 Welcome to the NTN Nightly. I'm Misha Charles. This edition stopped stories. The Ministry of Health confirms measles on a cruise ship and provides assistance. Prime Minister, the Honourable Alan Shastney, is lauded for presenting an appropriation bill that is comprehensive and relatable. The creative industry is to receive increased government support. All that plus the latest in youth development, sports, and the NTN Nouvelle The Department of Health and Wellness continues to address the matter involving a confirmed case of measles on board a cruise ship which entered our ports on Tuesday, April 30, 2019. Given the highly infectious nature of measles, along with the possibility that other persons on board the vessel may have been in contact with and are now possibly infectious due to this disease, a decision was made not to allow persons to disembark. This decision to quarantine the ship is in keeping with the health laws of St. Lucia. Dr. Marlene Frederick's dreams is the Chief Medical Officer. Our epidemiological investigation aboard the ship has verified that the confirmed case, as well as other crew members, are presently stable, but remain under surveillance by the ship's doctor. Continued surveillance is necessary as the incubation period for measles ranges from 10 to 12 days before symptoms in exposed persons occur. The Department of Health and Wellness and other agencies continue to provide support and welfare as needed by the ship. Today, the ship's doctor requested 100 doses of the measles vaccine and this is currently being provided from our supplies at no cost. St. Lucia's public health response is being coordinated with other local agencies and partners and we remain in discussion with regional and international health agencies such as the Pan-American Health Organization PAHO and the Caribbean Public Health Agency, CARFOR. The Chief Medical Officer noted that there are currently large outbreaks in several countries and as such, every precaution must be taken to protect the island. Measles is spread through droplets from the nose or mouth of infected persons when they cough or sneeze, sometimes even during speaking. Early symptoms include high fever, runny nose, red eyes, and tiny white spots on the inside of the mouth. A rash may then develop starting on the face and upper neck and then spreading throughout the body. Measles can be particularly severe in young children who are not immunized. Infection with measles can be prevented if persons are fully immunized against the disease and we wish to remind all persons that the measles vaccine is available locally, it's available free of charge, and it is actually provided routinely during our routine immunization program for children. But if adults have reviewed their status and realize that they are not immunized, they can visit the nearest wellness center where the vaccine would be provided. And that was Chief Medical Officer Dr. Merlene Fredericks-James. Government strategy to ensuring citizen safety and security as articulated by Prime Minister the Hon. Alan Sharsney during the delivery of the Appropriation Bill 2019-2020 is advancing. Here's Janelle Norville. Citizen safety and security as indicated by Prime Minister the Hon. Alan Sharsney in his 2019-2020 budget address is a key area airmarked for urgent action in the medium term development plan. According to the Prime Minister, citizen safety will see 12 game changers in three focus areas with the goal of a 45% reduction of serious crime by the end of the strategy term in 2022 and a 30% reduction in repeat offending by that same year. This approach will focus on better policing and greater efficiency in the legal system. Minister for Home Affairs, Justice and National Security Senator the Hon. Herman Gale Francis during the sitting of Senate highlighted some of the strategies to be undertaken. The police will reduce criminal activity by undertaking the various operations including patrols, surveillance and intelligence gathering throughout the financial year. Next month we will be turning out 45 new police officers. This will assist us in doing the patrols that are needed. More officers will be recruited during this financial year. We will partner with other agencies, community groups and schools through communication, meetings, lectures and other social engagements. The police will be conducting traffic checks aimed at reducing the number of road accidents and other traffic violations. To that regard, we are going to be looking at speed guns and the referendum tests so that when I am in Taiwan these are two of the interventions that I will be looking at to get back here as quickly as possible. Senator the Hon. Herman Gale Francis explained that police officers have been permanently attached to the prosecution unit and will be provided with the necessary training so as to enhance their capabilities to provide the required support. Also under citizen safety a parole system is expected to be introduced alongside a strong rehabilitation program. The minister expounded. We want to coordinate and collaborate on intelligence between the Royal Central Police Force and the bodily correctional facility. Aim at reducing crime on the streets and improve data collection and analysis on guns and crime trains. We will also have a parole induct. We are now going to be introducing the parole and probation. I will talk a little later about this. We are promoting public safety through effective supervision of offenders on probation. Promote lawful and productive lifestyles among probationers and assist courts with managing offenders and juveniles at risk. Crime prevention and detection is another area being strengthened that will benefit from a stronger police presence in hotspot areas. There will be increased foot and mobile patrols on the front line where most are needed. Additionally greater surveillance capabilities are now available to the police with a building out of the $5.8 million safe city CCTV project in castries of which $1.8 million has been allocated for 2019-2020 and more focus will be placed on community policing to strengthen community involvement in fighting crime. For the government information service I have General Norville. The minister with responsibility for culture and creative industry, Senator the Honourable Fortuna Belrose during the budget debate spoke to the proposed plans for the creative industries for the period 2019-2020. A total of EC$500,000 has been allocated to their training, building capacity and development programs by the Cultural Development Foundation. The minister informed that data collected via a CDF mapping exercise indicated that there are 40 persons who have been registered and are directly employed in the arts. Of the 400 registered creative workers 67% of them are male and 33% are female and this is indeed instructive because as more of our males always appear to be more of our males appear to be pursuing the path of creativity you know areas of creativity as a profession and so this is something that we we're heartened about and we see the crisis with the young men in our society and we believe that we're on the right path in terms of opening up that area to allow more young men to come in and find themselves find themselves and their passion. The minister stated that a total of 226 persons were trained this year in the area of creative arts. We therefore remain committed to strengthening the curriculum for schools and of course with the School of Excellence coming on board it's not a physical structure you'll see but what you will see is a curriculum that is enriched to cater for the arts and of course to provide a clear pathway for all all who wish to pursue the arts as a career. Senator Bellrose explained that the government of St Lucia is collaborating with the Organization of American States and the Global Environmental Fund to produce opportunities for persons interested in the creative arts across the tourism sector. From the Government Information Service, I am Anicia-Antoine reporting. Meantime, Independent Senator Adrian Auger, Lord and Prime Minister the Honourable Alan Chastney for presenting an appropriation bill that is comprehensive and relatable to the ordinary man. Senator Auger believes that the setting of specific targets for priority areas is the right way to go. During his contribution to the debate on the appropriation bill 2019-2020 on April 30th, Independent Senator Adrian Auger was encouraged by the emphasis on post-secondary and tertiary enrolment as one of high priority. The senator also lauded governments increased attention to culture and the creative industries while adding that more direct intervention can take place with the injection of grants, technical assistance and training. We have people teaching creative arts in secondary schools who are not sufficiently qualified. We need we need stronger choreographers, we need stronger teachers of visual arts, performing arts, etc. The senatorial school of music is laboring on under some rather trying circumstances. We need to support this especially, but not only, but especially since we recognize that the performing arts feeds right into our tourism product. The temptation is to support the music sector, but the music sector is already substantially on its way and while it's attractive and it may be eye-catching, it's the sub-sector that needs the least support. In commenting on government's efforts at furthering the development of the music industry, the senator made a case for the sub-sectors that feed the music industry to be given greater attention. There are other sub-sectors visual performing which do not have the support that they should and whose skills are necessary to support the very music sector that we think is leading the way. You need to make a music video, you need directors, you need lighting people, you need actors, you need dancers and we're not focusing there. We think the music industry is singers, well that's only one very small part of the music industry. Then you have the non-traditional arts, digital arts, film, animation, design, these are not receiving hardly any attention and I think that we need to think about those as lead sub-sectors within the culture and creative arts sector. When the authority of the heads of government of the OECS and its other ministerial councils meet and adopt policies for the organization, they rely on the OECS commission to transform these into action. The OECS commission is the secretariat of the organization, a grouping of officials headed by a director general, mandated to implement the decisions of the governments but also empowered to make recommendations on the strategic directions of the organization. The OECS commission organizes needs, prepares budgets, conducts research, undertakes projects, negotiates for and represents the OECS member states. It is organized along several components. There are the commissioners from each member state who along with the director general form the commission that oversees the work programs. There are also technical divisions with specialized units between them as well as diplomatic missions in Brussels and Geneva. All these complement each other to make the OECS commission the engine of regional integration in the eastern Caribbean. The OECS has a proud past and together we are working towards a brighter future for all our citizens. For more information visit www.oecs.org. Welcome back. We join Ryan O'Brien for the latest happenings in youth development and sports. Welcome to your update on happenings in youth development and sports on the NTN Nightly News. Minister responsible for youth development and sports the Honorable Edmund Estefan is suggesting there should be greater parity in nominations for the various categories of awards during the annual youth awards. Minister Estefan made remarks while addressing youth awards last Saturday evening. Our shortlist was down to about 30 within 19 categories. We continue to observe that visual and literary arts are not very popular categories. However the performing arts are modern quadruple with nominees. We also observe with a degree of sadness that there was barely a nomination for district youth and sports council. Fully next year we will begin to see some changes in these nominations. The minister pledged that there will be continued improvements to the annual staging of the national youth awards. Perhaps through an online platform for nominations which is more accessible to the young people. We're not with great interest at the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports, the National Workers Union, NWU, spirited efforts in promoting youth development within the trade union movement. We are looking at including a new category at the youth awards next year to recognize the efforts and contribution of meaningful youth engagement within the trade union movement. We are gratified by the continued partnership and engagement with youth groups and organizations throughout the island. Our aim is to continue to build on these engagements until our youth are connected to opportunities and given access for them to continue to uplift themselves in the wider society. The Youth Development and Sports Minister also announced that the youth of the year will travel to Portugal in June to the ministers of youth meeting and to attend the youth forum. The Ministry of Youth Development and Sports is encouraging physical education teachers to take advantage of the opportunity to receive certification as an international FINA Level 1 open water coach. It's being made possible as the San Lucia Aquatics Federation will be hosting a five-day FINA Level 1 open water coaching clinic for anyone interested in becoming an open water swimming coach. Applicants must be 17 years and older. Open water coaching presents a different set of dynamics to pool coaching and requires its own certification as directed by FINA. The course is scheduled to take place from May 7th to the 11th. It will be conducted by world-renowned FINA lecturer Stephen Cassidy who is the member of the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame. Schools Sports Competitive Activity is set to resume shortly. Among some of the events to look out for are Schools Under 15 Cricket, scheduled to start May 14th into Schools Swimming June 21st and look out for the Schools Sports Awards set for July 5th. All useful dates to remember. And if that we come to the end of your update on happenings in youth development and sports for today. I'm Ryan O'Brien. Thanks Ryan. The San Lucia Senator has welcomed a new member. On Tuesday 30th April 2019, Francisco Jean-Pierre was sworn in as a government senator. President of the Senate, Honourable Jeanine Girodi McIntyre informed that she had received correspondence from Senator Dr. Wallace Raymond indicating his resignation from the upper house. Senator Jean-Pierre, a taxi operator, most recently was the assistant manager of loans at the Library Corporative Credit Union. He serves on the Board of the Southern Taxi Company and has for years been an advocate for taxi drivers in the South. In his maiden address to the Senate, Senator Jean-Pierre expressed elation at government's plans for the South of the island, among them the redevelopment of the Hurunar International Airport. A consideration to develop the Port of UFO as a cruise terminal that is also significant. So I believe we are heading in the right direction in our tourism industry. An industry that I have benefited in for almost my entire life. That's the industry that I use to sell my children to school. And that was Senator Francisco Jean-Pierre. On Tuesday with the NTN Nightly, up next, Prime Minister Hutchinson is here with the NTN Nouvelle-Arcuyen. I was in my neighborhood. It was a very dark night. I decided to go for a drink by a bar. On my way from the bar, I felt distinct to my right leg. When I looked back, I knew it was a full of a snake. You happen to be in an area where there are snakes and you are bitten by a snake. This is what you do. You call for help and try to reach the Victoria Hospital within one or three hours. You will be seen immediately. My uncle at the time was a police officer called the Victoria Hospital and told them that we're coming down for a snake bite. It's the only facility on the island which has a protocol and a treatment plan where you can be treated adequately. We call them before you go there so they can prepare for you. And rest assured that they are adequate supplies of antivenom with doctors who have been trained in the treatment protocols of the snake bite. Welcome back. We join Prime Minister Hutchinson for the NTN Nouvelle-Arcuyen. I'm The Chief Office of Medicine refreshments the public to change the way we treat bad diseases that spread very quickly. For the sake of this, the Minister is here to make a decision, but it is not a decision made by us. We are here to talk about the other people here, the other specialists, the Pan-American Health Organization, the Caribbean Public Health Organization, all of them are here to make a decision, a decision that we have the authority to do under the Quarantine Act, the Public Health Act. So, we want to explain this because maybe the people who come here and the people who come here will know about this. So, what was necessary for us to explain this? Dr. Federica also made public the project like the one that you are doing, particularly in America, it was necessary to protect bad diseases from this. And especially for children, to make sure that children find the vaccine for bad diseases. On this occasion, I have the first workers a month and a half ago, it was on Thursday, the Ministry of Health and Welfare to do work and government services. My name is Stephen Sunking. I am working for the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the employers and payers for their services. I have a contribution to the development of this in the past. I am also working for the Ministry of Health and Welfare to learn here. Minister King declared here that he built a foundation that was established by the organization of the workers. Mr. King called for the payers to forget about the people who were involved in a movement to work in the past. I am working for the Ministry of Health and Welfare to ensure that the payers find a good reward to contribute to the development of the economic payers. I am also working by guaranteeing the Department of Health and Welfare to ensure that the workers are satisfied with the work that they are doing and that they are able to implement it. I am working for the Ministry of Health and Welfare to continue to promote the collaborative efforts of the organization and all those who are working to ensure that they are able to understand the dignity and relationship of the industrial climate and make the best relationship for the employees and the government. The employees who are working for the Ministry of Health and Welfare are trying to express their benefits in a project that has to be started right away by the organization of the National Association that is the NIC. The initiative is to help address the needs of the people who are able to finance it. The NIC is to keep the different properties that we have and to make it accessible and continue to select these properties to start projects. For the new employees, it is a start for the most important project of the development of the NIC which is the most important facility for the recruitment to start in Pamilot. For the NIC, it is a consideration that we need a construction to do the great service that every person who is working who is able to support them by establishing a business that is able to build a diverse model that is available in your company to develop a facility for the people who are doing the same. It is possible to build in your company to resist natural disasters and to enjoy the benefits of a lot of necessities. The NIC is to lead a collaboration with the Institute for Work Development National Setlist and the Minister who is able to do the same. It is possible to do the same with the new employees who are working who are doing the same with the new employees who are doing the same a lot with the new employees. That is why we need to do the same. Thank you, Pearl Primers. And here's a look at what's happening to us weather-wise. Skies are fair, occasionally cloudy and breezy with scattered showers. A moderate to brisk easterly wind flow and above normal seas will continue around the eastern Caribbean region over the next few days. Low-level clouds moving with the wind flow will bring some scattered showers over the islands during the forecast period. Tides for castries to Harbour high at 2.40pm, low at 8.08pm. Tides for Viewford Bay high at 3.47pm, low at 9.35pm. Seas moderate to locally rough with waves 5 to 7 feet or 1.5 to 2.1 meters. The sun will rise Friday at 5.41am. Tides for Seas moderate to locally rough with waves 5 to 7 feet or 1.5 to 2.1 meters.