Saint Lucia Magazine (September 16th 2026)

It's time for St. Lucia magazine, your monthly wrap-up. [music] >> Hello and welcome to St. Asia 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, an inquiry into an Scotch maritime collision is officially underway and an improved medical unit opens at the bodily correctional facility. [music] The investigation into the July 18th maritime collision is now underway with a commission appointed to recommend measures that will strengthen St. Nia's maritime safety laws. Riani Isidor tells us more. >> I, Mario, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to St. Lucia. >> I will uphold and defend the constitution and the north of St. >> and I will conscientiously passion discharge my responsibilities >> to the people of St. The four commissioners were sworn in this morning at the governor general's official residence at Mont Fortune with retired Justice Mario Michelle serving as chairperson. The commissioners appointed to investigate the US Scooshaw maritime collision have taken their oaths of office formally commencing the work of the commission. The four member panel was appointed on September 4 by acting governor general his excellency Felix Finister on the advice of cabinet. Retired justice Mario Michelle chairs the commission. He is joined by maritime consultant Kuthbad, retired superintendent of police Kentry Frederick and assistant commissioner of police Luke Defrightus. >> Congratulate all of you especially chairman justice mar. I'm sure you this team will right some good recommendations in terms of already happens I in the process having myself been through a comship inquiry I know what it is in terms of the process at Arizona so do um enjoy yourself it's can be fun I'm sure you will get a number of persons coming to big island with their positions and so on but congratulations on your appointment But um thank you for your service. >> The commission's mandate extends beyond determining what happened during the July 18 collision involving the Ocean Angel and Kazora Jr. It will also examine St. Lucia's maritime laws, safety procedures, and protocols governing maritime activity and investigations. The commission is also expected to make recommendations toward the development of a modern maritime act and measures aimed at improving maritime safety. >> We will certainly endeavor to the best of our collective abilities to live up to the confidence that you reposing us by appointing us commissioners in the first place. I want to say to my fellow commissioners, Mr. De ACP Def Frightus and retired superintendent Frederick and to our very able secretary Miss Joseph and our legal council Mrs. Shallmine Octav. uh together we will as I indicated do our very best to discharge the functions not just to determine precisely what occurred on that evening on the 18th of July but also to use that opportunity to make appropriate recommendations which we hope going forward could assist in preventing tragedies like what occurred on the evening of 18th July. Public sittings are scheduled for the Parliament Chamber in Castries and members of the public will have the opportunity to make a written or oral submissions to the commission. The inquiry begins September 8th, 2026, and the commission's report is due by March 8th, 2027. >> Inmates at the Border Lake Correctional Facility are now able to access expanded health care services on site. Finel Neptune has the details. >> The Ministry of Health, Wellness, and Nutrition officially opened an improved medical unit at the Borderly Correctional Facility, marking a major step towards strengthening the delivery and access of healthcare services to inmates. The newly improved medical unit is expected to provide inmates with timely routine and urgent medical services within the correctional facility. Chief medical officer Dr. Sharon Milma George says this initiative represents years of planning and hard work and express gratitude that the opening of the medical units will ease the burden on public hospitals given that there will be a reduction in the transfer of inmates to outside health facilities. So the strengthening of the medical services is essential to safeguard inmate health and dignity, reduce the security risks associated with transportation outside of the prison, reduce public health risks, support rehabilitation and reintegration and also to align with international human rights and prison healthcare standards. Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Anthony Filjian says the opening of the medical unit at the border correctional facility max an investment in the health and well-being of the inmate population as well as the healthcare system. >> Every person deserve access to timely, safe, appropriate and quality health care regardless of their circumstance. The establishment of this unit demonstrates the Ministry of Health, Wellness, and Nutrition commitment to universal healthcare and to ensure that health care services are truly universal, equitable, including health care services for the vulnerable and underserved population. Minister for Home Affairs, Crime Prevention and Persons with Disabilities, the Honorable Jeremiah Lobert commended the team for ensuring this project was a success and encourage inmates to access the medical services available. Minister for Health, Wellness, and Nutrition, the Honorable Moses Jabatis celebrated the opening of the improved medical unit and says this demonstrates the commitment of the government to ensure the delivery of quality healthcare for all including the vulnerable. >> This health initiative demonstrates our intentions. We work continuously to support all vulnerable groups including inmates. We ensure all individuals are taken care of regardless of social or economic status or station in life. Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, the Honorable Philip JPS says he is proud of this milestone project and called on inmates to practice personal responsibility and to access the opportunities presented to them. The newly improved medical unit at the Border Correctional Facility is designed with the layout of a nurses station, dental unit, treatment room, asthma unit, and two consultation rooms. The medical unit is equipped to serve the inmate population with essential medical services such as dermatology, gynecology, mental health, sexual and reproductive health and dental services among others. Reporting from the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Nutrition, I am Fern Neptune. >> St. Lucia's universal health coverage program is broadening the range of services available to patients. Minister for Health, Wellness, and Nutrition, Honorable Moses Baptiste, outlined several of the services now available under the universal health coverage, including expanded support for chronic diseases, cancer screening, maternal and child health, dental and mental health care. Since 2023, services have been introduced in phases under the essential package of health services through our primary care services, additional services in maternal and child care, mimography services in primary care, including the purchase of machines for breast cancer diagnosis, advanced cervical cancer diagnostic services, expanded prostate cancer diagnostic services, and this month we are observing prostate cancer Cancer Awareness Month. Colorctile cancer screening, which is new as of this year, snake bite management, surfactant replacement therapy treatment costing $2,000 per vial for premature babies. And right now, at no extra cost. Babies who require that treatment as of August 1st this year would get it at no extra cost. The universal healthcare services are addressed as I said before through primary healthcare facilities. Extension of the performance-based financing program with additional support for diabetics and hypertensives. Expanding dental and mental health care services and promoting personal responsibility and prevention. >> The ministry is also strengthening the infrastructure and information systems that support healthcare delivery. The government maintains that the expansion is aimed at improving access to health care and ensuring services respond to the needs of the population. Reporting for the government information service, I am Nval Oist. Still to come, government expands support for persons with disabilities. [music] Stay with us. the app. What's a melon? >> I love you my boy. [music] >> Taping my son never parents are over say what it comes to. None of them think their child is doing it. You've just missed the tobacco industry's greatest scam. And it's happening right at the yolo. You think it's someone else's kid, but look closely. I don't see the signs. [music] >> Don't daddy. >> This message is brought to you by the Ministry of Health, Wellness, and Nutrition in collaboration with the Caribbean Development Bank and the Interdevelopment Bank. Welcome back. Government plans to launch a disability unit and national prosthetic center. Vigilante tells us more. >> I make music, some contents and shorts. >> Dubbed see ability not disability. The campaign seeks to bring awareness and create avenues for inclusion for persons living with disabilities. Director of persons with disabilities Leafa Emmanuel says the campaign will encompass billboards, social media cards, and a documentary featuring accomplished persons with disabilities. At its core, this campaign is inclusion, equity, and acceptance. It challenges us to look beyond disability, recognize ability and potential, and ensure that persons with disabilities have opportunities to participate, learn, work, contribute, and live with dignity. [music] >> I belong. Yes, I belong. >> Emmanuel explained that the campaign is part of a broader program of initiatives to strengthen disability inclusion across St. Lucia. One of these initiatives is the development of the national policy for persons with disabilities. This policy will provide a comprehensive framework for advancing equality, accessibility, dignity, nondiscrimination, and the full and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of national life. In addition, a national disability registry capturing meaningful data will be compiled. This information will aid in decision making and delivery of support services to persons living with disabilities. >> For the government information service, >> I am Vuja Leanti reporting. [music] >> St. Lucia is being encouraged to capitalize on its rich cultural heritage as the tourism industry increasingly shifts towards authentic community-based experiences. Desi Pyot has the details. >> Minister for Tourism, Investment, Commerce, Creative Industries, culture, and heritage. Honorable Dr. Ernest Hair says St. Lucia's culture can play a great role in strengthening the country's tourism product and creating economic opportunities. Dr. Hill says the global tourism market is increasingly moving towards experiences that allow visitors to engage with local communities and their way of life. >> There are soon many opportunities now within tourism for us to use our culture and build what we call the cultural industries and to enhance and enrich St. Lucia's offering. So it's not all about five-star resorts anymore. It is shifting towards whether you have five-star experiences in the country and the best experience is one which express that utilizes the culture of the people, the way of life of the people added to the warmth of the people. >> He says government's investment in community tourism is intended to bring visitors beyond the traditional hotel settings and into communities where they can experience the country's culture firsthand. The minister says there are many initiatives which can demonstrate the potential to combine culture, tourism and economic development in St. Lucia. For the government information service, I am Desley Poet. >> Coming up next, the fisheries sector explores financing and insurance for fisher folk. [music] During the hurricane season, the preservation of life and livelihoods is most important. We should take heed. Practice proper waste disposal as floods brought on by heavy rains carry solid wasts such as plastic bottles, bags, and even household and vehicle items. These waste are carried along rapidly flowing drains and rivers, which eventually end up in our coastal environment, polluting our mangroves and our seas. Practice good agricultural and farming practices as excessive rain brought on by storms and hurricanes result in the washing away of soil and farm animal wastes into the marine environment. This results in polluted marine waters which ultimately affects marine life and human health. And avoid the indiscriminate cutting of mangrove forests as mangrove trees are our first line of natural defense against strong storm surges and coastal flooding. Cutting down mangrove trees increases our risk and exposure to storm waves, surges, and flooding, and as such results in damage to valuable infrastructure and even loss of life. Do your part in protecting our natural and marine resources. This is the hurricane season and we should be prepared. A message brought to you by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security, and Sustainable Development. Welcome back. St. Lucia is exploring ways to improve its access to financing and insurance for fishes. Zaric Phillips reports. Recognizing the need to address existing gaps, the Department of Fisheries in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, FAO under the Green Climate Fund funded fish adapt project hosted a national stakeholders meeting on financing and ensuring fisheries in St. Lucia. The meeting brought together key stakeholders to examine availability and accessibility of financial and insurance products for fishers, aquaculture farmers, fisheries related small and medium-siz enterprises and other actors within the fisheries value chain. The initiative forms part of the fish adapt projects broader effort to transform climate resilience and sustainability within St. Lucia's fisheries community with the sector increasingly exposed to climate related threats including stronger storms, changing marine conditions and damage to fishing assets and infrastructure. Access to appropriate financial services is becoming increasingly important to the long-term sustainability of fishing livelihoods. Chief Fisheries Officer Serita Williams Peter highlighted the importance of this initiative in strengthening the resilience and long-term sustainability of St. Lucia's fishery sector. >> This workshop in particular is part of a component of the project that is focused on um financing the sector. We have a sectoral uh adaptation plan for the sector that's focused a component of it is focused on uh financing for the sector helping our fisher folk be more financially resilient in the face of climate change and as such this workshop is focused on looking at finance and insurance and how can we reduce the barriers uh to accessing these opportunities for the sector. Stakeholders examined some of the challenges experienced within the sector, including difficulties accessing affordable credit, limited financial products tailored specifically to fisheries, and gaps in insurance coverage for fishing vessels, equipment, and other fisheries related investments. Senior fishery officer at the Food and Agriculture Organization, Dr. Raymon Fanandroy outlined several practical solutions aimed at helping fishers access financing and insurance services and improving financial inclusion within the fisheries sector. >> We are discussing together with the um industry on the fishery sides, the demand side and the supply side of the uh uh the banks and the insurers. How can we bring them closer together? The fishes have to do a better job in record keeping in becoming bankable uh be becoming part of the formal sector. So not everything with cash anymore uh but also having a trace of the their expenditures and their earnings. And on the other side, the uh insurers and the the um the financial sector also have to prod produce products that are attractive and accessible to the fishers. >> The outcomes of this national stakeholders meeting are expected to contribute to the development of solutions aimed at removing existing barriers and improve access to appropriate financial and insurance products for St. Lucia's fishery sector. From the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food Security, I'm Zaric Phillips reporting. >> Prostate cancer is the lead cause of cancer among men in St. Lucia, prompting renewed calls for greater awareness and early screening. We hear more from the district medical officer, Dr. Aaron Ajoda. We have noticed that the leading cause of cancer in men is prostate cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in men is prostate cancer. And so this awareness would allow us to educate our men as to how uh the risk factors what it is and what treatment um options are available to the population. Um also it will allow us to educate the population to let them know that you may have prostate cancer and may not develop any symptoms. Um it will also help us to debunk many of the myths associated with um prostate cancer and the various investigations you know associated with it. Um so it's it's it should empower our men to make to make healthier decisions. It should help us to change our mindset towards prostate cancer. It would also help us to identify some of the risk factors associated with prostate cancer. And if I can identify these risk factors, the ones that I can change, then maybe if I change it, um I would have done myself good by by you know making these changes that would allow me to live a healthier life and hopefully uh avoid prostate cancer. I want to read from you know data which comes from the the health world health organization website international agency for research and in 2024 there were total of there was a total of 235 um men with cancer. So various kinds of cancer, stomach, pancreas, lung, colon. Um out of 235 men, 109, that's 46.4% of these were prostate cancer. So in other words, prostate cancer is the most frequent cancer um in men in St. Lucian. That's data from 2024. So it's it's very prevalent. It is the leading cause of cancer in men and the l cause of cancer death in men in central [music] there are modifiable and unmodifiable factors. There are factors that we can't change. Okay. For example, age. You know it has been shown that after the age of 50, your chances of getting prostate cancer increases. Family history. So if my dad has prostate cancer um then that increases the chance of getting cancer almost double or triple my chances of getting cancer. Prostate cancer risk it is known that you know prostate cancer is more prominent in black men as opposed to Latinos and you know white Americans. Um genetics there are certain genes associated with prostate cancer. So these are factors that we cannot change but there are factors that we can change. for example, obesity, um diet, what we eat, processed meat, red meat, and um even charred meat um can also cause this um chemical exposure. Um I remember at one point we had Matnik had one of the highest rate of prostate cancer and it was thought that was linked to the use of pesticides. So certain chemical exposures can can cause um can put you at risk of developing prostate cancer. Smoking um is also another one um that that is linked to a very high incidence of of um prostate cancer. [music] The prostate is like a walnut right behind the prostate you have the rectum. In front of the prostate you have the bladder and the urea where the urine passes goes through the prostate. Uh so if there is an enlargement of the prostate what that will do to your is to obstruct it. So you you basically you would um prevent the flow of urine from your bladder. If it's is enlarged or large enough it also compresses the bladder to the front. So you may find many persons become urinary symptoms. So they will complain that they wake up two or three times at night to pee [clears throat] or the the flu is not as strong as it used to be or they they would dribble. So or the the pee would end up along their legs or sometimes they would urinate and after thinking that they have completed um urinating they would have to go back because there's still urine in in the bladder. Uh some persons may also complain that there is burning when they urinate or they could find blood in in the urine. Um sexually um there there there are certain sexual dysfunctions um that are noted as well. Erectile dysfunction is is one of them where men complain that they cannot get an erection or they cannot maintain an an erection. If the disease has uh progressed quite significantly then some men will begin complaining of back pains um loss of appetite um weight loss and and these things. However, you may have prostate cancer and may not demonstrate any of these symptoms. And that's the reason why we we we are trying to increase awareness um screening to help um detect these diseases or this particular disease [music] very early. 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 communications officers across government ministries. Thank you for watching NCN Channel 122 and following the official social media platforms of the government of St. Lucia. I am Nvalo Geese. Until next time, stay informed, stay engaged as we continue tracking St. You just focus. [music]