 Can you imagine that many jobs in the sector are open to it? St. Lucia is well-placed to thrive in this business market. We have to start thinking as a country, how much can our people actually benefit from the tourism industry? From the Miku Secondary School, Serena Bradbury! Junior Minister for Tourism, 2022-2023, Ms. JC Thomas, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Ms. Donaldin Vite, Director of Product Development, Ms. Kashama Barnett, Representatives from the Ministry of Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training, Participants of the 2023 National Tourism Public Speaking Competition, Teachers, Judges, specially invited guests, Good morning and welcome to the National Secondary School Public Speaking Competition presented by the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industries, Culture and Information and the St. Lucia Tourism Authority. At this point in time, I invite everyone to please stand as I invite Ms. Alexander from the current Secondary School to lead us in prayer. Good morning everyone. With our heads bowed and our eyes closed, we shall seek the Lord in prayer. Heavenly Father, we are so very thankful and grateful that we are here this morning and that we are all alive. We thank you Lord for each and everyone who is able to make it here today. We ask now Lord that as the students participate in such a momentous expedition where they express themselves about this important aspect of our lifeblood, that blood of our nation, tourism, that they would be able to express themselves clearly, articulately and eloquently, that they will be able to not only give off the information but that they would be able to bring it home to the nation of how important our industry is. We ask now that you will be with the judges, that they will be able to listen and focus and that they would be able to decipher in a manner that is pleasing and welcoming to everyone so that everyone would feel satisfied at the end of the day that all was in place. We pray for your continued blessings and we ask for you to continue with us in this stead. Amen and Amen. Please remain standing for the National Anthem and help me welcome Mr. Shaz, our legendary steel panacea to lead us. Please sit. Thank you very much. Good morning ladies and gentlemen. How are we feeling? I know some of us traveled far and wide to reach here. It looks good to see such a wide cross-section of secondary schools represented here today. And once again welcome to the National Secondary School Tourism Public Speaking Competition presented by the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industries, Culture and Information as well as the St. Lucia Tourism Authority. I am your moderator for today, Daniel Dubois. To start our proceedings today, I would like to invite Ms. Donalyn Vite, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industries, Culture and Information to deliver welcome remarks. Thank you very much, Daniel. I beg to adopt the protocol already established by you, seeing that we have been waiting for a while and, you know, our long-awaited participants were caught up in traffic. But we thank God for journey muses and I want to put a plug in that, you know, I'm very fond of the education system. Having had a product of mine really usher me to the podium. So, and it is a joy really seeing you in your uniform. Even as a student, I believe that students must carry their uniform with pride. And as a parent as well, it really hooked me when my children came home with their uniform dirty. And just giving a little icebreaker story, my older son would normally come to my workplace after school. And one afternoon, I really had to tumble on him. Very interesting. I'll probably not explain what the tumble means. But I said to him that he should never come home with his school should turn up and dirty. Because I really believe uniforms are to be worn with pride. And you carry pride this morning. So let's put a hand for all of the students here. The Ministry of Tourism has been on an endeavor. And what we have been trying to do is to penetrate the voice of tourism, penetrate the results of tourism. And what better way to do it than to work with the youth. Over time, our tourism awareness have not been as we would have wanted to be. But now that we have the digital age, we have found ourselves a little closer to you. There are a number of initiatives that we have undertaken and will continue to undertake. And this here is one of them. And it is really one of our crowning activities. It's just over 15 years old. But very interestingly, most of Sinusha thinks this is the first time we're having it. Thank God again for the digital age that we are able to bring this to you and to be more in faces and in faces of those persons we want to convey the message to. At this point, I want to say thank you for your teachers, the Ministry of Education, your principals. They have been those who have been really working with us to ensure that we are able to enter the schools. The journey of today really started months ago, trying to see how we could sort of upscale our public speaking competition. We use the creative industries and the sort of language that we know you like most. And we went school hopping to ensure that we had a very solid representation like we do today. And we use the creative industries to bring out the message of tourism and for the students to understand that as abstract as tourism may be, that it is a very tangible and practical industry that all of us operate in in some shape or form. Their parents may be employed, their relatives, and some other communities you live in may be some of maybe the tourism makers and they have hotspots of tourism activities. So we want to ensure that as you carry out your journey and you may end up being employed within the tourism industry, that you make a conscious decision in choosing what your occupation or your profession is. And you two are able to work with us. When I say us, I mean the government of St. Lucia and other social structures to really develop our country in a way that you could see the vision beyond maybe us who are a little older. So I'm very pleased to have you here. I'm very pleased to have ten schools represented. Let's give a warm welcome to those who are already on the stage. I know it takes a lot of courage. It takes a lot of poise to do what you are going to be doing today. We ensured with the assistance of Miss Fannis, Natalie Fannis, and a former junior minister for tourism that there was some level of coaching done for the students. Being a teacher myself, most times the teachers carry, for lack of a better word, the burden of ensuring that the students are prepared. But we felt that we needed to go the extra mile to bring persons who are experienced within the field to impart to the students, albeit a one day workshop, some of the takeaways and some of the things that will probably give them the cutting edge and develop themselves. It's not just about today. It's about developing yourself and after the journey of being a crowned junior minister for tourism, we're hoping that these students will take lifelong lessons that could assist them. Before I leave the mic, I would like to highlight the contribution of Omid Maasre in planning and organizing the public speaking competition. This is her first time and she had just recently been elevated from secretary to the permanent secretary to tourism officer. Please join me in telling her that she has been doing a fantastic job. I also want to recognize our other team members who have been given her shoulder and support. Samantha Charles, Adiva John, she's the timekeeper. Adiva is the timekeeper. Kashama Barnett, who is the director of product development. We have Sheldon Harris, who's right here with us assisting with tech duties. During the course of the competition, some of our team members would grace us with their presence. We also have with us an intern from the South Lewis Community College, Brianna. All of this to say we thank you for the support that you have given us. We thank you judges for accepting our call. We look forward to your judgment and your imparting of knowledge. I would imagine that you would want to say something to our contestants towards the end, and I see a nod of somebody I'm hoping to accept the duty of Chief Judge, Mr. Springer. By virtue of wisdom and years, we are elevating you to Chief Judge today. Thank you. Thank you everybody and we look forward to a really, really exciting morning and may the best speaker this morning win. Thank you very much, Ms. Vite. And I must congratulate and say thank you to the ministry. I believe that this is very much to a worthwhile endeavor and I pray that it's something that can continue and be part of our calendar of events for many years to come. At this point in time, I'd like to invite Ms. J.C. Thomas, Junior Minister for Tourism 2022, to deliver some brief remarks. A pleasant good morning. I wish to adopt the protocol established for this morning's proceedings. My name is J.C. Thomas St. Lucia's 2022 to 2023 Junior Minister of Tourism. In 2022, I decided to participate in this competition as a means of boosting my self-confidence. As a means of staying motivated, I use the instrumental of the song I Can by Chronix for encouragement. After winning the competition, my first task was representing St. Lucia at the Caribbean Tourism Organization, CTO Youth Congress, where I presented on community tourism. It was at the point that I met the staff of community tourism agency who together with the Ministry of Tourism dedicated their time and effort towards helping me prepare for the competition. During my trip to the Grand Cayman, I expanded my knowledge on the tourism industry and understood how each island is different from the other. Participating in the Youth Congress also assisted me in overcoming my fear of public speaking to the extent that I enjoy participating in various tourism events with the staff of the Ministry of Tourism. My journey as Junior Minister of Tourism brought the opportunity to be part of tourism-related events, including the SLHTA AGM, one of my favorite events, the Genies, the official welcome for the first captain, Neil Justin, of his maiden jet blue flight to St. Lucia. The official launch of the Community Tourism Agency, the SLHTA's Global Marketing Forum. It was as a result of attending these events that I had the honor to meet Mr. Paul Collimo, the president of the SLHTA, who I regarded as one of my role models. I would like to say a special thank you to Ms. Priska Simon, Mr. Mika Brown, Mr. Pierre and Ms. Gard for working tirelessly with me on my speech. A special thank you to Ms. Deepa Ghidari, who served as my chaperone throughout my journey to Grand Cayman, during which the time she ensured that we practiced repeatedly until I was able to deliver my speech with ease. Special thanks to Honorable Dr. Ernestine Le, Senator Gibyan Ferdinand, Permanent Secretary, Ms. Donna Lynn Vitae, Ms. Anne Margaret, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ms. Koshama Barnett, Director of Product Development and Ms. Umid Mahfrey for always including me in the ministry's activities. A heartfelt thanks to you, Ms. Samantha Charles, who came in the form of a teacher, a mother and an advisor. I will never forget the time spent with you. Family members, including my aunts, who accommodated me whenever I had events to attend in castries. My mother and grandmother for always supporting me. Most importantly, I thank me for believing that I had the ability to become anything and everything I desire in life. As according to Chris Grosser, opportunities don't come, don't happen, you create them. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Thomas. You make me want to share that here as well. I'd like to declare the debate officially open. I want to start by just giving a little bit of a backdrop of the competition. Secondary school students between the ages of 14 to 17 were invited to submit a 90-second TikTok video on one of the following topics. Design a top package for celebrity of your choice, highlighting the best experiences to enjoy St. Lucia. Or organize an itinerary of must-dos in St. Lucia. So who we see on stage, these are our national finalists for the first round, which was the TikTok competition. These students will participate in the 2023 national tourism public speaking competition today, and each will present on one of the three tourism related topics. Wellness tourism beyond the norm, accessibility tourism, building a resilient and sustainable tourism workforce. This competition has two rounds, and the second round being a mystery round to test the participants' ability to think on their feet. The win of the 2023 national tourism public speaking competition will earn the title of Junior Minister for Tourism 2023. I want to take this time to now introduce our participants before I go on to introduce our judging panel and start with the rules and begin the proceedings. From the Sufra Comprehensive Secondary School, we have Kishon Alfos. Come on, come on, let's give them some encouragement. From the Quorum Secondary School, Kelsa Bennett. The Miku Secondary School, Tarina Bretney. From the Beanfield Comprehensive Secondary School, Kaitlyn Charles. From the St. Joseph's Convent Secondary School, Kaylee Donai. The Schoesel Secondary School, Kian Joseph. I hope you're all giving your little wave, your little royal wave, so we can get to see who you are. From the Viewport Comprehensive Secondary School, Nelma Joseph. From Schoesel Secondary School, again, Rayi Poyot. From Schoesel Secondary School, Marissa Samuel. And from the Quorum Secondary School, Miss Anna Wilson. At this point in time, I'm going to introduce our judging panel quickly. We have Mr. Shavon Brian. If you could just give the little royal wave so we can get to see you. Mr. John Mathre. Mrs. Tracy George. Mr. Clita Springer. Dr. Liddell St. Will. And our timekeeper, Miss Adiva John, who is to my left-right hand, very important for you guys as we go through the course of the competition. Let's give them a round of applause, ladies and gentlemen. The judging criteria will be broken down into three major components. Knowledge of the subject area, speech development, topic adequacy, topic adequately developed, structured around purpose or theme, logical sense, sequence ideas, opening body and closing support, effectiveness, connection, achievement of purpose or theme, purpose clearly stated, the accuracy of the information and creativity, appropriateness, clear understanding of thoughts, in good taste, choice and use of words, correctness, grammar, pronunciation and word selection, bracket B, level of preparedness, speech value, original ideas are expressed meaningful, important, and are important to the topic chosen. Audience and judges' response, interest, identification, relatedness, attentiveness, and engaging. Time, deduct one point for each half-minute over the three-minute maximum or the two-minute minimum. In our last bracket, presentation skills or delivery, physical appearance, body language, appropriate gestures, expressions, body positioning, and eye contact. Voice, voice quality, flexibility, volume, conversational style, clarity and understanding, manner, directness, confidence, enthusiasm, fluency, smooth and easy flow, and each presentation will be judged out of 80 points, ladies and gentlemen. So we begin and here are our rules. Students are to present thoughts and ideas on one of the three topics which were already circulated beforehand. Each student will be given three minutes to express his or her ideas on the chosen topic. Judges will be given one minute after each question to score the participants. For the prepared topic, the respective timing mechanism is used at the end of two minutes, indicating that one minute is left for the student to finish his or her points. So in essence, at the two-minute mark, our timekeeper will just give you a slight wave to let you know you have one minute left. Yes? All right, ladies and gentlemen, are we ready to begin? Are we ready for our first speaker? And I'm going to invite you to come to the podium. Judges, are we ready? And of course the way that I called out the students, they're listed in alphabetical order and that is the way they would come to the podium one by one. All the best, ladies and gentlemen. For our first contender, I'd like to invite Ms. Kishon Alphos from the Sufra Comprehensive Secondary School. As solutions, can we say that our tourism workforce is resilient and will withstand the test of time? No, we can't. I have chosen to deliberate on the topic building a resilient and sustainable tourism workforce. This simply means developing an adaptable workforce for our industry whilst also ensuring its long-term maintenance. Good day, ladies and gentlemen. I am Kishon Alphos and my task today is to highlight three significant workforce issues impacting the tourism industry and share a winning formula for addressing them. According to the St. Lucia Tourism Authority 2020, there was a record number of tourist arrivals in 2019 but then in 2020, it decreased. The gains made were severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in the blink of an eye. Consequently, citizens lost their jobs, businesses closed and our economy shrank. Don't the negative effects of the pandemic highlight the need for our tourism workforce to be unyielding in the face of adversities? Anyone who has a vision for this country would agree. Right now, the shortage of skilled workers and limited training make the industry heavily reliant on imported labour. According to a 2018 Caribbean Regional Sustainable Tourism Development Program, CRS-TDP reports in St. Lucia, skills shortages at all levels of the industry are a chronic issue. Also, can you imagine that many jobs in the sector are only available during their high season, leaving workers without steady employment or reliable income for most of the year? Moreover, there is a lack of diversity and representation in tourism management. In many cases, management positions may be dominated by foreign workers despite being locally owned. Are we trying to imply that we are not capable of managing our own tourism industry? Of course, companies should seek talented employees. However, too often we ignore what lies right at our feet. Too often we do not value what our own people have to offer. A winning formula to address these issues should involve a collaborative approach. Fostering collaborations across sectors can enhance the skills and adaptability of our people. Can you think of any ongoing tourism internship programs in schools? I surely can't. Employers need not wait for higher workers to train them. There should be regular internship programs for students who aspire to become employees in the tourism sector. Is this not the best place to start? Businesses can enhance St. Lucia's economic development by investing in local talents and skills. Implementing these strategies can build resilience. A resilience that will survive and thrive in the face of uncertain times. Adopting strategies to help us build tourism workforce that is resilient and sustainable is comparable to the wise man referred to in Matthew 7, 24-27 who builds the foundation of his house upon rocks. Let us be like that wise man. Ladies and gentlemen, I express my appreciation to you for listening to my young voice on an issue that is everyone's business. Government, policymaker, man, woman, boy, and girl. Thank you. And remember, St. Lucia, our St. Lucia is simply beautiful. Let her inspire you, all of you. Well done, Kishon Alphos, representing the Souffre Comprehensive Secondary School. We're going to give our judges 30 seconds. They said one minute. From the Corms Secondary School, let's welcome to the podium Miss Kelsha Bennett. With the protocol already established, I greet you with a cherry bourgeois. I am Kelsha Bennett. I am presenting on topic number three. I stand before you today proudly proclaiming that my island, beloved St. Lucia, has proven to be one of the most resilient tourism destination in the world. This resilience did not come about poof like magic in the air, but it's because of hard work, commitment, and dedication of our tourism workforce, the live blood of our industry. However, there is an enemy using ammunition to snatch away our gains. What are his weapons? We must be mindful that the enemy sends arrows of challenges in the transportation and service industry. Did you know transportation is a key factor? Since it creates accessibility and there should be affordable, comfortable, and safe for our tourists. But the enemy punctures the industry by using other vehicles operators who are not trained to be involved in piracy. However, let's me inform you a super formula that the force for sustainable tourism growth can use to destroy the enemy's plan. And that's to ensure that our laws are enforced so that drivers' fan parading are fined or have the license taken for a period of time. This formula is a winning combination for operating a successful transportation industry. Next, the adversary dies into our food and beverage sector. As it causes disruption with farmers being unable to furnish hotels and restaurants with a constant supply of food. This is due to climate change and even high operating costs. He stabs into our food supplies using natural disasters, pests, and pollution. But here comes a resilient tourism force to save the day. He brings with him government assistance for farmers to have greenhouses and pest control initiatives without the harshness of chemicals. And an educational campaign reminding us to keep our environment clean for our sea creatures. He's kept carries technological assistance in aquaponics, husbandry, and planting methods to provide food and beverages for our tourists. Bam! The nemesis fires bullets of conflicts among the hotel staff and supervisors. And that can lead to shortness of staff as people feel disappointed for not being promoted so they quit. This is where space shifts causes loss of income and family time where children go astray. Now that can worry our workers. But never fear, sustainable tourism force is here. He will take care of staff members teaching conflict resolution skills. He teams up with GetSling.com to organize space shifts better so that family time and income are not lost. The enemy will be thwarted and Saint Lucia would continue to inspire you. Thank you. I'll take this time to just shout out our sponsors without them. This event would not have been made possible. Digital Saint Lucia Limited, South Aloysia Community College, Saint Lucia Air and Seaports Authority, Saint Lucia Distillers, McNamara Corporate Services Inc., Cox & Company Limited, Tikai Resorts & Spa, Winjama Landing Beach Resort, Bay Gardens Beach Resort, Stolen Time Rendezvous Hotel, Invest St. Lucia, The Landing Resort & Spa, East Wins Resort Limited, Cocoa Palm Resorts, Fordu Echo Resorts and Computer World St. Lucia Limited. I think we're ready for our third contender and I'd like to welcome to the stage Miss Terina Bretney from the Miku Secondary School. Good morning everyone. I'll be doing my presentation under the topic Wellness Tourism. In recent years, wellness has become a global buzzword and a keenly sought after goal for many. According to the Global Wellness Institute, wellness tourism which promotes health and well-being is a billion-dollar industry. In fact, the Institute predicts that the global wellness tourism market will reach $2,000 billion by 2031. Any self-respecting tourism dependent nation would therefore exploit the opportunities in this locative sector. St. Lucia is well-placed to thrive in this niche market because health and wellness are our very ethos. It is in this vein that I present to you my Wellness Tourism package which I call Sir Tseplezi. Our pleasure to help you. How does it work? One, detoxification. St. Lucia's best-kept anti-aging secrets. Visitors must pick from a collection of herbal infusions and concoctions from the Soul Healing Boutique Tea Collection. We offer you, as centuries-old secrets, passed down through oral traditions from our African ancestry and grown in every St. Lucia Kitchen Garden. Medicinal teas, sour sob siesta. This is a nighttime sob-leaf calming brew. There is also Chichima, turmeric with anti-inflammatory properties. These infusions must be sweetened with locally produced honey. Two, exercise Kodoro style. Wine like Aleutian. Boost your energy. Fight insulin resistance and improve circulation and cardiovascular health while trimming your waistline and learning how to own that dance floor. This is a preventative and holistic healing package comprising four sessions of hot mineral soaks which are available all night in hot pools on the hotel grounds. Seamos, coconut and sugar body scrubs and the cantaloupe facial is performed daily to infuse moisture deep into the skin to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. And now you, you and even you know St. Lucia's best kept anti-aging secrets. Consider yourselves lucky. I thank you. And that was Ms. Terina Bretney representing the Meekood Secondary School. Yes, you're a big up, big up. Right now we want to bring on our fourth contender, Ms. Caitlyn Charles from the Beanfield Comprehensive Secondary School. Hello, my name is Caitlyn Charles and I am here to introduce to you my tourism wellness project. Sit back, relax while I dive in. My topic is wellness tourism beyond the norm. The climate, topography and geography of St. Lucia lends itself perfectly towards the pursuit of wellness tourism. The Global Wellness Tourism 2013 deems wellness tourism as any travel with the purpose of maintaining or enhancing overall personal well-being. St. Lucia has the opportunity to harness this idea and create projects that cater to tourists who want to pursue active wellness tourism. One such project can be marrying yoga and meditation with the ATV tours of Meekood. The ATV tour ends at Virg Point, the longest peninsula on the island. The panoramic views, cold breeze and spectacular sunsets are what makes an amazing atmosphere where tourists can practice yoga. This can help with the calming of one's body, mind and soul. As we know, mental health is important. Who wouldn't want a chance to rejuvenate and rest after taxing the? Additionally, lateral falls is one place that the tourists can visit during the ATV tours. Lattil is already covered with some of the natural herbs one can use for medicine, soap or tea. We can put these herbs to use by selling them to put a spotlight on our natural medicines. For example, the Glory Cedar and Sour Suppleaves can be used to make the herbal bath experience at Lattil even more therapeutic. Tourists can visit the fish pond and dip their feet in it to relax. This can be further enhanced with the addition of the falls to offer a therapeutic atmosphere to help calm one's mind and spirit. Can you close your eyes and imagine the sounds of the birds in the trees, the flow of the water and the wind creating the perfect atmosphere to relax under the hands of a competent masseuse? Another unique experience that can be worked on for the practice of wellness tourism in St. Lucia includes authentic healthy food experiences. Friday's stay in the village of Miku and this location can be used to implement an authentic wellness tourism atmosphere. Tourists can view the live demonstrations on healthy food preparations while at the market. The food being sold by the vendors can be utilized to show tourists how cultural foods are prepared. They can be even given cooking classes at this location. After classes or demonstrations, they can choose to patronize the local farmers so that they can enjoy their wellness journey at home. Conclusively, these are just free unique experiences that can be included in my wellness tourism package for St. Lucia to help put St. Lucia on the map for catering to wellness and healthy lifestyles in tourists. With very implementation, we can see a world of difference in our outlook towards wellness tourism for St. Lucia. I thank you. Just a fun fact and for those of you who did not know for Tourism 2023 will go on to represent St. Lucia regionally at the 2023 Caribbean Tourism Organization, CTO, Youth Congress in the Turks and Cacos Islands in October 2023. And of course everybody is going to be walking away with something special today. And trust me, when you had the prizes I had my jaw dropped. And now I have to say kudos to the PS and the team for always going all the way out. All the way out. We want to say thank you very much for that. I believe we have the green light from the judges and we're halfway there. Representing the St. Joseph's Convent Secondary School, we have Kaili Donai. I will be presenting on topic number three. My name is Kaili Donai. Your workforce is your most valuable asset. The knowledge and skills they have represent the fuel that drives the engine of business and you can leverage the knowledge. These words by Harvey McKay ring so true for the tourism industry in St. Lucia. The workforce is the foundation of the industry and must be betrothed to ensure the sustainability of our main revenue earner. The road to building a sustainable and resilient workforce cannot be tread lightly. There are issues which challenge the workforce. And these must be addressed lest we lose our stellar position in the world travel market. Retention is one of these challenges that threatens to deplete the workforce. Minister of tourism Dr. Ernest Hiller on January 31st of addition of the state of nation spoke about the need to attract and retain workers in the industry through better pay and training opportunities. In his words it's the only way our workers can continue with higher levels of service and to do so in a manner in which visitors will want to come back to our shores because they've seen the best of our people. I agree. Let us award our workers because as our Soka Monarch Imran nerdy says in clock out when I work in I work in hard and that's why you hire me. We also need greater innovation in the workforce. SLHTA CEO Norani Aziz noted quote. We often say we are starved for innovation. We are starved for creativity. End quote. We applaud initiatives such as the Gimmies which celebrate best practices in the sector. Our recent designation by the World Travel Awards as the Caribbean's leading adventure tourism destination came through expanding our adventure offerings. Let us give that magical twist to our cuisine, craft, entertainment. Let us give our visitors authentic immersive experiences that expose them to our folk culture and take them to uncharted parts of our beautiful island. Creative should heed the advice of the SLHTA CEO to take advantage of the opportunities for funding to develop the industry. Finally, who is the tourism worker? Have you thought of it? Have we thought of it? Well, here's a thought. We are all tourism workers. The biggest challenge facing the workers might just be defining the workforce. We are still caught up with the stereotypical frontline hotel and restaurant worker, the traffic driver, the vendor. That narrow concept of tourism workforce does not allow us to make the necessary interventions in key linkages that impact significantly on the sector such as the farmers and fishermen who supply our hotels. This myopic focus prevents each of us from playing our part in creating the tourism product, the education sector which needs to better equip our workers with the right skill set, the financial institutions which need to make ease of doing business better, our young entrepreneurs who can bring that next idea to the youth economy agency, our citizens who can work with the police to fight the scourge of crime in our nation. All of us are workers in this industry. A winning formula which addresses workforce issues must not only provide incentives for productivity and innovation but educate our people that they are all involved in creating the experience that our visitors enjoy. Thank you. I just couldn't help myself but I want to talk about the prizes in the meantime between time and our third place winner is going to get a trophy, $1,000 cash and a Samsung tablet, second place will get a trophy, one five cash and a Samsung S24 with a seven day data plan and the first place and junior minister for tourism 2023 receives a trophy, $2,500 cash together with a partial scholarship to the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College to pursue any chosen field and a Dell laptop. And as we said, we know the winner is going to go on to represent St. Lucia at the CTO in the Turks and Caicos Islands but that's not all. All participants will also be receiving a tablet for taking part in this competition today. So let's give it up for the Ministry of Tourism for just you know. We're ready to welcome our sixth participant to make their presentation, Mr. Kean Joseph from the Choselle Secondary School. In 2020, United Nations report concluded an I quote, one in five persons is directly affected by disability unquote. This means that 20% of the world population is automatically disqualified from ever participating in our tourism sector simply because it is not feasible for them to do so. Ladies and gentlemen, there really is no way to say it. We are leaving money on the table. So how do we cater to these unique needs? It's simple. One, before visitors even step foot on the island, they interact with our tourism product in one way or another. Thus, our digital infrastructure must be accessible to all visitors. Most of our websites, one are only in English, two have no accompanying audio. Therefore, our website should be equipped with communication features, audio visual guides, and a user friendly software to make virtual booking an easy experience. Two, all physical infrastructure in this sector should be adjusted to meet flexibility needs. Consider that somebody in a wheelchair would have difficulty accessing our most famous tourist attraction, the Selfersprings Park. Therefore, ramps or even stair lifts should be made mandatory. Moreover, grab rails and raised toilet seats should be installed to make water and sanitation facilities more accessible. Better lighting and more sensory guides for the visually impaired are also needed. I can't go on, but my third pointer waits. Three, assistive listening devices on tours sign language interpretation and braille at tourist attractions would help. Moreover, a 2010 World Tourism Organization report noted that one of the greatest hindrances to disabled persons traveling to another country was the perceived ignorance or lack of empathy on the part of the tourism workers. And so, workers must strive to create a more hospitable environment for all visitors. Tourism stakeholders and partners alike must focus on creating an all inclusive sector that offers a positive travel experience to people with different needs by making our infrastructure and physical accommodations more accessible and training tourism workers to be more hospitable. I thank you. Thank you, Mr. Kian Joseph representing the Shoselle Secondary School. And on top of that, he's the lone male panelist on on the floor outstanding outstanding outstanding. I hope that your colleagues can aspire to be part of the public speaking competition next year with all of these prizes. I know Ms. Vite is always going to do better than last year. So you never know what's going to be coming at you. You could aspire to be part of it as well. So far, we've seen six participants. Six persons from the Sufra. We have Ms. Kishon Alphos, Kelsha Bennett, Terina Bretney, Katelyn Charles, Kaley Donai and Mr. Kian Joseph. And we wait patiently for the light from the judges so that we can bring on our seventh speaker for this morning's competition. Go ahead. All right, coming in at number seven, let's welcome Ms. Nelma Joseph from the Viewport Comprehensive Secondary School. Ladies and gentlemen, strength lies in differences not similarities. A quote from Steven R. Covey which means understanding that each individual is unique and recognizing each individual's differences. Tourism should not only cater to people who are physically able but to those who are differently able. My topic is accessibility tourism and today I would like to address the crucial topic of accessibility tourism and three ways in which the ministry of tourism and other stakeholders can provide an inclusive and enjoyable experience for the differently abled. It is imperative that we strive to create a society where every individual, regardless of their abilities, can freely access and enjoy the wonders of travel. Firstly, promoting universal design according to the World Health Organization 2019, universal design involves designing and constructing environments, products and services that are more suited to accommodate the differently abled. By incorporating universal design principles into the planning and development of tourist destinations, accommodations, transportation systems and attractions, we can ensure that individuals with disabilities can navigate these spaces with ease, such as step-free entries, curb ramps, levers, wide door ranges, etc. Additionally, enhancing training under awareness. Training programs should be established to educate tourism industry professionals including hotel staff, tour guides, transportation providers and others on disability awareness, accessibility standards and inclusive customer service practices UNESCO 2021. Colleges and universities disabled people's organizations and civil society can play a crucial role in developing and delivering these training drawing from their expertise and personal experiences. Finally, engaging in policy advocacy. The Ministry of Tourism can strive to advocate for the implementation and enforcement of accessibility standards in the tourism sector such as accessible transportation, accommodation and public facilities by engaging in policy advocacy. It is crucial to emphasize that accessibility should not be seen as an optional add-on but rather as an integral part of tourism development and planning. In conclusion, let us commit ourselves to creating a more inclusive and accessible tourism industry that opens doors to all individuals regardless of their abilities. As has been emphasized by the United Nations 2022, accessibility is a essential element of any responsible and sustainable tourism policy. It is both a human rights imperative as well as an exceptional business opportunity. In this context, accessibility accessible tourism does not only benefit persons with disabilities, it benefits all of society. From the Schoesel Secondary School coming in at number 8, we'd like to welcome to the podium Mrs. Rai Poyot. Good morning to all. I am Rai Poyot and I'll be presenting on question number 3. Imagine you possess the most beautiful diamond the Amor Kauahibla the diamond of the Caribbean. Now, imagine giving it to a jeweler whose illiquid to maintain it. This is the predicament we face in the West Indies. Our workforce are one, unfair compensation is rampant. Hospitality workers deserve to be paid a livable wage. There needs to be a minimum wage bill that is consistent regionally. Additionally, or even in lieu of this pre-rise, we can improve the industry for all workers. Think of medical insurance, pension plans and other safety nets which provide them protection from the safety of the industry due to natural and health related disasters. Maso was onto something with his hierarchy of needs theory where he noted that we all have physiological needs. If you're thinking, what does Maso have to do with this? Remember that in a world where cash is king, we need money or rather equitable compensation to take care of these needs. Two, a widening mismatch between medical insurance leads to person seeking employment without relevant skills. Inherently, initiatives of education must increase the variety of subjects get toward meeting tourism liberal demand. Finally, brinjal is an enormous problem. How can we claim to be the mecca of tourism when for the last decade some of our best workers have been part of an enormous exodus out of the region? Consider that a director within Penbank stated that and I quote, 70% of our population that we have schooled up to tertiary education have left our shores. Scholarship with bonds attached will allow workers to get the training that they need to compete on a global stage. And though Maso theory may only seem aspirational it is really possible for workers to get the training that they need to compete on a global stage. We only have to create a system that promotes equitable pay, values professional training, as well as retain our highly skilled workers by giving them a stake in the process. I thank you. And I was Ms. Rai Poyot from the Shoselle secondary school. Let's give it up for her. Coming in at number eight in the first round of the national tourism public speaking competition. How many of you see yourselves on stage next year? That's right. Oh, we have a guy. We hope to see more gentlemen on stage next year. Don't be afraid. It takes much courage and bravery to do what they're doing here today. So let's give them a round of applause for what we've seen so far. Their consistency. And from the Shoselle secondary school Ms. Marissa Samuel coming in at number nine. Let's welcome her to the stage. Good morning ladies and gentlemen. I am Marissa Samuel and I will be presenting on question number three. I have finally cracked the holy grail of the tourism industry. It turns out that formula is the land, the people, the light. And so it is with deep regret that I announce to you ladies and gentlemen that our industry is plagued by workforce related issues. The first problem stems from poor working conditions as stated in the Merriam Webster online dictionary. Poor working conditions can be defined as and I quote. We cannot have that in the as stated in the Merriam Webster online dictionary. Poor working conditions can be defined as and I quote. Any discrimination or risk which can have a negative effect on an employee unquote. There is also the practice of non-compliance with labour laws within the sector. We cannot have the industry that makes the most money paying the least money to workers unquote. Therefore, tourism stakeholders need to improve working conditions by making labour laws clearer and enforcing stricter adherence to them. These laws outline suitable salaries and safety measures, health facilities and assist people in their social position. Another issue is the incentive ability of seasonal employment. During the peak months where sourced countries are experiencing their winter seasons, during the peak months where sourced countries are experiencing their winter seasons, the tourism sector is widely successful and has many people due to their inflow. However, during the warmer months, a lot of people are let go since they demand for their labour diminishes. The seasonal variations require that we tailor our tourism services and products to locals. This means that a tour service can be offered to locals at a 20% reduced rate during the off season. Finally, there is a lack of training. The high percentage of low-skill workers is another indicator of the limited tourism career opportunities. Investing in employee skill enhancements will contribute to the business overall performance goals. Providing their labour force with adequate training and their venues for continuous employment will go a long way in promoting skill retention. In addition to this, rules and regulations need to be enforced if we are to build a sustainable tourism workforce. And as I live, in the words of our esteemed minister, sustainability does not only spend climatic concerns but should empower workers to have a proverbial touch and usher that industry into its burgeoning future. I thank you. From Team Schoesel Secondary School and just fun fact, if you guys didn't notice, we have the most participants actually coming from the Schoesel Secondary School which I think is admirable. Let's give them a round of applause. Well done concluding for Team Schoesel Secondary School and also from the Cormys Secondary School we have two students representing from the Cormys Secondary School and we're almost at the end of round one ladies and gentlemen we're coming up to introduce our 10th presenter for the National Tourism Public Speaking Competition. Coming in from the Cormys Secondary School, Miss Anna Wilson. I'll be presenting topic number two. Zia Tourism Stakeholders Sign Language saying good morning is one of the communication tools that visitors with disabilities to our shores use. According to the WHO disabilities include visual, hearing and speech impairments which are bound even depression. I ask have we truly catered for the 15% of the global population which currently experiences disability or inadvertently created barriers to them if we have unwittingly done so it ends today. Firstly to all partners work together to conduct an analysis of the types and frequency of visitors with disabilities such as wheelchair bound tourists will face identified impediments on Ireland. We can undertake an initiative of the project Ramp It Up building green heart ramps to blend in with the natural environment of the beach and diamond falls a conveyor belt style ramp with clamps to grip wheels of wheelchairs can be installed near the sulfur springs to experience the spring's beauty. The aerial tram tours could be modified so that a ramp is placed to wheel in the tourists and the wheelchair is clamped to the tram. Secondly stakeholders and partners can collaborate to access funding and resources that enable the introduction of low cost technologies improving tourism experience. With this I wondered about the ease with which the visually impaired tourists I saw from the cruise ship could book a visit to World Cut House. What technologies do we have that the hearing impaired may obtain information on accessible tourist facilities? In 2019 ECLAC unveiled institutions such as the UN which would fund ICTs for people with disabilities. Thus the program fund LUSHA would use grant funding to create a talking app using artificial intelligence called LUSHA to help the visually impaired persons easily book a visit to various places. Fund LUSHA includes funding for close captioning and sign language for all television channels like the visitor channel. Lastly stakeholders must train and sanitize the general public especially tourism workers of roles in helping visitors with disabilities enjoy and have access to tourism services. A promotional blitz advising students of disability friendly tourist attractions done by stakeholders. A clinically depressed disabled tourist would benefit from a trained hotel worker directing the visitor to our health and wellness tourism products for visits to the spa for massages using our locally made massage oils yoga and meditation for wellness of the mind and body. Use of locally grown herbs such as lemongrass for tea to relax the muscles, relieve pain and induce sleep as stated by healthline.com In closing let St. LUSHA inspire you to make the necessary changes it is on us to clear the pathway of hindrances and to wheel into the future making accessibility tourism in St. LUSHA accessible to all I thank you. Miss Anna Wilson from the Corum Secondary School let's give it up wrapping up round one for our competition this morning.