 Coming to you from RGIS Studios, I am Anicia Antoine and this is your midday news brief. The Souffret Fire Service hosted an appreciation ceremony for the procurement of an ambulance by the government of St Lucia. The fire service has been working with a fleet of ambulances commissioned since 2007. The newly acquired ambulance is fully equipped with EMS equipment of a modern day ambulance. The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Security, Elizabeth Bailey, explained that this new procurement will increase the response capacity of the fire department, especially in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Minister for Home Affairs and National Security, Senator Honourable HM Francis, noted that despite the harsh financial times, the government recognised the importance of procuring this equipment. Chief Fire Officer Joseph Joseph expressed gratitude to the government of St Lucia for the new ambulance. The appreciation ceremony for the procurement of the new ambulance by the government of St Lucia took place on Thursday, August 20, 2020 at the Souffret Fire Station. The Department of Education, Innovation and Gender Regulations has been intently laying the groundwork for the commencement of the new academic year in September. The efforts have been more deliberate given the impact of COVID-19. Several meetings were held with various stakeholders, including the St Lucia's Teachers' Union, the National Principles Association, the National Youth Council, National Students' Council, school boards, teachers and principals, to chart to decide upon the best path to the reopening. The department notes the public concern about the health and safety of students amid the threat of COVID-19. However, the Chief Education Officer says the Ministry of Health has been directing education officials with establishing the protocols needed to protect students, teachers and ancillary staff at all schools. The phase reopening in June for the common entrance and CSEC examinations, she said, tested the system. As the proposed date for the reopening of school draws near, Dr. Maya is employing parents and guardians to ensure that they take advantage of all avenues of assistance available to them through the Department of Education, including the bursary for students entering secondary schools. The impact of COVID-19 on the tourism sector has been devastating with some 14,000 St Lucia's who earned their livelihood from the travel and hospitality sectors on the bread line. Since the decision was taken to open the borders on July 9, the tourism hospitality sector has been slowly coming to life. To date, 2,000 tourism employees have returned to work. The agency responsible for marketing St Lucia as a tourism destination has ramped up efforts to ensure that the island maintains its competitive edge despite the COVID-19 pandemic. With the drastic revenue loss for central government, the tourism authority, as with all other departments, has had to review its budget. However, the SLTA has been creative in using the social media platforms. This has been your Media News Brief. Thank you for watching.