market path through petroleum pricing mechanism, the retail price of kerosene and diesel has changed. The retail price of gasoline, LPG 20, 22 and 100 pound cylinders remains unchanged. The price changes take effect from Monday, January 13, 2020. Gasoline remains unchanged at $13.24 per gallon. Kerosene increased from $8.12 to $8.30 per gallon. Diesel increased from $13.29 to $13.36 per gallon. The 20 pound cylinder remains unchanged at $32.12 per cylinder. The 22 pound cylinder remains unchanged at $35.61 per cylinder. And the 100 pound cylinder remains unchanged at $204.42 per cylinder. The next adjustment of the retail price of fuel products will be on Monday, February 3, 2020. And that brings us to the end of the 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 Saint Lucia Government Facebook page or YouTube channel. I'm Nisha Charles.