 Welcome to Nation Beat. I am Janelle Novel bringing you this brief on the pulse of our nation and highlights around the heart of St. Lucia. St. Lucia's are urged to become earthquake-ready. In a matter of weeks, St. Lucia will own the cover of the European Business Magazine and adult learners attain new heights. The University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre says it is closely monitoring seismic activity in the Caribbean region. The centre has one that a catastrophic earthquake is likely to strike the region and all nations, including St. Lucia, must be on the alert. Representatives are on island to participate in a series of activities in observance of Earth Science Week. The National Emergency Management Organisation, NIMO, on Wednesday held an information sharing session on the threat of earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions to St. Lucia. The session was attended by liaison officers of NIMO and facilitated by the U.E. Seismic Research Centre. Volcanologists at the U.E. Seismic Research Centre, Eurosella Joseph, said a number of role-play activities were to be conducted in an effort to help familiarise disaster responders with necessary action to follow. What we're running is one of the scenarios with respect to volcanic eruption at the Sufrey Volcanic Centre. We're taking one of those scenarios and running it as if it has happened and a different stage is involved and the responses that the officers would take among themselves in their different roles in respect to what the activity is showing, including responses to the press. Earthquakes have become more frequent in the Caribbean with a 5.9 magnitude earthquake hitting Haiti on the 6th of October 2018 and a 3.9 magnitude earthquake hitting Trinidad and Tobago as recent as the 11th of November 2018. Joseph explained that the Seismic Research Centre remains alert, maintaining constant contact with relevant emergency agencies and heads of government. We regularly communicate with governments and our first line of contact natural disaster coordinator officers on earthquake and earthquake safety. We have the automatic location that comes out when an earthquake happens. All of our contacts have that information. They are actually alerted first before the message is then sent out into the public domain through our Facebook and our website and Twitter. In terms of communicating the importance of the message to governments, yes, that is regularly done through meetings, letters, other forms of communication by us coming to the islands such as what we're doing here and going through these exercises in terms of this week is being Earth Science Week and doing the outreach and updating the information we have on each island in terms of the volcanoes as well as the earthquakes. The volcanologist highlighted recommendations coming out of the U.E. Seismic Research Centre. They need to increase the public's own response in terms of their response not to panic. Now, I know it's difficult to say, but if we continue, it's the same as, you know, practicing something over and over. It becomes more habitual rather than a panicked response and the drop cover and hold in case of in the event of an earthquake if you have that response to drop cover and hold on so you cover yourself, get under a desk, a bench, a table. You're better if there's enough space under there and you hold on until the shaking stops rather than trying to run and get out unless you're immediately near a doorway into a master area or an area where you can go to where there's nothing falling on top of you. The workshop forms part of activities for Earth Science Week. Next month, St. Lucia will feature prominently on the cover of the European Business Magazine as the best Caribbean island to invest in. The magazine is Europe's leading subscriber-based publication. The readers voted St. Lucia as the best Caribbean island to invest. Lisa Joseph reports on how invest St. Lucia is capitalizing on this and other investment opportunities. According to the publisher of the European Business Magazine, St. Lucia's award for best Caribbean island to invest was based on new projects, the expected returns on those investments, the yield and return on real estate and government assistance as it relates to tax incentives. The island received over 30,000 votes over a six-month period with readers citing areas of significance such as standard of living, the preservation of domestic laws and ease of access. Readers were also impressed with the current projects from international investors, which signals investor confidence in the island's potential as a choice investment location. St. Lucia will be prominently featured on the front cover of the international publication's upcoming edition in December. The piece will include information on why St. Lucia has earned the reputation as the best island to invest in. The St. Lucia edition will also be distributed at the 2019 World Economic Forum, which will be held January 22 to the 25 in Switzerland. Chief Executive Officer of Invest St. Lucia, Roderick Sherry, says this speaks to how the island is viewed by the international community. The wood begins after that. My investors now are aware that St. Lucia is here. There are possibilities for investment. The important thing for us now is to turn all of that interest into active projects, which would then help Invest St. Lucia to achieve its goal, which is the economic development of the country. Over the past few weeks, Invest St. Lucia has made its present felt at various investment-related functions in its bid to attract investors. Among them was the 12th Global Resident and Citizenship Conference, which took place in Dubai. It is a very competitive marketplace. Lots of countries are seeking foreign direct investment. Lots of countries have the CIP. So it is very, very competitive. For St. Lucia, the message really was that our compliance is vigorous. And I think that is the main thing that came out from the CIP standpoint, that we are not in the business of selling passports to anyone and everyone. We needed to ensure that everyone knows that there is integrity in our passport and we plan to maintain that. Mr. Sherry notes that one of St. Lucia's biggest selling points is its trainable workforce, as witnessed in the experience of Ojo Lambs. The company is the creator of an innovative artificial intelligence-based technology that can conduct text conversation with consumers. More than 180 young St. Lucia's were trained and employed by the company. Mr. Sherry says by March 2019, the staff compliment will move to 300. Building on that success and the investors in that space have seen what has been done and we are attracting quite a bit of attention. Mr. Sherry, we are hoping you are speaking to a couple of people with nothing signed or anything like that. But there is a lot of interest going forward, so that is a good one. We also have obviously the DSH project, which is really going with which is happening. And if it happens as planned, I mean it will be quite a substantial change for the south of the country as a whole. In the coming weeks, Invest St. Lucia will be announcing the commencement of a new project in the south of the island. The CEO says it's a game changer. From the Government Information Service, Lisa Joseph reporting. This is Nation Beat. The National Enrichment Program is being championed as a creator of New Horizons for adult learners. With just one click, the internet connects people, businesses and nations. Being connected can open a world of information and opportunities. You can get services and products of your choice much faster. From electronic financial transactions to connecting with family and friends. From being up-to-date with the latest news and information. To learning new skills and acquiring academic qualifications. All from the convenience of your home or wherever you roam. Get connected today. This message is brought to you as a public service announcement by ECTO, the NTRC and this station. Welcome back. St. Lucia has joined the rest of the world in Observing World Diabetes Day, raising awareness of the impact that Diabetes has on the family. More from Fennel Neptune. In observance of World Diabetes Day on November 14, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Millen-Fedrix echoed a call to promote the role of the family in the management, care, prevention and education of diabetes. Dr. Millen-Fedrix emphasised on the need to practice healthy lifestyles as to prevent and help manage diabetes. Diabetes really is a disease that can be controlled. It is not a death sentence. It doesn't have to be. And percents are reminded that they are to take all of the precautions, eat healthier foods, avoid sugars, exercise, exercise, exercise ensure that the body gets enough exercise to decrease the chances of developing diabetes. World Diabetes Day was held under the theme the family and diabetes. Dr. Fedrix says it is important that families encourage and provide support to persons who are diagnosed with diabetes. This person would have to go through some lifestyle changes. So it may be that you would have to decrease the amount of sugar that you use. You would have to try to eat healthier foods. So we're encouraging family members to support that individual. So instead of just doing it for the one individual in the family, maybe the whole family can adopt that lifestyle. And that would help the person who is diagnosed in terms of maintaining, you know, decreasing the incidence and the severity of the diabetes. But it would also help the other members of the family in terms of preventing them from going on to develop the condition. Throughout the month of November, the Ministry of Health and Wellness will host a series of activities with the aim of sensitising and educating the public about diabetes. Reporting from the Communications Unit of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, I am Fennel Neptune. The National Enrichment Program is being championed as a creator of New Horizons for many who did not receive formal secondary school education as a new batch of trainees under the program graduated at a ceremony held at Coconut Bay recently. Chris Satney has more in this report. The Education Sector Development Plan makes continuing education and the training a major priority in like manner. The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development proposes a substantial increase in the number of youth and adults who possess relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship. It is with this thirst that the National Enrichment Unit, NELU, continues to reach out to many throughout the island to receive training in several technical and vocational areas, as well as CXC's Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence, the CCSLC, the Caribbean Vocational Qualification CVQ and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate, CSEC. Education Officer for NELU, Dr. Cynthia Polius-Prascott is pleased with the collaborations with stakeholders such as the Winwood-Andywood Brewery and the Caribbean Examination Council CXC in making the program successful, as well as the remarkable successes and passes for the courses offered. We have the view that investment in people is one of the best ways, or I should say the best way to promote a better and brighter future, to promote human rights and to empower people, to manifest this perspective. NELU continues to cultivate synergies with governmental, non-governmental entities and the private and public sectors. Featured speaker Brenda Wilson has worked extensively in social transformation and spoke to the theme, tapping into the power within. It's important that we recognize that being present in life is the catalyst that will propel us to see learning beyond going to school or being in a classroom. That's why we must seek to be present in life and what is being present. To be present, it is to enjoy and make the most of the time you are in. The moment you are in is right now. It means you're in a moment when you feel and know exactly what you want. Some 1,621 candidates benefited from the NEL program from 15 adult centers across the island. From the Communications Unit of the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development, I am Chris Satney reporting. That's nation beat to join us next time on NTN at 7.30pm with a repeat at 7.30am and on this station as we fill the pulse and heart of our community. You can also catch up with us anytime on the St. Lucia Government Facebook page or YouTube channel. I am Janelle Norville.