(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – Sallie Fraenkel, will headline the seventh annual Statia Sustainability Conference, scheduled to be held September 27 and 28 at the Mike van Putten Youth Centre.

Fraenkel is the founder and President of Mind Body Spirit Network, a four-year old company that brings together like-minded individuals through events and travel. She has produced over 29 events on subjects ranging from “clean beauty” to “transformative travel”.

Former chief marketing and chief operations officer of SpaFinder and executive vice president of the Global Spa and Wellness Summit, Fraenkel has over 30 years of experience in the spa, wellness and entertainment industries.

During her tenure at SpaFinder, she oversaw the expansion of the company, including the award-winning website Spafinder.com, Luxury SpaFinder Magazine, the gift card division and all marketing and technology activities for the company.

She was the creator of events including Aspen Spa Days, The Spa Experience Aspen and The Spa Experience Grand Central. In 2013, Fraenkel ran the Global Spa and Wellness Summit in New Delhi, India. She is co-chair of the Social Impact Initiative for the Global Wellness Institute and sits on the board of Gift of Hope, a non-profit helping women and children with HIV/AIDS in South Africa.

Registration for the sustainability conference, which is organized by the St. Eustatius Tourism Development Foundation (STDF), Excellence Consultancy, PEECC, St. Eustatius National Park (STENAPA) and THE Eastern Caribbean Public Health Foundation (ECPHF), is now open. Interested persons may contact the STDF.

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Ambassador Shen (Right 4) and Taiwanese Technical Mission took picture with Hon. Prime Minister Allen Chastanet(Middle), Hon.Minister of Agriculture Ezechiel Joseph (Left 3), Hon. Minister of Home Affairs Hermangild Francis(Left 2)

(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – Taiwan’s contributions to Saint Lucia’s national development, especially in agriculture and the information and communications technology (ICT) were featured at a briefing to Prime Minister Honourable Allen Chastanet, Minister for Agriculture Honourable Ezechiel Joseph, and Minister for Home Affairs Honourable Hermangild Francis at the Taiwan Technical Mission’s headquarters at Union on Wednesday, 15 August 2018.

Prior to the briefing Prime Minister Honourable Allen Chastanet expressed his appreciation to Taiwan for bringing the agricultural sector of Saint Lucia back to prominence, citing the revitalisation of the banana industry as an example.

He said that in 2017, Saint Lucia exported over 8,000 tons of bananas to key markets such as the United Kingdom and France. He expressed great expectations for the next phase of Taiwan’s fruit and vegetable project to help boost Saint Lucian farmers’ income and mitigate the effects of climate change. He also anticipated the Taiwan-sponsored “GiNet” project and its follow-up project to help enhance public service and after-school education in Saint Lucia.

Prime Minister Honourable Allen Chastanet also encouraged Taiwan to take advantage of its strategic relations with Saint Lucia to expand its market in the Western Hemisphere, just as Saint Lucia regards Taiwan as its foothold for the Asian market.

Ambassador Douglas Shen of the Taiwan Embassy emphasized that as Saint Lucia’s partner in sustainable development, Taiwan is committed to share its experience so that both countries can continue to be beautiful islands.

He said that over the last 10 years Taiwan Embassy and its technical mission, in collaboration with Saint Lucian government have completed many projects that have brought tangible benefits to the people. For example, the Constituency Development Programme (CDP) have created over 20,000 job opportunities over the years; the GiNet Project built the backbone of Saint Lucia’s free WI-FI service network, and could potentially facilitate cloud-based public service and business opportunities.

And the “Banana Project” has helped double the total production of bananas in Saint Lucia. He pledged that Taiwan will remain committed to support the development of Saint Lucia’s banana sub-sector in particular, agriculture, ICT and rural economy in general.

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(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – Plans have recommenced for the hosting of a ceremony to formalize the start of works on the Ti-Rocher Micoud Water Project.

The event which was originally scheduled to take place on August 2nd 2018 had been postponed due to the passing of the former Parliamentary Representative for Micoud South Arsene James. Mr James had been integrally involved in the commissioning of the project and had been lobbying for its commencement since 2002.

The ceremony is now slated for August 22nd 2018 at 3pm at the tank site in Ti-Rocher Micoud. A total of four contracts have been awarded for the installation of pipes to connect the Micoud Treatment Plant to an already installed one hundred thousand (100 000) imperial gallon tank at Morne Desir, Ti-Rocher.

The selected contractors include Mr Felix Samuel, Mr Gaspar St Hilaire and Mr Ted Emanuel all from the area of Micoud South. The project includes four phases and the laying of approximately 1.468 km of PVC and ductile iron pipes, fittings, valves and other related infrastructure.

A signing ceremony for three of the contracts took place at WASCO’s Lanse Road headquarters on July 30th 2018.

Present were WASCO’s General Manager Mr. Edmund Regis, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mr. Francis Denbow, Technical Committee Directors which include Directors Mr. Eglan Flavien, Mr Joseph Dujon, and Mr Paul Joseph. Also present were Design and Construction Manager Mr. Kelvin Emilien and Corporate Secretary/Legal Officer Mrs Nichola Benjamin. The fourth contract is still pending and awaits official signing.

The project is to be completed by 26th November 2018. Motorists and pedestrians traversing the area are advised to exercise caution along the route.

Water is Life

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(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – The St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the another outstanding programme Entry Level Skills Training. This program has received rave review over the last 2 years and with the growing demand the St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce is delighted accede to this request by its members and the wider business community.

The Chamber Members recognized that Entry Level staff generally requires to be provided with some essential “Job Skills”. This programme will do so utilizing role play, lectures, interval learning and group work to effectively teach and demonstrate principles that will lead to behavior and attitude change and enhancement.

The Entry Level Skills Training programme is a six week programme commencing September 11th and runs until October 18th 2018. Sessions are held twice weekly, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The programme will teach participants key competencies and soft skills needed to be efficient and effective at their jobs. It further imparts knowledge on the behavior and attitudes which promote positive team spirit and a productive work environment.

Areas which will be covered in the programme include but are not limited to Effective Communication Skills, Customer Service Excellence, Attitude for Success and Time Management.

All persons interested in enhancing these skill are invited to register through the Chamber Secretariat at 758 452 3165 or email info@stluciachamber.org

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St Lucia’s National Security Minister Hermangild Francis

(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – St. Lucia and Venezuela have agreed to work together to ease concerns the former has over guns and drugs passing through its borders that Prime Minister Allen Chastanet said played some part in the murders committed last year.

A high powered delegation from Venezuela headed by General Endes Palencia, the Vice Minister for Prevention and Citizen Security in Venezuela paid a one-day visit to St. Lucia Thursday to hold talks with Home Affairs and National Security Minister Hermangild Francis, Commissioner of Police Severin Moncherry and Prime Minister Allen Chastanet.

Minister Francis told reporters that the talks with the Spanish – speaking delegation will focus on the visa regime his government has slapped on Venezuelans and about drugs and guns from Venezuela entering St. Lucia.

His hope was that out of those talks will come forth a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation between the two countries to fight the drug menace and the proliferation of firearms coming into St. Lucia.

Palencia said that his delegation was in St. Lucia to listen to the concerns of St. Lucia. He gave the assurance that Venezuela will embark on certain policies to safeguard the security of both countries.

St. Lucia’s primary concern with Venezuela is what it claims to be the drugs and guns coming from that country into St. Lucia hereby affecting the safety of St. Lucians.

Prime Minister Allen Chastanet is adamant that drugs and firearms out of Venezuela played a major role in the whopping high number of murders St. Lucia recorded last year, namely 60.

Although he did not provide hard core evidence to support his claim the prime minister said statistics showed that. He added that one of the greatest sources of drugs and guns coming to St. Lucia is Venezuela. He pointed to several arrests of Venezuelans in St. Lucia and sums of monies confiscated from Venezuelans as evidence enough for his assertions.

Minister Francis however refused to be drawn into making the same statements as the prime Minister when challenged on the subject yesterday by reporters.

He said he did not think the prime minister was making a correlation to firearms used in last year’s murders to Venezuela.

“I think the prime minister made the statement that some firearms were originating from Venezuela,” Francis said, adding that never has St. Lucia been able to link a firearm used in a murder directly to Venezuela despite information indicating that firearms coming into St. Lucia do come from Venezuela and other places in the Caribbean.

“So it is not fair to say that the prime minister actually said the homicides were due to firearms coming from Venezuela,” Francis said.

Chastanet, last week, told reporters that his government is concerned with the number of Venezuelans entering the country without visas, a situation that could result in St. Lucia’s inability to extradite them should they break the law.

He said that by putting visa restrictions on them allows St. Lucia to have greater control of its borders.

The Prime Minister noted that currently “we are seeing, not only in St. Lucia, but throughout the length and breadth of the Caribbean” Venezuelans being involved in the shipment of drugs and firearms due to the economic situation in their homeland.

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Sanovnik Destang of Bay Gardens Resorts

(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – The establishment of a private sector-driven Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) has the potential to be a “game changer” as Dominica rebuilds its vital tourism industry.

Addressing last week’s open session of the Dominica Hotel and Tourism Association’s (DHTA) Annual General Meeting, Immediate Past President of the St. Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) Sanovnik Destang said if implemented effectively, the TEF resources collected from visitors could generate nearly EC $1 million to bolster tourism-related initiatives, creating employment and providing other socioeconomic benefits for the island in the aftermath of last year’s Hurricane Maria.

“With 500 rooms in stock, $2 a night at 60 percent occupancy, you would net about EC$600,000 a year, if there is 100 percent participation,” he stated in his keynote presentation. This amount, Destang estimated, could grow to “close to EC $1 million in contributions” with additional rooms coming on stream along with participation from the alternative accommodations sector. “There’s a lot of good that can be done in society and in the economy with that amount of money, if spent wisely.”

Having served as the first Chairman of St. Lucia’s TEF from 2013 to 2016, Destang hailed its virtues, disclosing the Fund has generated more than $7 million and fueled more than 500 projects.

The executive director of St. Lucia’s award-winning Bay Gardens Resorts highlighted some of TEF’s key projects, including its agricultural linkages program, workforce development and training programs, SLHTA young leaders program, sponsorship of the St. Lucia culinary team and the “Chefs in Schools” program, clean-up campaigns as well as local and regional disaster relief efforts, including assistance to Dominica in 2017.

“Our award-winning Virtual Agricultural Clearing House program has helped generate more than $1 million annually in sales for farmers from hotels and has cost us less than $100,000 a year,” said Destang, addressing the meeting’s theme ‘Beyond Resiliency – Reigniting Our Growth Engine’.

He stressed SLHTA’s success, which can be quantified in social and economic terms, has built tremendous goodwill and “has helped us to successfully argue that anything that helps improve the hospitality sector’s performance can directly benefit society at large.”

Noting other Caribbean nations have previously set up TEFs, he advised his Dominican counterparts to extensively consult with one another before applying a TEF ‘to your own reality’. One option, Destang suggested, may be to make TEF contributions mandatory given the intimate size of the island’s room stock. “My experience is that clients are quite happy to pay the fee once they understand what it is used for.”

Commending Dominica for recent steps it has taken towards sustainability and resiliency (especially next year’s ban on plastic disposables and Styrofoam containers), he noted its citizens have “a real opportunity to build back better and stronger”.

In closing, Destang said the “Nature Isle” ought to leverage tourism’s benefits and its linkages to lift its people out of poverty. Although tourism’s resurgence must be driven by the private sector, he said government will need to provide important facilitation through policies, capital access, infrastructural investment and ensuring ease of doing business. However, government and the DHTA alone cannot reignite the country’s growth engine, Destang counselled. Buy-in from civil society is crucial. “In Dominica, I see tremendous potential. Nature and eco-tourism is a growing niche which you have mastered,” he said.

Describing Dominica as “authentic and unspoiled”, he concluded: “We try to manufacture that now and you have it naturally. You are literally the last of your kind in this part of the world and a critical part of Brand Caribbean. The entire Caribbean is rooting for you and eagerly awaits your comeback – but none more than your sister island, St. Lucia.”

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(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – The Caribbean Premier League T20 is on, bringing fans all of the excitement, energy and thrills that the biggest party in sport has come to be known for.

And, adding to that enthusiasm and enjoyment once again is Peter & Company Distribution (PCD) with the award winning and highly decorated El Dorado Rum.

El Dorado Rum, which has been voted the World’s Best Rum at the International Wine & Spirit Awards for four consecutive years – and won it on seven occasions in total, has partnered with the CPL since inception in 2013. This year El Dorado is back and through its local distributor PCD, will continue to be on the cutting edge with enticing promotions around the CPL T20.

The brand will be highlighted throughout the CPL T20’s promotion and marketing of this year’s tournament across the Caribbean (including Saint Lucia), on match days. El Dorado will be executing a range of fan promotions aimed at extending the celebration to fans around the Caribbean.

According to brand manager Germaine Serieux, fans and consumers have already witnessed the unveiling of a distinct and innovative promotion by the brand here in Saint Lucia.

“The El Dorado promotion which is dubbed “Happiest Fan Alive” will be celebrated with the media, players and specially invited guests, during a special event at Kebees in Rodney Bay on Wednesday August 22, 2018,” Serieux disclosed.

“The promotion I guarantee will be consumer centric and it will be something that our customers who have acquired a taste for this fine rum will want to engage in,” Serieux says.

The 6th edition of Caribbean Premier League (CPL) runs August 8th to September 16 2018. Home games featuring the Saint Lucia Stars will be held at the Darren Sammy Stadium in Beausejour, Gros Islet, August 16, 17, 24, 25 and 30.

For El Dorado Rum, the deal which has been sealed for a partnership with the CPL T20, that runs through to 2022 establishes its place in the heart of what it means to be West Indian. Enjoyed by players and fans alike, the El Dorado brand is synonymous with the biggest party in sport and Caribbean lifestyles, capturing the excitement of the CPL T20 both on and off the field.

Enjoy El Dorado Responsibly!

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(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – Major Developments to report in the area of Agriculture!

In this week’s issue of OUR SAINT LUCIA we delve into the Government’s plans to improve and increase the output of our farmers, identify new markets and expand the linkages between Agriculture and other sectors.

We take an in-depth look at the work of the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Physical Planning, Natural Resources and Co-operatives and speak to Honourable Ezechiel Joseph and his team about the Bright Future Ahead for the sector.

We look are out country’s deepening partnership with Taiwan to improve quality and yield and efforts to reduce our food import bill.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

Consistency is Key for Banana Market Development
Insurance & Pension for farmers
How Rural Women are pioneers of local agro-processing
Creating a nation of wealthy farmers
More Farmers and Acreage – the Revolution of the Agricultural Sector
Restructuring the Fisheries Sector: why change is necessary
Minister’s on the Move!

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE: https://issuu.com/govstlucia/docs/issue10

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(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – Please be informed that the Offices of the Saint Lucia Football Association Inc. will be closed tomorrow from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm.

This closure is to allow for a staff meeting at the aforementioned time at the office.

The office will reopen from 1:00 pm for normal duties.

Thanks for taking note.

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(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – The Castries Constituency Council last week enjoyed affable and positive consultative meetings with Vendors plying their trade within the city of Castries.

The consultations, which were attended by merchants from the Vendors arcade, provisions and craft Markets and roadside traders, focused on the significant components and benefits from the soon to be launched Vendors’ Registration Programme.

The meetings were chaired by Communications Manager, Jason Hullingseed who spoke fully to the plans and vision for the Registration Programme.

“I wish to express my sincere gratitude to all who attended. We support your efforts, your determination and the work that you do and give our assurance that through the Vendors’ Registration Programme every vendor will benefit greatly as it’s our way of doing things better for you,” Hullingseed explained.

Also in attendance were His Worship, Mayor Peterson D. Francis, CEO Mr. Wilfred Pierre, Councillors Augustin Victor and Christopher Mitchel and staff members of the Market Department.

Addressing the consultations, Mayor Francis noted the need for vendors to display unity whilst urging that they take advantage of the Vendors’ Registration Programme.

“As part of that programme vendors will receive, among other benefits, free access to public comfort stations, job letters identifying them as authorized vendors and provisions to gain National Insurance Corporation (NIC) retirement and Health Insurance packages. We are now modifying our programme so that all vendors listed under our Vendors’ Registration Programme will benefit meaningfully.”

Vendors were also addressed by the CEO Mr. Wilfred Pierre who explained that Council’s idea is to make things better for them.

” Things will change, but it’s for the better. There is need for appropriate systems and structure.”

The meeting, one of many consultative meetings with city merchants, saw over 90 per cent of Vendors in attendance.

Over seventy (70) persons have registered for the Vendors’ Registration Programme which will be launched in the coming weeks.

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(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – A meeting between representatives of Royalton Hotel and the National Workers Union (NWU) called by the Department of Labour on Monday August 20, 2018 at the Department of Labour was aborted.

The Pre Poll session, which was chaired by Mr. Ray Narcisse, to discuss logistical arrangements for the holding of a Secret Ballot Poll among hotel staff employed with the company took an expected twist.

Representatives of the company stood up and made it abundantly clear that they will not continue to participate in the process and then walked out from the Conference Room.

The NWU insisted that a date for the Poll should be agreed upon with or without the presence of the company, but Labour Commissioner, Ray Narcisse said he would seek the legal advice of the Attorney General.

The NWU has described the action of the company’s representatives as gross disrespect and felt that the Labour Commissioner was spineless in the process as this matter has been outstanding for ten (10) months.

The NWU will be seeking an audience with the Minister of Labour and will inform its branches of the outcome of that meeting with the Minister.

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(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – The Rotary club of St. Lucia recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the
Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association under the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF).

The fund was setup during the leadership of Noorani Azeez.

According to Former Rotary President Konrad Wagner who delivered a brief bio on Azeen, who was also the guest speaker said” Today we are benefiting from a project by Mr.Azeez, which started during his stewardship at the SLHTA”

The Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), is a private sector initiative established in 2013, it was designed to allow the Tourism industry a greater opportunity to play an integral role in the sustainable development of our destination.

TEF is financed by a small, voluntary donation from guests of $2 USD per night, and goes towards community development and environmental projects and actions which will affect the livelihoods of our current and future generations. By collecting a small voluntary fee from visitors, Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association is able to support projects specific to ensuring that our island is clean and safe for visitors and residents alike, including the beautification of specific areas of St.Lucia

In presenting his address the former Executive Director of the St. Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association, Noorani Azeez said ” we have developed several other projects like,Jus sail youth development progamme helping young men to learn how to sail, also the we have created a WhatsApp platform for some four hundred farmers and hotels enabling them to sell directly to the hotels”

Azeez went on to say “ after months of discussion am pleased to announce TEF will back the wheelchair project to the tune of one hundred and twenty thousand dollars, which will be delivered in three tranches of forty thousand”

In accepting the cheque the club’s fifth female president, former banker Soraya Warner-Gustave said “As we seek to provide this simple but impactful resource that improve mobility encourage independence, and by extension enhances the quality of life of these individuals this significant contribution, will therefor enable us to fulfill what we consider to be an obligation to serve this particular unite in society, and to provide hundreds of wheelchairs to children, teenagers, adults within our communities with these physical disabilities, we are truly grateful for this partnership”

The project which began some fifteen years ago with the wheelchair foundation has delivered over five hundred wheelchairs to needy persons on the island.

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(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – Young persons and residents in the south of the island in particular will get the opportunity to secure employment at Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa when the Resort host a two (2) day Job Fair on Wednesday, 5th, September and Friday 21st, September, 2018 from 11:00am to 4:00pm on each day.

Interested persons are encouraged to attend and participate the Job Fair which will be held at the hotel on the dates above.

Candidates are required to attend with their CVs and supporting certificates along with two professional references.

Successful individuals must be prepared to work flexible schedules, i.e. night, day, holidays and weekends.

Submission of valid health cards and Police records will also be necessary.

The full scope of job requirements will be discussed during interview process.

The upcoming Job Fair will provide opportunities for temporary employment to persons in areas such as: Housekeeping, Housemen, Laundry Attendants, Restaurant Servers, Bartenders, Cooks; and Sanitation Workers.

Interested persons are invited to avail themselves during the dates and timeframes outlined above. Youth and residents in the south are invited to take advantage of this great opportunity to be part of a progressive team and amazing property.

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(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – Flow is helping students and parents prepare for Back To School, with simply AMAZING offers on an exciting range of phones, PLUS an extension of DOUBLE data when you sign up for the teenager-friendly Star Plan!

Visit any Flow store to get the Star Plan for only $39.99 with 2GB of 4G LTE data, and you will AUTOMATICALLY get DOUBLE data!

PLUS get phones from as low as $99.00 at any Flow retail outlet.

PLUS you can enter for a chance to WIN Back 2 School CA$H!

It’s all part of the #HottestSummerEver

The Flow Back 2 School offer runs from August 17th to September 29th, 2018.

All customers purchasing a Star Plan will get DOUBLE the data. The Star Plan is available in stores only, and is targeted exclusively at teenagers and young professionals.

When you sign up for a Star Plan, you can get the Vonino Xylo Z for just $99.00 (regular price $249.00), the Alcatel U5 for $195.00 (regular $315.00) or the LG K8 for only $4.99.00 (regular $599.00).

All that, PLUS you enter for a chance to WIN $$ every week for the duration of the promotion.

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(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – FranklinCovey has launched its most ambitious marketing and business development campaign titled: FRANKLINCOVEY ON LEADERSHIP – THE WORLD TOUR.

On August 22nd 2018 the tour will be hosted in Saint Lucia.

www.franklincovey.com/onleadership

This live marketing event is designed to showcase our point of view on what differentiates great leaders at three levels in an organization (first level, mid-senior level and the executive level.)

This four hour (4 hour) event showcases FranklinCovey’s best thinking on leadership development drawn from literally hundreds of thousands of client meetings and client engagements throughout the world and $150M in research and development over the past four decades.

During this event we will showcase our newest solutions for the First and Mid-Senior Level Leaders and address what the future solutions look like as it relates to the Executive Level Leaders.

We will demonstrate features and tools of two specific solutions:

First Level Leaders: Everybody Deserves a Great Manager: The 6 Critical Practices for Leading a Team (A one-day work-session). The new solution focuses on equipping first-level leaders with the essential skills and tools to accomplish tasks and achieve goals effectively by working well with and through other people.

Mid-Senior Leaders: The 4 Essential Roles of Leadership (A two-day works-session). This solutions provides fundamental framework for success. As leaders consciously lead themselves and their teams in alignment with these roles, they lay the foundation for effective leadership.

The morning event will allow prospective clients to take a dive into these two new leadership contents, introducing them to the principles that are critical for their leaders to understand, as they lead team initiatives, create a winning culture, and provide customers with a high-quality experience. We will showcase videos, exercises, tools and demonstrate and practice a new style of facilitation.

“Reaction to the preview of our newest leadership development solutions has dramatically exceeded our expectations,” said Scott Miller, FranklinCovey Chief Marketing Officer. “Attendees of our ‘On Leadership’ events are finding The 6 Critical Practices for Leading a Team to be relevant and applicable to the needs they have to develop their first-level leaders, which is crucial to the health and success of their organizations.”

First-level, mid-to-senior-level and executive-level leaders are invited to this half day experience focused on what sets great leaders apart. We encourage leaders to join us as we share what we’ve learned about great leaders and winning cultures. This event is ideal for those responsible for leadership development and organizational behavior change.

The event will be held at the Bay Gardens Inn, from 8:30am to 12:30pm on August 22nd 2018.

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(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – The Government of Mexico has extended support to the National Workers Union (NWU) in its quest for its members to be exposed to other health care institutions.

Four members of the National Workers Union from the NWU Health Sector branches will travel to Mexico in September 2018.

Nnamdi Obodoechina – from St. Jude Hospital.

Chrisentia Phillips-Augustin – from Saint Lucia National Mental Wellness Centre

Yoland Mathurin – from Victoria Hospital

Mary Joycelyn Popo – from the Delcer Wellness Center

Azariah Francis – a Registered Nurse from Dennery Hospital with a good speaking knowledge of Spanish will also be on the trip.

While in Mexico they will be guests of the Mexican Government. They will be attached and exposed to the health care system in Mexico. This should be a good eye opening visit for the workers at that health care level.

The Mexican Government and the NWU will share the cost of travel while all internal logistical arrangements and per diem for the workers will be borne by the Mexican Government. The Ministry of Health & Wellness will assist by granting leave with pay for the said employees.

The NWU is of the opinion that such an initiative by the union will help build the capacity of these workers, who upon return, will be in a better position to continue to make their contribution to Saint Lucia’s health care services.

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Gros Islet minibus park in Castries.

(SNO) – The National Council on Public Transportation (NCOPT) will be hauled before the courts by the Laborie Minibus Drivers Association (Route 4A) for what a well-placed source described as matters relating to “transparency and accountability”.

According to the source, the association has already secured the services of a lawyer to fight their case.

“Our lawyer told us we have a case,” the source told this reporter.

The situation arose after NCOPT, with the blessings of a number of its members, formed a company some years ago with a rebate the former administration had given to the drivers, through NCOPT.

The company, Combined Investment, sells tyres to the drivers for what was supposed to be a “reasonable” price. However, some drivers say on numerous occasions they had to purchase tyres elsewhere at a cheaper price elsewhere, in addition, the company on numerous occasions are short of tyres.

Since the formation of the company, minibus drivers in the southern part of the island have been complaining that they have not benefitted from their investment. A few years ago, they were only complaining in hush tones, but recently their complaints have become strident.

However, some of the drivers, who are now bitterly complaining about the manner in which the company is being managed, said when the company was first established they were in glee, expecting their investment to be a huge success.

But their rumblings of discontent have not bothered the NCOPT nor Combined Investment who are all well aware their concerns.

According to the concerned drivers, their biggest concern is the lack of transparency and accountable on the part of NCOPT as it relates to their investment. Many of them have sold their shares to other minibus drivers, who say they have regretted they bought them.

Over the past few years, a number of minibus drivers in the south have been expressing their intention to haul the NCOPT before the courts for the manner in which their business is being run, but so far, it’s only the Laborie Minibus Drivers Association that has taken such action.

According to Alexis Louisy of the Choiseul Minibus Association (Route 4E), the situation is of grave concern to him, adding that his $5,000 he invested into the business has gone to waste.

“I made a bad investment…” Louisy lamented.

He added: “We don’t know what’s happening with our investment. Nobody is telling us what’s happening… It’s three years we have not had a shareholders meeting.”

Lucius St. Helen, another minibus driver, said: “Knowing St. Lucians well I knew the business would not succeed, so I decided to sell all my shares.”

“Is Combined Investment still in existence?” another driver asked.

President of NCOPT Godfrey Ferdinand is out of the island and is expected to return next month.

In the meantime, the minibus drivers are awaiting word from the relevant authorities as to when they will be paid their next rebate which is long overdue.

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(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – Deadlocked negotiations between the Management of St. James’s Club Morgan Bay and the National Workers Union (NWU) remain unresolved.

An attempt was made at conciliatory level to deal with and bring closure to the long outstanding industrial matter but that was unsuccessful.

The parties have agreed through the Labour Commissioner, Mr. Ray Narcisse, to submit the industrial impasse to mediation at which Hon. Stephenson King, Minister for Labour will chair the proceedings.

The NWU is of the opinion that this matter has dragged to the dissatisfaction of the hotel employees and that a speedy solution would be in the interest of all the parties.

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(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – The Department of the Public Service’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) has been featured in the Caribbean Leadership Project (CLP) Magazine entitled, “Celebrating the Caribbean Leadership Project 2011-2018” as a “Bright Spot in the Caribbean.”

A Bright Spot is an establishment which has been identified by the Caribbean Leadership Programme as an organization which exemplifies excellence in leadership in the creation of innovative and client- centered service.

The Employee Assistance Programme was established on the 10th March, 2016, as a work-based intervention programme, designed to enhance the professional attitude of government employees and provide assistance to those persons whose professional and personal challenges are adversely affecting their quality of life and job performance.

The Program provides six free counselling sessions to government employees and their immediate family members on: career counselling, job -related issues, emotional difficulty, abuse, alcohol or chemical dependency, health challenges, dependent care, financial issues, domestic violence, marital conflict, grief, medical stress, anxiety and depression.

Counseling sessions are facilitated by highly trained professionals, who are guided by the Code of Conduct and Standards for Counsellors/Practitioners. The clients’ reviews of the programme so far has been nothing short of fantastic. The Employee Assistance Programme Unit can be reached at 468-2269 or 468-2234.

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(PRESS RELEASE VIA SNO) – The marriage of creativity and skill was the focus of the 5-day OECS Animation Boot Camp hosted by the Saint Lucia Coalition of Service Industries (SLCSI) in collaboration with Export Saint Lucia and the Caribbean Export Development Agency (CEDA).

The highly anticipated event, organised to enhance the competencies of the region’s animators and place them on par with their global counterparts, was held at the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC) from August 13-17, 2018 in Saint Lucia.

The five-day training attracted animators from Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Saint Lucia – including one of Saint Lucia’s most prestigious animators, the Managing Director of Malfinis Productions, Milton Branford who provided technical assistance to the participants.

Toon Boom Animation, makers of the industry’s premier storyboarding and animation software for animation studios and media publishers lent their expertise to 20 export-ready and emerging animators from across the sub region.

Participants were trained in the use of Toon Boom’s Harmony software which is used in over 130 countries, and was awarded the Primetime Emmy Award in 2005 and 2012.

Most notably, the Harmony software has been used on productions like The Simpsons, The Princess and the Frog, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, The Congress and My Little Pony: The Movie, among others.

The expected outcomes of the Boot Camp were:

– to refine existing animation projects to meet international standards; and
– collaboration among regional animators towards the development of export ready products.

Executive Director of the SLCSI, Ms. Yvonne Agard, spoke with the group on the importance of team work and networking, especially as small island states within the OECS, and noted the abundance of opportunities for global export of the service given the ease of access to international markets via the internet.

“As individual service providers, [animators] are not very tuned-in to what is happening regionally and internationally because of the nature of their work, they tend to be on their own and in their own world.”

“It was important to explain to them the need of broadening their markets and their networks to take advantage of all the opportunities that can be afforded to them in the world of animation and film,” Agard said.

Milton Branford echoed these sentiments, noting that companies are always interested in the number of animators that are available to work on projects and the formation of a strong network or cluster of animators would better position the region to handle jobs that come this way.

“As it stands there are artists of varying degrees of quality production on the various islands. Bringing these artists together creates a network of opportunities.”

“If a studio such a Big Jump Entertainment or another HBO related studio would want Malfinis to do a production, one of the first things they would ask is: how many animators do you have? If you say that you only have two or three animators, they probably would not give you the job. Now Malfinis can reach out to Saint Kitts and can reach out to Dominica and Saint Vincent and tap into some of these animators and place them on our production pipeline,” Branford explained.

Branford also expressed excitement at the opportunity to work with Toon Boom and the unique insights into the industry that the participants will receive from their interaction with Toon Boom’s experts.

“The workshop is primarily facilitated by Toon Boom. They provided an industry professional in animation to teach the tips and tricks of the software to allow the animators, and some of those who are just being introduced to animation software, to learn to use the software efficiently and gain an understanding of 2D Animation.”

“The animation industry is young but there is a wealth of talent within the region and within the Caribbean. There are a lot of young persons who have the skills and have the desire to become animators and this is worth developing as this is a very lucrative, global industry,” he added.

Cinematographer from Grenada and participant in the week-long animation training course, Teddy Frederick, said the course helped him to gain an in-depth view into the world of animations and he looks forward to building on the relationships forged during the intensive five-day course.

“Although I am not an animator per se, I am a cinematographer and animation and cinematography speak a similar language. I’m really happy to be able to come here and participate in this workshop with the animators, to be able to network with them and learn what they are doing in their respective islands.”

“The aspect of animation that we really dealt with was the rigging aspect and this is a very technical area of animation design. It is not the fun side of animations but it is definitely needed to understand how animations work and I was happy to be exposed to this concept so that I can speak the language of animation more effectively and find areas that may cross over into cinematography,” Frederick said.

As part of the week-long activity, members of the cohort received guidance from Jason Lindsay, Co-owner of Full Circle Animation Studio based in Trinidad and Tobago, who provided insight into what it takes to export animations as a service and a product.

Ed Umoja Herman, President and Founder of the Pitons International Film Festival (PIFF) who is very well connected in the Hollywood sector also gave the group a realistic look at the collaboration that is required to be successful in the international world of animations.

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