 Welcome to Nation Beat. I am General Novel bringing you this brief on the pulse of our nation and highlights around the heart of St. Lucia. A number of capital projects contained in the 2018-2019 budget are to be executed as Parliament approves the financing. The Government of St. Lucia has approved concessions for Christmas barrels and understanding the role of nutrition in the fight against cancer. Parliament has authorized Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Hon. Alan Shastney to borrow $32,603,000 from First National Banks in Lucia Limited for capital expenditure to finance the 2018-2019 budget. According to the Prime Minister, the monies had been approved in the appropriations bill and would seek to support a number of capital projects. Prime Minister Shastney explained the reasoning behind utilizing a local bank as a loan facility. Well, I have to say to you that members on this side continue to believe in St. Lucia's and continue to believe if the Government has the ability to borrow money and there's liquidity with the local banks 100% of the time we're going to choose the local banks. We want to see our local banks prosper. The interest on the principal amount of the loan is repairable at the rate of 6% per annum and the principal amount of the loan is repairable in the amount of $275,123 per quarter. Parliamentary representative for Castree Southeast Hon. Guy Joseph, highlighting the improvement in the economy, explained the far-reaching benefits of the Government's decision. When there's a certain amount of liquidity in the system, this same money, if you do not give out loans, how does the bank generate money? How do these financial institutions generate money to keep their business going, to pay interest to their people? I mean, I was surprised to hear the member from Castree's is highlighting that this year the banks have realized profits that in the banks the deposits have increased. Mr. Speaker, where did this money come from? Did they go and print some money and put it in the bank? Isn't that an indication that the activity in the economy is positive? The full drawdown of the loan with the last payment plus any outstanding principal and interest is due 180 months after the full drawdown. Additionally, an arrangement fee of 1% is payable on the loan amount. Meantime, entrepreneurs stand to benefit from Parliament's authorization of a $2 million loan from the International Development Association to finance the organization of Eastern Caribbean states, micro, small and medium-sized enterprise guarantee facility project. This facility will support businesses in securing financing through the Eastern Caribbean Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation. The project is being undertaken by the governments of the OECS with backing from the World Bank. The Monetary Council of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank will have oversight of the Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation, which will make partial guarantees on loans by commercial and development banks and credit unions to small businesses. Here's how it's going to work. Owners of MSMEs, small businesses, will apply to their local lender for a loan. If the lender is not able to approve the application using its conventional credit standards, it may decide to request a guarantee. So business person goes in, applies for loan. If the bank believes there is not enough security to justify giving the loan, he now can turn to the guarantee. That is, the bank turns to the guarantee, not the small business person. The ECBGC will review the application and determine if the guarantee is appropriate. The target customer is business owners who have adequate cash flow to make loan payments, but may not have adequate asset to pledge as collateral. It is hoped that St. Lucian businesses will take advantage of the facility. In fact, parliamentary representative for Cass Street Central, Honorable Sarah Flood Bobra, told the House that a number of her constituents can benefit. Whereas he goes to town carrying this big box of lunches. You can hardly see his face when he's carrying it. A man like that probably needs a nice little card that he can wheel with a nice logo on it. Maybe it can be refrigerated. He can carry his salads and what have you. And he can take a step forward to improve his business. But where does someone like this go in the current situation where we do not have enough opportunities to support small businesses? First thing, I mean, he might think, well, I really want to expand my business, but he's daunted just by the thought of going to a bank where the first thing he'll be asked is, well, what collateral do you have? Or do you have someone to sign for you? Minister for Labour and Cass Street's North MP Hon. Stevenson King welcomed the intervention for small enterprises, however stressed the need for the training of budding entrepreneurs. From our end, that would be able to put in place on two levels. One, at the education system, guidance and counseling program that can get students to understand business and to give them the necessary training. But in the private sector, to ensure that those persons will be accessing those loans, not only prepare a good business plan, but also to give them that hand, give them the guidance, give them the counseling and give them the training to guarantee that the rate of failure is kept at the bare minimum. The OECS Micro Small Medium Size Enterprise Guarantee Facility is being implemented at a cost of $12 million. St. Lucia's contribution is $2 million. The Government of St Lucia has once again approved concessions with regard to the importation of barrels at Christmas. Concessions are from the period of November 15, 2018 to January 31, 2019. There is a 100% waiver of import duty on personal items, food, clothing, toys and other household consumables contained in barrels. Electronics are excluded. The number of barrels qualifying for concessions is 2 per household. The upper limit on the value per barrel is $2,500. The items must be for personal use and not commercial use. The usual penalties and fines apply if the goods are used for commercial purposes. Parliament on October 30, 2018 approved to allow for the exemption of value added tax that on all qualifying items imported within barrels during this period. This is Nation Beat. We're back in a moment. I have my mobile, landline, cable TV and internet service. If I have a problem with any of the services, what should I do? Here's what you should do to resolve the problem. First, get infillota complaint forms and lodge your complaint with the service provider. If after 30 days there is still no solution, you may contact your National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, NTRC. This message is brought to you as a public service announcement by ECTEL, the NTRC and this station. Health officials promote lifestyle changes which will assist with preventing cancer and will also aid persons who are living with the disease. Cancer remains one of the most malignant diseases in the world today. Major risk factors of cancer are tobacco, alcohol, diet, sexual and reproductive behavior, infectious agents, family history, occupation, environment and pollution. Health officials in St. Nusha have placed emphasis on dietary practices which they believe are major contributors to cancer. Shalan Edwards is a field nutrition officer in the Ministry of Health. We just want to highlight how important nutrition is. In terms of prevention, starting a prevention, we want persons to understand that cancer is linked to so many conditions like obesity. Obesity actually, research shows that obesity causes cancer. So we just want persons to identify changing their lifestyles in terms of eating healthy and exercising. So eating healthy means you have a balanced diet. You have five servings of fruits and vegetables which actually prevents you from overeating on your calves. We don't want people to go vegetarian but a lifestyle that is less of your meats and all those processed foods we promote. So more balance in terms of your fruits and vegetables, your provisions, lean meats, less sugars in your diet and just less fats. The bad fats which are the saturated fats you get from your fried foods, your processed foods, we just promote more of that. To prevent cancers, we have blessed St. Nusha with fresh fruits and vegetables. And because of the antioxidant properties that helps fight cancer, we promote more fruits and vegetables. So vegetables like your kale, your cabbages, you have your yellow vegetables like pumpkin, your carrots, because of the vitamin A and vitamin C properties, we promote more fruits and vegetables. Also the fruits, which is all the fruits that you could think of. Cancer loves and feeds on sugar with the spoken words of Fadia Campbell, a nutritionist in the Ministry of Health while she addressed health media personnel. She placed prominence on the consumption of refined sugars. I am appealing to persons who have cancer who are fighting this battle to cut out sugar in your diet, especially the refined sugars and drinks as well. So you speak about the sodas, the sugar sweetened beverages, refined carbohydrates that break down to sugar, more specifically glucose. So if it is that you are able to do that, that would be very good as a person fighting cancer or recovering at whatever stage you are at, sugar should be out of your diet. The health officials are calling on all St. Lucian's to engage in healthy habits as precaution is always better than cure. From the communications unit in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Miguel Morris said reporting. Financial investment and consultancy services limited fix joined the rest of corporate St. Lucia in hosting Juniquial activities for yet another year. The company opened its doors at both its Bridge Street and Rodney Bay branches and welcomed friends and customers to Creole Folk Music, Food and Entertainment. As an indigenous local financial institution with its roots deeply embedded in Shwezel, financial investment and consultancy services limited fix remains committed to hosting annual Juniquial activities in the hope of keeping the heritage alive and as a kind gesture of appreciation to its customers. According to the manager for the Rodney Bay branch, Vinisha Salton, coming together to celebrate is what most families do on Juniquial weekend. We really want to not only celebrate it with ourselves but we want our customers to be part of that celebration. We want them to feel part of us because they really are part of us. This is our way of saying thanks to your customers, thanks to your kind patronage, thanks for continuing to be with us and we look forward to continued serving you and enjoying many, many more Juniquial. As done in previous years, the staff at both locations adorned themselves in traditional national wear as they treated visiting customers to exciting waves of Creole food and entertainment. You're at home here at Fix. They are solution providers because they're experiencing management and their willingness to help, to assist and advise is always flowing. I find their rates are reasonable and they always manage to tailor around your needs and what your present position is. And it's always to help to improve. So I'm very impressed with Fix and I am definitely a loyal customer. Officials from Fix say that the company is extremely proud of its history and association with the community of Choselle and will remain committed to sustaining the rich cultural resources of St. Lucia as an Indigenous financial institution. From the Government Information Service, I am Anisia Antoine reporting. That's NationBit. 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 General Norvel.