Saint Lucia Magazine (August 26th 2026)

Hello and welcome to St. Lucia Magazine, your weekly roundup of the nation's top stories in education, the economy, infrastructure, agriculture, and more. I am your host, Nval Oist. In this edition, new scholarships to strengthen police prosecution capacity and ancillary school workers receive pay during the August vacation period. A new scholarship program is expected to boost the Royal St. Police Force's capacity to prepare and prosecute criminal cases. More in this report from Claudia Monlui. A new scholarship program is expected to strengthen the capacity of the Royal St. Lucia Police Force to prepare and prosecute criminal cases. Prime Minister and Minister for Justice and National Security Honorable Philip J. Pierre announced the initiative during the presentation of the 2026 2027 budget. Cabinet has approved four law scholarships for police officers, advancing a commitment made by Prime Minister Honorable Philip J. Pierre in the 2026 2027 budget. Two officers will be selected each year over the next two years to study law at the University of the West Indies. The officers will be bonded for 5 years after completing their studies and will serve as prosecutors within the police force. Prime Minister Honorable Philip JPS says the wider goal is to ensure justice is accessible and that cases are resolved promptly while maintaining public confidence in the institutions responsible for justice. The scholarship program forms part of broader justice reforms including the criminal backlog reduction court, the virtual court system, investments in forensic science and the digitization of case files for the government information service. I am Claudia Monlui. eligible and silly were paid during the other's vacation period providing financial support at a time when they traditionally went without income. Katalium has the details. >> For many workers, August has traditionally been the most difficult month of the year. The school term ends, the classrooms become quiet, but household expenses continue. Today, government sought to change that reality for hundreds of people whose work is essential to the daily operation of St. Lucia's schools. School cooks, janitors, and cleaners, early childhood workers, and other eligible ancillary employees are now receiving renumeration during the summer period. A change that government says is designed to provide greater financial stability and recognize the contribution of these workers to the education system. And so I am happy that today that when you consult your bank accounts that the cook at the daycare that the cleaners and the janitors can say, "Here you go, young man. I have already started buying the books and the uniform and the school shoes for my children. Thank you to the government of St. Lucia." And so for me today, despite the fact that we see what's happening in the global scene, despite the challenges economically, we know that daily the globe is facing financial constraint, but that this minister of finance could find the money to pay all here today speaks volumes about what's happening in this country. Volumes. For workers, the difference is practical. A sum payment means the ability to keep up with household bills, meet transportation costs, purchase school supplies, and prepare children for the new academic year without having to navigate weeks without income. For some, however, the significance goes even further. The previous interruption in earnings could make it difficult to demonstrate consistent income when seeking financial services. Today's intervention therefore represents not simply an adjustment to payroll but a change in the financial security available to workers and their families. Government estimates that approximately 500 workers will benefit directly from the initiative with the impact extending to families supported by these incomes. This is not merely a payment. It is security. It means that a mother could buy food for her children. It means that a father could pay the electricity bill. A parent could purchase school supplies. A family could meet their needs with dignity. It means that our people could breathe a little easier because they know that the income they worked for they be it will be re it will be received. And that my friend is a responsible government. And this decision also sends a powerful message about how we value the people who keep our schools functioning and who keeps our school running. >> Government estimates that approximately 500 workers will benefit directly from the initiative with the impact extending to the families supported by those incomes. You can feel proud that we are trying our utmost best to make a life for you more comfortable within the resources that we have. And the very fact that you worked your entire life and those before you worked their entire life cleaning as janitors, as cooks, as early child educators. And for the month of August, they had to make a sacrifice, stay without pay, but still come to clean before school opens. And you showed that level of personal responsibility, that level of commitment to the development of St. Lucia that you did that. I am proud of you and you need to say you love St. Lucia. The initiative follows government's earlier decision to ensure that temporary teachers receive renumeration through the August vacation period. The school bell may signal the end of a term for the work of sustaining education and the responsibilities of the people who do it continue throughout the year. For these workers, today's payment is therefore more than an August salary. It is an investment in their stability, a recognition of their contribution and another measure of an education agenda that seeks to place people at the center of transformation. From the department of education and digital transformation, I am Katalium. A newly opened netball facility in Grizzly now carries the name of the late national netballer Dedra Mathre. More in this report. A new multi-purpose court in Granovier Gros has been named in honor of late national athlete Dedra Mathre. The facility was officially opened on August 15th with Mafre's family, members of the community, and the wider netball fraternity attending the grand ceremony. Minister for sports honorable Kenson Kazmir highlighted the range of athletic disciplines in which Mafre made her mark. Dedra was truly a athlete in every sense of the word. Former national um net baller, goal shoot. Uh she was also a very very competent high jumper and field event specialist at the Leon Comprehensive Secondary School. She passed away suddenly in 2023. >> A netball event was held in her honor as part of the opening of the facility. Minister Kazmir says the decision to name the court after Mathre is also part of a wider effort to recognize women for their contributions to national development. >> It is, I'm told, one of the first facilities in St. Lucia to be named after a woman. Um, and we do intend to recognize a lot more of our women, not just the stands or a particular part of a facility, um, but an entire facility, especially when they've done well. The minister says Martha's contribution to sport will now be remembered through a facility designed to support future generations of athletes in the Gilelay community. Reporting for the Government Information Service, I am Niveal Oist. Still to come, the Caribbean Examinations Council launches a new modular qualification for students. Stay with us. >> What lies below St. Lucia witnessed the unveiling of St. Lucia's first underwater sculpture park. A journey through our history and identity from our first settlers through colonial conflict, enslavement, and resistance to the remarkable persons who shaped our country, St. Lucia. Come see the legends, a work of art. The national exhibition for St. St. Lucia's underwater sculpture park will be held on August 29th and 30th from 9:00 a.m. to 400 p.m. Warehouse across the Oza playing field. Admission is free. Come witness the sculptures before they take their final place below St. Lucia. Follow the below St. Lucia social media pages for more information. Welcome back. The Caribbean Examinations Council has officially launched a new modular qualification designed to give students more flexible pathways to earning a recognized certificate. Here again is Desley Pyote. The Caribbean Examination Council has officially launched the Caribbean Targeted Education Certificate CEK following a successful mathematics pilot involving more than 2,000 candidates across 15 territories. The modular program allows students to earn credentials in specific areas of a subject providing recognized evidence of learning while creating a pathway to the full qualification. CXC registar and a chief executive officer Dr. Wayne Wesley says the pilot shows students perform better when learning is assessed in focus and achievable stages. We went into the field ourselves and spoke with some of these students and we were pleased with their responses. And so for CET mathematics, we have observed that parents have taken keen interest. Teachers have embraced this modularized examination format. In the May June session, 25,535 candidates wrote the module one examination alongside those sitting the full CC examinations. I am pleased indeed and I'm proud to announce that of these 2,535 candidates who wrote CEK module 1 in the mathematics pilot examinations. 88% achieve acceptable grades and across the entire Caribbean only one candidate receive the lowest grade. Only one >> candidates can complete modules at no extra cost with up to four years of earning the full CEK certificate. The qualification is also expected to expand beyond just mathematics. CXC director of operations Dr. Nicole Manning says the pilot is creating stronger pathways to success with some centers recording pass rates of more than 70%. >> With CEK, we have 265 candidates doing their modules and 100 plus receiving an acceptable grade. This is representing now instead of just a mere 22 77% I'm so excited 71% of the candidates in the very same center now receiving at least the module one and being able to move forward to modules two and three. Officials say results demonstrate the potential of CEK to provide more students with a pathway to success and encourage candidates to progress through all three modules. For the government information service, I am Desley Puyot. The government of St. Lucia is undertaking a comprehensive review of job classifications across the public service. Details in this report. >> The government of St. Lucia is moving ahead with a comprehensive review of job clarification and the pay plan across the public service sector. The 12-month exercise being supported under the Caribbean digital transformation project seeks to modernize job description, update benchmark qualifications, and redesign the job evaluation and classification framework to reflect current and future workforce needs. Officials say the review is expected to bring greater consistency and clarity to approximately 1,000 positions, strengthening alignment with digital transformation priorities, and improve workforce planning. The project will be implemented in four phases: mobilization, discovery, design, and delivery with stakeholders, consultations, and capacity building forming key components of the process. Minister for Public Service, Honorable Stevenson King says the review will ensure the system reflects current workforce needs and promotes greater fairness and equity. >> More than three decades later, the nature of work has changed considerably. Technology has transformed the workplace. New professions have emerged challenged by the advent of AI. While the skills and competences required within the public service continues to evolve and on a daily basis, we recognize how it is rapidly evolving. Through this consultancy, the government is seeking to comprehensively review and modernize the classification and pre pay plan to promote greater um fairness, consistency, and equity and ensure that the system reflects the requirements of a modern public service. >> The consultancy team says the public service review is on track with more than 70 stakeholders consulted so far. Work has begun on developing new job descriptions, updating benchmark qualifications, and reviewing the job evaluation framework with a draft framework expected by the end of August 2026. The project is scheduled to move into compensation and grading reviews after Christmas with an implementation plan targeted for May 2027. For the government information service, I am Desley Boy. Coming up next, a new 14station diialysis unit is commissioned at St. Jude. >> This is an iguana. This is our white brutal thrasher. Just two of our friendly neighbors that share these 238 square miles. These unique citizens are also protected by law. If broken, penalties can reach a maximum fine of $5,000 or up to one year in jail. Along the Ironola region, St. Ocean's northeast coast live some unique and rare wildlife. Some found nowhere else on the planet. This is an iguana. They are ours. Ours ours to protect. This announcement is brought to you with the compliments of the Ionola project. >> Welcome back. The Ministry of Health has commissioned a new 14station diialysis unit at the St. Jude Hospital aimed at expanding access to renal care for residents in the south. More in this report. >> With the growing number of people impacted by renal failure, the Ministry of Health, Wellness, and Nutrition recognized the need to ensure the commissioning of the diialysis unit at the St. Jude Hospital OSHA site is a top priority. The expansion to a 14 diialysis station will allow for residents in the south of the island requiring diialysis treatment to do so closer to home and in comfort. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sharon Belmar George along with the principal nursing officer Juliet Casius took the opportunity to visit the newly commissioned diialysis unit at the St. Jude hospital oi site. Given what we are seeing from our data on chronic non-communicable diseases, one of the complications is renal failure. And we've been seeing the numbers um of patients that are impacted by renal failure. At present, we have the diialysis unit at the Millennium Heights Medical Complex and also at St. Jude. The team has been working very hard to ensure a safe transfer to the new unit and I really have to acknowledge um the team and congratulate the team on the measures that they have put in place to ensure the safe transition of our patients from the St. Jude Hospital to the new center. It's a state-of-the-art center with the support of renal dialysis. So, they have adhered to both the local and a regional protocol for dialysis um services. So, they've been able to to to make the move. The Ministry of Health supported um that that commissioning initiative. They've been able to make the move um safely. Um the patients as well have been very pleased to utilize both the patients and the staff to utilize the new diialysis um center. So at present the numbers are the same but I know the team will be working to see how we increase the numbers being dialized over in the south of the island. >> The Ministry of Health says strengthening public health services remains a key priority as St. Nushia advances universal health coverage. Chief medical officer Dr. Sharon Belma George explains universal health coverage is the government's main policy thrust for implementation. This means access to quality clinical care to the population and a reduction in out of pocket payments that is without putting them through financial hardships to facilitate the implementation of universal health coverage. It's important for us to strengthen our public health um health services and also expand services as well in some areas. We've done a review of the existing services and the public health primary care team. We have been working to strengthen primary care in a phased approach to facilitate this. We've looked at a number of measures. One of them is the review of all of our clinical protocols that our senior medical officers are working on now to ensure standardized highquality care at all of the facilities. no matter where a patient um access care. The other issue we've looked at is a lot of our standard operating procedures within the health facilities. We've looked at our human resources, looking at patient numbers, looking at the mobility and mortality profile that is what are people accessing care for at the various facilities. This has meant and one of the things we've also done is to we listen to patients complaints as well and we look for ways to improve wherever those reports come to us at the Ministry of Health. So over the last six months I've had the opportunity to meet with all of the relevant stakeholders health facilities as well quite a few of them. This includes the Millennium Heights Medical Complex that we are working on to implement our National Blood Bank um services and this committee cons it is made up of all of the health services both public and private. I've also had the opportunity I work closely with the St. Jude hospital commissioning team. Um we were very pleased for the opening of the new diialysis center successfully down in the south and also working towards the successful commissioning of the other services to the new site. I've also met with the St. Lucia fire service looking at ways to improve prehosp care also the team at Slasper to look at how we strengthen port health services within our primary care. I've also taken the opportunity to visit our primary care facilities. We are working on the expansion of the Gilelay Poly Clinic which we want to make 24 hours very soon. We've moved into the newly constructed area while construction is still going on to the to update and upgrade the middle section of the facility at this time. I've also had the opportunity to visit and meet the team at the Sufair Hospital as well. Over the last few months as well, I've had the opportunity to visit quite a few of our facilities such as a Canary Wellness Center which was newly opened, Vana Wellness Center as well, Belleview Health Facility, Viewfort Wellness Center, Betty Wells as well, just to name a few of those that I have visited. It has given an opportunity to meet with the staff to hear their concerns and to look at ways that we can improve care. I also got the opportunity to meet with quite a few of the patients who access care at those facilities to get a feel of their experiences accessing care through our services. At the level of the ministry, we are committed to improving the quality of care that we provide to our patients and we're doing so on many levels. We have increased the staffing numbers especially when it comes to our district medical officers, our senior medical officers. The senior medical officers provide oversight especially for our urgent care. Um at present we have four senior medical officers. One for general clinical services, the other for infectious disease also as we strengthen our urgent and emergency um care services and also to improve and to ensure we have policies in place for NCDS. We've increased a number of district medical officers because we've increased some of the services that we provide. And postco we also noted that there a a greater percentage of the population was accessing care within the public sector. So to ensure we could reduce the waiting times and we also increase the number of clinics that we were providing to the public. So we also increased the numbers. We've also looked at the medication that we use. We are working with the pharmacy services. We know we have some shortages there, but we have been working closely with the chief pharmacist to see how we improve on the allocation of pharmacists within the primary care services. Like I indicated our protocols for clinical care also training for our health care providers has also been ongoing as well. So we are looking at all of the different ways. We have also been increasing the services under universal healthcare to the public. Given the assessments that we've carried out on the public sector services over the past six months, we will be continuing those health facilities reviews with the senior clinical officers within the Ministry of Health. So there will be more officers both myself the medical officer of health and the senior medical officers visiting our clinical services on a continuous basis to ensure that the quality of care is what it should be to the public. So this will be ongoing. We shall be continuing um those visits to review the care that is provided within our community facility. >> Free health screenings were offered at the recent Caribbean Premier League games. Dr. Delfina Venna explains the Ministry of Health is pleased to partner with CPL Caribbean Premier League to join this health and wellness initiative. So CPL has started this initiative to bring health and wellness to the the CPL games throughout the Caribbean and we at the Ministry of Health were pleased to partner with them to bring this initiative to life. Today we have various stations and we are offering various services to the people. Um firstly you can get screening done for high blood pressure and um diabetes. So you can get your blood pressure checked, you can get your blood sugar checked, you can get a little bit of counseling as it relates to that. If we notice anything abnormal, we are encouraging persons to visit their wellness centers and we are giving them the referrals to do that management. We also have our nutrition station where people can learn about healthy diet, uh how to set up your plate, have a balanced meal. Uh we're looking at sugar content and various beverages and just giving people the education they need to make healthier choices. We also have our station where you can get information on hypertension, diabetes, um high cholesterol, other chronic conditions including cancer, how you check for those, how you screen for them, how you manage them. We're also doing some sexual health education and we have our dental health unit with us today as well. Sometimes we overlook our oral health and that's a very important part of our bodies. Uh you may not think it but our oral health can actually affect if we develop chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes. And so we have our dental team here uh speaking to persons, interacting. We have some fun little activities. You can win a few prizes. You get to ask questions and get them answered. And so we're just here to interact with the people, bring health education to them. Well, my experience so far has been really amazing. Pleasant staff. They answer all my questions. I got my blood pressure checked, also my sugar checked as well, which is really good. And overall 100 out of 100 experience really good health as wealth right and everyone is leaving home in a rush to come here so you might as well check your health to make sure that you have enough energy to support home country solution. I'm encouraging older people to consider medical booth. If they can do it by the remainder of the rest of the games, they could have the pressure check at the different health centers and help institutes in the country. >> And with that, we wrap up this edition of St. Lucia Magazine. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to this production, the National Television Network, the GIS team, and the communication officers across government ministries. Thank you for watching NTN channel 122 and following the official social media platforms of the government of St. Lucia. I am Naro Geese. Until next time, stay informed, stay engaged as we continue tracking St. Lucia's progress.