 Welcome to the NTN Nightly, I'm Misha Charles, this edition's top stories. The Island's Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure meet cruise industry officials. The role of research and innovation in St. Lucia's competitiveness and productivity is being examined. Efforts are continuing towards enhancing the local government system. All that plus the latest in youth development, sports and the NTN Nouvelle Arquéole. The expansion and upgrading of St. Lucia's seaports continues to be a priority item for the government of St. Lucia. Prime Minister the Hon. Alan Shastney and Minister for Infrastructure, Ports, Energy and Labor, Hon. Stevenson King, has travelled to the UK and Switzerland to continue discussions with cruise industry leaders to ensure St. Lucia's success with the optimization of passenger and cargo terminal operations. The Prime Minister and Infrastructure Minister will meet with Global Ports as well as MSC Cruises to advance discussions on the sustainable development of St. Lucia's cruise and cargo ports. The government of St. Lucia is embarking on major infrastructural projects to improve its ports of entry, including the redevelopment of the Hurunara International Airport and upgrades to the Cacheteries port. In the Prime Minister's absence, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Physical Planning, National Resources and Cooperatives Hon. Ezekiel Joseph serves as acting Prime Minister. St. Lucia is projected to realize economic growth of 3% this year. The projection has been made by the Caribbean Development Bank in its country Economic Review 2018 for St. Lucia. The implementation of both private and public sector projects is essential to realization of the economic growth. So too is the level of productivity in the workforce. Against this backdrop, focus is being placed on the role of research and innovation to boost St. Lucia's competitiveness and productivity. Here's Glenn Simon. The World Economic Forum has put a call out for a new crop of innovators. It believes that a shared, connected future built by scalable innovative solutions could be the answer to some of the most pressing global issues. The theme, innovation for greater productivity, has been adopted by the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council, NCPC, which is tasked with identifying key issues related to competitiveness and productivity in St. Lucia. The NCPC has commenced work to develop the National Competitiveness Agenda for St. Lucia, which will establish the necessary framework to improve the island's overall competitiveness. To contribute to this process, conversations were held with a number of stakeholders and policymakers. Managing Director of Caribbean Ornings Limited, Paula Cauldron, whose company produces innovative products for domestic and commercial clients, stated that for St. Lucia to become more competitive, the work ethic must improve. Productivity means performing a day's work and making sure that you have achieved something at the end of the day, which means that you do not slack off when you want to, you do not take time off when you feel like it, that you put in your eight hours and that at the end of the day, you have achieved something and that gives you personal satisfaction. Danelle Florius, CEO of Ecolabs Inc., a green energy service company, shared his views on the importance of innovation. Innovation is critical to everything that we do. Innovation in the 21st century is everything and I always say this as well, climate change is one of the biggest problems of our generation and we need a bunch of innovative technological solutions to solve this problem. Kurt Harris, project manager for the Solarization Project with the Vaughan Allen-Lewis Institute for Research and Innovation, Valérie, pointed out that for innovation to be truly meaningful, it must be preceded by the necessary research. To answer the question, why innovate? If you have an evidence-based society and you can show people why is it that you're doing it and why it is more efficient, then automatically you're going to start being a lot more productive because as you do things more efficiently, productivity increases. When people know why they are doing something, they are more likely to do it. Minister for Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development, Honourable Dr. Gail Rigobot, who recently launched a decade of research and innovation for St. Lucia, believes that innovation dialogue must not be high-handed, but should also include persons within the communities. That conversation needs to become one and the same. That it is not sectorally defined, that the interconnection is evident and obvious. So when we talk about increasing yield per acre, it is not the domain of a field officer or an agricultural economist. That it is the business of the farmer, the farm laborer, the consumer. Because ultimately, if you can raise productivity levels, one would think that the benefit can accrue to the consumer as well at the tail end of the transaction. In keeping with the theme for St. Lucia's 40th anniversary of independence, all in, the NCPC has challenged all sectors of the economy to raise the level of competitiveness and productivity on Ireland through greater innovation within their business processes. For the National Competitiveness and Productivity Unit, Glenn Simon reporting. The Ministry of Health and Wellness is investigating a few deaths in adult males which have occurred during the month of March 2019. In some cases, the individuals had underlying medical conditions, but in two cases, the males had no history of any past medical illness, though a respiratory cause is suspected. The chief medical officer, Dr. Marlene Fredericks-James, says vector-borne diseases and other infectious diseases cannot be ruled out as yet, as laboratory and other tests are still being processed. The public is being asked to be on the alert. We should be reminded that we are currently experiencing a higher than normal number of flu cases as compared to other years, as compared to other years when we look at the particular point in time. The flu shot is available. Persons would know that there is a vaccine which can provide some protection against flu. It may not be 100%, but it would definitely reduce the likelihood that persons would develop more serious illness if they got infected with flu. So the flu vaccine is available free of charge at all wellness centers. We also have TamiFlu, which is one of the medications specifically geared towards treating cases of flu. TamiFlu is also available at all the public health facilities. The chief medical officer says while the symptoms appear to be respiratory, there are other illnesses which can mimic the flu. We know that dengue, which is transmitted by the edis egypti mosquito, can go on to have a, some persons go on to have a serious case of dengue, dengue hemorrhagic fever where they can actually be bleeding. And even in leptospirosis, the disease which we know is transmitted by rats. With leptospirosis, sometimes persons can. It may not be often, but sometimes they can present with something almost like a flu-like illness, which may lead to deterioration. So again, we're asking persons to be on guard. We know that there are different diseases around, so persons should take the necessary precautions. Visit your health practitioner regularly and do it in a timely manner. And we're making the appeal especially to men because we know that sometimes men feel ill and they would stay home or self-treat or wait until the situation is much worse. The Ministry of Health and Wellness will provide additional updates as soon as they become available. In other health matters, the St. Jude Hospital is working assiduously to ensure that the capacity of its staff members is enhanced through training exercises. More in this report from Fennel Neptune. The St. Jude Hospital in collaboration with the National Enrichment and Aluminium Unit, NELIO, is undertaking a training exercise aimed at developing the knowledge and skills of the hospital staff in the area of customer service and general maintenance. Chairman of the St. Jude Hospital board, Wyn Harrow, welcomed the training and says there is definitely a need to enhance the capabilities of staff members. We see the need to provide opportunities for our staff both internally and externally. And what St. Jude Hospital we have done, we have teamed up with the National Enrichment and Aluminium Unit of the Ministry of Education to provide courses in the area of customer services to most of our staff and also the cost to and targeting persons in the maintenance department, especially with regards to retraining and retooling in electrical installation, carpentry and joinery, things that the hospital maintenance department require right now. Harrow believes such an initiative is important as it is expected to bring up our quality improvement in the service delivery at the hospital. The staff will be the main beneficiaries because the skills will be enhanced, the capacity in terms of what they know, what they will learn will be greatly enhanced by the programs. But also the hospital and our patients, our visitors will see benefits, especially when it comes to customer service. We hope that the interaction between our staff and the public is greatly enhanced at the end of the program and especially when it comes to maintenance matters that we will see cost-saving measures, especially when staff are retooled in the field of electrical, plumbing, carpentry, etc. so that they will be in a better position to discharge their responsibilities to St. Jude in a more efficient way and also to our patients and our visitors. The St. Jude Hospital remains committed to continue providing training for its staff members. Reporting from the Communications Unit of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, I am Fennel Neptune. And this is the NTN Nightly, coming up the latest happenings in youth and sports with Ryan O'Brien. Welcome back. We join Ryan O'Brien for the latest happenings in youth development and sports. Hello once again. I'm Ryan O'Brien, if you're update from the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports on the NTN Nightly News. The government of St. Lucia paid special tribute to the island's most decorated athlete, Laverne Spence, on Friday evening, hosting a gala dinner at Sander's Grand in her honor. Spence was recognized for 20 years about standing representation in track and field on the regional and international circuits. The dinner was also part of the program for the island's 40th anniversary of independent celebrations. Ministry responsible for youth development and sports, the Honorable Edmund Estefan, urged Spence to continue inspiring other young upcoming athletes to reach their full potential and to emulate her achievements and discipline. You, Laverne, are a great example of a role model for all your young people and even not to you, for everybody to emulate. Laverne Donald and Spence are tonight. We welcome you in a very special way and say a very special thank you for 20 years of hard work, 20 years of zeal, sacrifice, perseverance, pride, courage, focus, lots and lots and lots of effort and self-discipline. We thank you for the exposure that you have given to St. Lucia. The second pole vault clinic for 2019 will be held Tuesday at a jump center in Vibhutay. This initiative is part of efforts to have pole vaults as an event in inter-school track and field competition. Andy Bell is the coach paired in the training that sees students from a number of secondary schools around the island participating. In the middle of 2018, we started discussions about how we can get the boys and girls championships included as a part of the secondary school sports program. So over the period of time since then, we've put together a plan which includes a series of clinics here early in the year in 2019. This will be the second of which that we've run. So we ran one last month before Independence Day in Vivhutay. So we're moving this one up to the jump center at the Vibhutay Secondary School. So from one o'clock to five o'clock tomorrow, Tuesday, April 2nd, is when we'll be having schools come in with their students and putting them through the second round of clinics. And then this will lead up to a third round that'll come in December when we'd want to have the boys and girls school's pole vault championships right now, looking at December 12th to be confirmed. But that's what we're aiming for this year. Will it be St. Mary's College or will Miku Secondary Lady hands on a mass United Insurance Secondary Schools Championship trophy on Friday when the finals of the competition is played at the Gorsale Plain Field? The Ministry of Development and Sports held a news conference Monday morning to outline plans for the staging of the final. Isabel Alexander Markey is school sports coordinator at the Ministry. The tournament thus far has been very well run. I think we have kept on schedule with our, I would say with our collaboration with our inter-school shotgun field meets. I must say it was a bit tedious but then we were able to manage. I am grateful and happy that we were able to complete the tournament and we're looking forward to a very good finals on Friday. Mass United has sponsored this event for the past 33 years, the longest running sponsorship of any school sports event in St. Lucia. Horace Bristol is representative of the sponsors. The sponsor started with United Insurance and then they came and bought by Mass United. So therefore you know that when you come and you think we had to resell it to them and we've been able to get them to see what the benefits and to continue. We at one time were a little not as hopeful but we feel that they understand and I think this year we are sending to them all the press releases for them to see the commitment of the ministry and reporting on the matches all of them. And for that Ryan, we at Mass United want to thank you very much for keeping up to date so we can send our principles, the reports to show. A lot of people don't appreciate that when people spend that amount of money they must be seen to get reward for it. So I thank you very much. And in that item on the finals of the Mass United Insurance Schools Cricket Competition we come to the end of our update today. I'm Ryan O'Brien. Thanks Ryan. Efforts are continuing towards enhancing the local government system. Chevrolet Mario says details. As part of continuing efforts to strengthen the local government system in St Lucia, the Ministry of Equity, Social Justice, Local Government and Empowerment who posted a three-day retreat for local government leaders from March 25th to 27th 2019 under the FIM Collaborative Solutions Supportive Structures. As anticipated, throughout the three days participants engaged in intense discussion and group activities critically examining existing structures and processes and crafting out roadmaps for strategic advancement of an enhanced local government system in St Lucia. According to the chairperson of the Mekudnov constituency council, Ms Brenda Paul. There is a lot to be done but we do not have the authority to do it so we are hoping that coming out of that with our strategic plans we will probably get the support with the proper legislation to allow us to work more effectively. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Equity, Social Justice, Local Government and Empowerment, Ms Felder Joseph, emphasized the need for local government leaders to assist in providing scope and direction to help drive the success of the department. We believe that you must be armed with the knowledge and appropriate tools necessary for strategic formulation and implementation and must be ready to apply these tools for improved council operations and for better alignment of the local government goals in support of national goals but also in support of the sustainable development goals. Minister for Local Government Honourable Leonard Montute echoed similar sentiments. I recognize the role and significance of local government and how much more local government can do in enhancing the work of central government. This has not always worked very well in St Lucia. As you would be aware those of you have been around in local government for some time that we have spoken of local government reform for quite a while. We have spoken of revising local government legislation for quite a while but not much has taken place. This retreat I'm hoping will be a catalyst to ensure that we move along with that agenda and that we can implement some of the plans and ideas that we have had in abeyance for quite a long time. In 2012 the government of St Lucia established the Constituency Council Act which set in motion a review of the procedures and functions of local government authorities. Reporting from the Ministry of Equity, Social Justice, Local Government and Empowerment I am Chauvery Marius. And stay with the NTIA nightly. Up next, Primus Hutchinson is here with the NTIA Nouvelle Arcway Orb. 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 Castry 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 Primus Hutchinson for the NTIA Nouvelle Arcway Orb. Yonde norma paya qui a très passé à nos causes de problèmes et puis l'expression que marguer les officiers n'ayant de exception qui y paye ces situations à la. Cut même, il n'y a pas qu'à tirer des yeux à sa possibilité qui lot maladie, qui a passé par Yonde pour l'autre pays responsable. Ça, c'est raison qui c'est officier à c'est aspiré à son apport hôte laboratoire concerné examination pour si c'est maladie ça l'a qu'il n'y cause. C'est la mort. Chef officier médical Dr. Meline-Fedrick déclare qu'il me l'a dit qu'on puisse adouer et puis l'autre des jours il m'a dit ça agorvait situation aussi. So appuisement, nous avons fait test associé qu'à ça l'a, et que nous espérons pour jouer un résult là pour si c'est flou et si c'est dingue, si c'est le pterospirosis et bien lot c'est maladie. Mais nous aussi, les mons changés qui pour l'année salar, nous j'a dit avant qu'il n'y avait plus qu'à des flous, les nous peut-être garder moi passer et comme ça. So on l'a n'a qu'à passer. So noja mademone, si une pièce calte sinne est qu'elle est considérée tu sais à part à deux bouts, bordi à qu'à venir plus faible ou qu'à pour l'expression plus souvent, et pas naturelle, pour ôter docteur et spécialement pour misser, parce que nous savons d'y aller, misser pas à aller docteur. Partout, c'est la caillou et le febrile, on a vécu tout à mauvais avant qu'on cherche à poursuivre un docteur. Docteur Frederick a conseillé le public là pour visiter ces certes des certes en l'Europe et pour recevoir l'injection pour flou et qu'il n'y a pas d'essu pour payer pour traitement salar. So on a maladie de flou et le docteur a dit qu'il n'y avait pas de flou, c'est un peu de flou mais c'est aussi un peu de salar. On a aussi fait un changeur qui l'a mené pour bien laver pour qu'il n'y ait pas de flou parce que les gens qui m'a l'air tousse qu'il n'y a pas de salar. But also, these gyms that are in the flow, they are in the west side of the table, in the back of the door, right? So we can do as often as we can to prevent COVID-19. Dengue, we serve, we serve the migrants who are going to marry Dengue. The migrants are going to go to the Egyptian Mosque. Leptospirosis, we serve Leptospirosis. All the people who are going to die from Leptospirosis, you can do it as often as you can with the flow of Leptospirosis. If you die, you will have a cut, you will have fever, you will have a sore body, you can die from the same disease. But we know that this hemorrhagic fever, which is a very serious disease, leptospirosis, we know that it's all because of the death of Adam Monsamo. So, I would like to point out that all these diseases have continued to investigate us, to test us, and then to find out exactly if these disease quality has affected the treatment. Dr. Fadriq, we advise everyone to go and take care of these diseases, especially among us, the fever, headache, headache, vomiting, relapse, to protect your hospital immediately. The Department of Education, a collaboration and police organization have organized an official ceremony for the security officers at the school. The official ceremony is to operate a special constable to protect the school from the virus, and to prevent the officers from participating in the event of the anniversary, with the help of the organization, with the authorization to stop these diseases, to stop them. Assistant Secretary Pormana, Minister of Education, Michelle Charles, explained the initiative to protect all the benefits for the minister and the constable as well. There is a saying that if the school is paid, I will be given as much as I can, I will be given a flight to the security officers, I will be seriously injured at work. So, it is very necessary to protect these poor people, these poor people, to be able to protect the school. Michelle added that the ministry has no plans to continue these activities to help them to be more capable to lead the working class. Assistant Secretary Pormana, Minister of Education, and to encourage these officers to protect the school well, and to always approach the working class in a professional way, and to always work without problems, without problems, and without malonectitis. Chief of Police Laverte, who spoke about the possibility of catching those poor people who are poor, poor, poor, and well, good friends. He advised them to strengthen their laws and to bring them back. He said that I will be given the 28th of March 2019. Minister for Social Equality and Social Development, I will inform the public that there are many women and women, the first women who have just sold their lives, the second women to work, to do their work, to clean their work, these are the women. These are the women who are very critical of the ministry, who are working in these different places. The service is to assist the public, including those who are working in these services, who are here to visit the city council. The service for community development, for women in the city council, and for the regional office, and for those who are here to facilitate the service. The service for local government, Department of Research, and the program for those who are here to visit the SSDF office, as well as John Compton. The department that addresses and makes accounts, the department for community development, the department for communication, and the department for information of governments, as well as GIS. The permanent secret service, which is the department for youth. It is the service for the ministry to develop youth, for the ministry to make public lessons, which is to help the people who are working in these places. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the end of today's news. Thank you so much for your time and for your invitation. For the youth and for the people who are here to visit the city council, and for those who are here to visit the city council, and for those who are here to visit the city council. Thank you very much, Prime Minister. And here's a look at what's happening to us weather-wise. Fair skies occasionally becoming cloudy with a few widely-scattered showers. The Atlantic high-pressure system will maintain a moderate-to-brisk easterly wind flow across the eastern Caribbean region over the next few days. Low-level clouds drifting along this wind flow will bring a few widely-scattered showers over the islands during the next 24 hours. The tide for Castries Harbor was high at 1.40 p.m. and will be low again at 8.01 p.m. The tide for the A4 Bay high at 2.47 p.m. and will be low again at 9.28 p.m. The sea is moderate with waves 4 to 6 feet or 1.2 to 1.8 meters. The sun will rise Tuesday at 5.59 a.m. 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 Seluncia government Facebook page or YouTube channel. I'm Nisha Charles.