Saint Lucia No. 64. Saturday, November 13, 2004 A publication of the Department of Information Services ST. LUCIA St. Lucia is now an elite tourism destination - page 1 RECEIVES CARICOM forging ahead with ACADEMY 2005 deadline - page 3 AWARD PITONS NOW WORLD 700 HUNDRED MORE HOSTING CWC 2007: AMERICAN AIRLINES HERITAGE SITE ROOMS COMING FROM LATEST PRESS BACK IN ST. LUCIA COCO CREOLE, CONFERENCE HELD DISCOVERY BAY AND WEDNESDAY BY Remembering War Venterans COCONUT BAY HEAD OF CWC 2007 page 4 & 5 s the only Caribbean re- nation have been recognized with the tion in tourism is getting stronger ev- cipient of the Five Star American Academy’s International eryday, and some might say tougher Diamond Award from Five Star Diamond Award. And tonight and tougher. The pressure to create the American Acad- we honour the island of St .Lucia for new jobs and the pressure to grow Aemy of Hospitality Sciences, Saint excellence in tourism, the first island the industry must be balanced with Chinese delegation meets Lucia’s tourism industry has been in the Caribbean to hold that type of the value, quality and sustainability. Governor-General - page 4 & 5 elevated to an elite grouping of the honour, and American Airlines, as well Receiving this award tonight encour- finest, tourism destinations. for their new air service to the island of ages me to believe that we are on the United States Journalist, Jeremy Saint Lucia”, Mr. Bits informed. right path, this is not to say that we have completed our journey, but that Bits, who spoke on behalf of the Mr. Joseph Cinque, President of the we have reached an important mile- American Academy of Hospitality American Academy presented the Five stone”, the Prime Minister said. Sciences, said the award set those Star Diamond Award to Prime Minister, Dr. Anthony surmised that with the destinations apart, for their overall Hon. Dr. Kenny Anthony on the week- recent designation of the Pitons as a end, during a special function at the excellence and outstanding commit- World Heritage Site, the island’s host- Royal St. Lucian Hotel. Dr. Anthony ment to hospitality. ing of World Cup matches in 2007 and “Places like the world famous noted that St.Lucia was well aware of now the Islands latest award, along Ritz in Paris, the Peninsular in Hong the fierce global rivalry that went on in with the expectation that the island’s Kong, the Oriental in Bangkok, the international tourism business, and hotel occupancy will be increased by the Mars logo Club in Palm Beach as a result the industry and its work- 750 rooms within the next six months, force, refused to bask in complacency. Rodents can be controlled Florida, Seaborne Cruise Lines, all 2004 has been a good year for tourism - page 6 of these hospitality and tourist desti- “We know that the global competi- in Saint Lucia. “Take 2 ” - A fifteen minute news review of the week. Government Notebook A fresh news package daily Every Friday at 6.15 p.m. on NTN, Cablevision Channel 2. on all local radio stations 2 Saint Lucia Saturday, November 13, 2004 ous levels of dissatisfaction in the nurs- ing services, the role that they should play in the governance of management Report on Health Study of the system, all that is dealt with and there are specifi c recommendations”, Sir Richie assured. As the government of St. Lucia con- presented to Government tinues to invest heavily in the physical he Health Study Report is now in professionals, offi cials in the Ministry individuals in the system function, how infrastructure of the health services, the hands of Cabinet. Hon. Ma- of Health and related ministries. to change the culture in some instances human resource compatibility has T become key, according to Minister rio Michel, Minister for Education The Health Study Report makes rec- quite acutely”, remarked Sir Richie. and Deputy Prime Minister received ommendations on programs of action The Report further makes recom- Michel: “We are confi dent that your the report on behalf of Prime Min- over the next few years that are expect- mendations to address the defects in the report, ably assisted by others - Mrs. ister, Hon. Dr. Kenny Anthony. The ed to evolve into major changes in the legislative structure governing health Jennifer Astafan, Dr. Barbara Johnson study was conducted by the Health culture, physical structure and delivery services. It also highlights the concerns and Mr. Cletus Springer - will provide Study Commission established by of health care in St. Lucia. of doctors and nurses. the sort of recommendation, the sort of Cabinet to conduct investigations “When you look at the overall situ- “You have a solid core of qualifi ed framework that we require to end this into St. Lucia’s medical system. ation in St. Lucia, we concur with pre- consultants at the level of doctors, gulf that has existed, and which enables Chairman of the Commission Sir vious studies that you have a good in- you have a solid core of well educated us to work hand in hand with the hu- Richie Haynes said that the Health frastructure, in terms of your primary nurses, and we have been very, very man resource situation, together with Study was an extremely exhaustive health care, in terms of the relation- impressed with the presentations that the improvement in the health sector, one, which required the collaboration ships, and so on. The question is how the nurses made. I think that the big is- to ensure that we can take the health of public health institutions, health to make it function and how to make sues like migration of nurses, the vari- system forward”. Finance facility established to help fi rms become CSME-ready he 10th Special Meeting of the a spur south to St. Lucia, and would one year for the hundreds who are now initiative his country could not back- TConference of Heads of Govern- move further north to Guadeloupe, with displaced. slide from, having experienced fi rst ment of the Caribbean Community another spur to Dominica. There is the Mr. Mitchel said the lessons of Gre- hand, their vulnerability and by ex- is billed as the test for the completion potential for an additional spur from nada have made regional integration a tension, the vulnerability of the entire of the CARICOM Single Market and Guadeloupe to Antigua and St. Kitts. religion for Grenada. He said it was an region. Economy (CSME). A process, which He noted that the extension of gas sup- started 31 years ago, is all tied into plies to the region would “bring every one year, with the December 31st island to the service within the ambit 2005 deadline fast approaching. we hold for Tobago, and for Trinidad Addressing the opening ceremony and Tobago.” this morning was host Prime Minister, Grenada’s Prime Minister and Chair- Patrick Manning. Mr. Manning spoke man of CARICOM, Dr Keith Mitchel of Trinidad and Tobago’s commitment gave an impassioned speech thanking to the fi nancing of the programme of his colleague Heads of Government for the CSME. He spoke of a facility, their continued support for Grenada in which allows companies in the region the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan. He to borrow from the domestic market spoke of the continuing needs of Gre- on terms and conditions favorable to nada, and called on colleagues to pro- them. vide scholarships for the hundreds of Speaking of a CARICOM Trade Sup- Grenadian youths, who are now facing port Programme, which was launched a bleak future following Ivan. He called in Jamaica this month, Mr. Manning for persons in the tourism industry in said it sought to support and strengthen the region to reach out to Grenadians in the region’s private sector, by provid- the industry, to provide jobs for at least Patrick Manning Dr Keith Mitchel ing assistance to fi rms, so as to enable them to improve their competitiveness and export capability: “This is part of Governor-General wants greater recognition for war veterans our strategy to make businesses in our s the world again observes Veter- sion, patience, humility, integrity and the that their death may not be in vain. region CSME-ready on a timely ba- Aans’ Week and Remembrance Day, capacity to listen. “Many of those who took part in the sis”. The facility of TT$100 million the St. Lucian society has been called “On both the personal and national level, confl icts or who assured the welfare of contemplates interest free loans to non- upon to refl ect on what can best be de- we can take on our own acts of bridge-build- their comrades on and off the battlefi eld Trinidad and Tobago companies. scribed as the challenge of peace in mod- ing to bring our communities, our world are still with us today. We honour their ef- ern times. fort and their service. Let the tribute that Pointing to challenges in respect of closer together. The voices of the victims In her message on this particular occa- of the confl icts may be silent or silenced we pay them today, go beyond lip service; the energy supplies, which Trinidad sion, Governor-General, Her Excellency forever, but we can get their histories from let it touch their lives in a practical way, as and Tobago is presently exploring to Dame Pearlette Louisy has endeavoured to those who witnessed and survived, and use they too remember their fallen comrades put together a comprehensive policy shift attention from society’s role as specta- their experiences, their perceptions, to start and refl ect on their own contribution, on regional energy supplies to support tors in this global environment of sectarian building those bridges”, the Governor- however small or unsung, to the fragile CARICOM member states, Mr.