 Welcome to NTIA Nightly. I am Janelle Norville. This edition stops stories. The governor of the ECCB lays out an action plan for ECCU members amid COVID-19. Invest St. Lucia to partner with government on assisting the recovery of the business sector and St. Lucia among countries to receive PPE and medical supplies from the US government. Member countries of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union, ECCU, are faced with unprecedented economic challenges with the advent of COVID-19. Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank Timothy Antoine has indicated that a sharp contraction of between 10 and 20 percent is expected throughout the ECCU for 2020. Highlighting four key action plans, the governor noted that necessary steps must be taken as the world seeks to coexist with the virus. The key action plans include following health protocols, expanding connectivity, adopting a mindset of growth, and managing finances wisely. The pandemic, according to the governor, has presented several opportunities that can be seized if approached with a growth mindset. To cope, we need a growth mindset. One of the most important qualities of a growth mindset is that it learns from problems and reframes problems into opportunities. A growth mindset reframes problems into opportunities. The reality is that this adversity presents opportunities. And so I'm heartened by the early evidence of some businesses that have basically revamped or tweaked their business models to include delivery of certain services. And I think that's important. And I will make the point again. Going forward, health and safety will be key to all and any business, large or small. Health and safety. Hotels, small business, bars, shops, supermarkets, any business and of course, workplaces as well. With no idea when the pandemic will be over, Governor Antoine explained that the proper management of one's finances is critical. He highlighted steps that should be taken, including identifying essential and non-essential spending and utilizing available financial relief. For example, the banks and credit unions are offering loan deferral or moratorium, the utility companies, social security, the government. You need that support, avail yourself at this point. That will also help our churches, others avail yourself. But I also want to challenge us to save something from what little we receive. If you are receiving $500 per month, try and save $50. It might seem like a big ask because you think you want to do a lot of things, but I hope the last month has taught us that not everything is essential. ECCB Governor Timothy Antoine and the ECCB Governor's advice to adopt a growth mindset has already been embraced by the government of St. Lucia with a key agency positioning itself to guide prospects for the island's growth. Invest St. Lucia anticipating a highly competitive environment post COVID-19 says it is imperative that the islanders all it can to stand above the competition. Alana Lantico-Brice is the investment services manager. It's going to be facilitation to make sure those projects come through the pipeline quickly. They can start construction and then it's also going to be a focus like every other country in the world on ICT and the digital economy because this pandemic has brought things to light that we probably knew already but weren't actioning quite as ferociously as we should. But now there is a need to accelerate that even further. So ICT investment and working on investments or partnerships that will enhance the skills of our workforce that's something we hear a lot about locally and internationally because businesses want a location that can provide a solution to their needs. So skills training that is going to be important and then we're going to have to look at how we can transform St. Lucia not just as a tourism service economy but generally as a business services economy, non-tourism. Invest St. Lucia is also providing assistance with the recovery of the local business sector. We are working with the government primarily with the Ministry of Commerce in putting together a stimulus package that businesses could tap into post COVID and then we have also already made overtures to training institutions that we can look to partner with to help with the improvement of the skills so that St. Lucia can be a destination where we export more of our services to the international market. Investment Services Manager at Invest St. Lucia, Alana Lantico-Brice. The Ministry of Agriculture is closely monitoring how the agriculture sector is faring amid COVID-19. As we hear from Anicia Antoine the pandemic is not the only threat to the viability of the sector. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has caused severe disruptions to St. Lucia's agriculture sector. The agricultural industry has been highly dependent on the demand of goods by the tourism industry and the international market. The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Natural Resources and Cooperatives Honourable Ezekiel Joseph explained that one of the main concerns of the government during the pandemic is the overproduction of crops if correct measures are not taken. What's happening right now, you're going around the market and you see there's the vendor selling at reduced prices because they have to get rid of the produce because I mean agricultural produce does not stay. They have a very short shelf life. You go and you manufacture a chair and the chair can stay and you manufacture a bottle of wine and it can stay but when it comes to agricultural produce if you don't go into question of value added and agro processing that's a very short shelf life. So what is happening now in an attempt for the farmers to recoup some of the investment they have to sell at reduced prices sometimes below cost of production. So that is the problem we have right now and that's the concern we have as a ministry because if you have persons selling at below cost of production how do they have money to reinvest and to continue when things have leveled up. The Minister for Agriculture Fisheries Natural Resources and Cooperatives explained that with the current depletion of St. Lucia's raw water supply measures are currently being put in place to mitigate the use of water by farmers. Agriculture is critical and what is critical for farmers to continue with livestock or crops. I do not see if we agree to discontinue farmers using water for the livestock but when it comes to crops now then it's something that we have to look at in a very serious way. We have not taken a decision as to the respective economic activities that will be so affected. We have discussed when we met with the stakeholders last week to look at what are the options. We discussed the whole aspect of agriculture and how it's going to affect agriculture. We also look at the time frame and we look not to study the state of emergency on Monday the 18th but like I said earlier I left Cabinet to come here. We have not started that discussion where something will be discussing today whether we start on the 18th and the entities that will be affected as it pertains to the state of emergency. The Minister for Agriculture Fisheries Natural Resources and Cooperatives reaffirmed the government's commitment to creating a facilitating and enabling environment for farmers during this time. From the Government Information Service, I am Anicia Antoine reporting. The Ministry of Health continues to increase the number of tests for COVID-19 conducted in the community. Thus far more than 700 tests have been conducted. This comes as the island registered a 100% recovery rate for a second time. Dr Sharon Belma George is a Chief Medical Officer. As of May 13th 2020, St. Lucien has recorded a total of 18 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The last case has now recovered and been discharged from the hospital. All 18 cases are therefore fully recovered. The Ministry of Health have received results for 52 samples and they were all negative. These samples were mainly captured through the community respiratory clinics. This brings a total number of tests conducted to date to 727. Although we are pleased to maintain a low transmission level of COVID-19 in country, we remind the public that we are still at risk and must remain vigilant as the threat continues. The CMO encouraged the public to maintain protocols even when in a familiar surrounding such as the community. We recognize the efforts of a wide cross section of the population in adopting the recommended infection prevention and control measures and taking the necessary precautions when having to venture out in public. We would like to see these measures adopted at the community level as well. We call on all community leaders, gatekeepers and heads of organizations to support the Ministry of Health in the implementation of these measures. We continue to request that every individual practices standard recommendations to prevent the spread of infection. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sharon Belmar George In response to the high demand for personal protective equipment, PPE and other medical supplies due to COVID-19, the United States has donated more than US $104,000 worth of PPE and other medical supplies for seven Eastern Caribbean countries, St. Lucia, Antigone Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Neves and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The supplies which were acquired through a supplier in Trinidad and Tobago include 1,000 surgical masks, 500 face shields, 250 protective goggles, 1,200 latex gloves, 1,000 shoe covers, 10 gallons of hand sanitizer and 87 hazmat suits. These will be packaged for each country and issued to the national disaster offices for national level distribution, targeting those who are on the frontline and are highly exposed, including essential services personnel and security forces. And this is NTN Nightly up next, Primers Hutchinson with the NTN Luvel Aquial. COVID-19 is a new pandemic disease as declared by the World Health Organization. It is transmitted directly by respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes or indirectly through rubbing the face with contaminated hands. There is still no specific treatment or vaccine against COVID-19 and as such, the farming community should adhere to some special recommendations. Reduce your farm labor to only essential workers. Ensure regular hand washing with soap and water or use 60% to 95% alcohol-based hand sanitizer until soap and water are available. Clean all work surfaces and farm tools such as cutlasses, forks and sprayers with a 10% bleach solution. Ensure that toilets are cleaned thoroughly after each use and sanitized daily. Prohibit visitors to the farms. Limit contact among farm workers and promote social distances, ensuring 6 feet between each worker and promote a no-hand shaking or unnecessary touch policy. More than ever before, your important role as the gatekeepers of St. Lucia's nutritional, health and food security should be taken seriously. When you exercise these precautions, you not only safeguard your health but also continue to allow all St. Lucia's access to freshly grown fruits, vegetables and other local crops. Remember, it is our responsibility to ensure our nation eats fresh, St. Lucia's best. Welcome back. We join Primers-Hudgingston for the NTN Nouvelle-Arcuyol. You're parallel as a cotton and a cofoil. Prime Minister Alon Shasne, Prime Minister Gonsalve, Prime Minister Dominique, and Varedi, we had a meeting on Zoom to discuss windfresh and the structure of windfresh. Prime Minister Joseph, Prime Minister Alon Shasne, I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. I don't know if you have the option to manage the windfresh. Prime Minister Alon Shasne, Prime Minister Gonsalve, I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. Prime Minister Alon Shasne, Prime Minister Dominique, I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh. I agree that this government is not satisfied with the windfresh.