SDA's Health Lectures Ends

The one week health lectures sponsored by the Debreuil
Seventh Day Adventist Church came to an end earlier this evening at Roblot.
Throughout the week the lectures were well attended as participants took part in discussions on Diabetes, Hypertension, Cancer, Healththy lifesyles, diet and Excercise.
Pastor Figuhr Fabian of the Churches of the Seventh Day used powerpoint presentations to get the messages across to the audience. The messages were well received.
At the closing ceremony Pastor Winston Joseph delivered the vote of thanks where the exppressed his gratitude to the lecturer for taking time off his heavy schedule as well as braving the route up to Castries after his sessions sometimes during the week. The audience were thanked as well as the owner of the building where the lecture took place throughout the week.
A small presentation of gifts was made to various persons of the administrative team of the Health talks series.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device from LIME.

PM DELAYS VAT BY ONE MONTH

    During the second reading of the VAT bill, Dr. Anthony announced that VAT will come into effect on October 1, one month later than the initial proposed date of September1, 2012. The PM announced that certain measures had to be put in place and that by allowing the extension we will be VAT ready.
He, though not going through the whole bill made special reference to Clause 10, 41 to 45 and 71 to 76. These he said are crucial to the implementation of the bill and he thought it necessary to go through  them. (You can request a copy of the Bill from this blog. Send your request to thesaltofchoiseul@hotmail.com and in the subject area write bill)
In his last budget address the PM made the following statements with regards to VAT.

APPROVED VAT POLICIES

"Mr. Speaker, I now wish to address the bundle of VAT policies that have been approved by the Government. These are as follows:

1.             VAT will replace consumption tax, hotel accommodation tax, motor vehicle rental fee,
mobile cellular telephone tax and the environmental protection levy;

2.             A standard VAT rate of 15 percent and a rate of zero percent will be charged on certain
goods and services. However, in respect of the hotel sector and related services, a reduced rate of 8% will apply until March 31, 2013. Between September 1, 2012 and March 31, 2013, the impact on the sector will be assessed and a final determination will be made on the rate to be applied beyond March 31, 2013;

3.             A threshold for registered tax payers of $180,000 per annum will be established. This
means that it is not mandatory for businesses earning less than $180,000 per annum to register for VAT. The threshold is based on the annual sales turn-over of the tax payer;

4.             A VAT rate of zero percent will be legislated on certain supplies. Some of these supplies
include, but are not limited to:

(a)            Goods to be exported;

(b)            Goods for sale at duty-free shops;

(c)             Fuel;

(d)            Fresh eggs;

(e)            Uncooked pasta;

(f)             Water; and

(g)            Electricity."

5.               The following goods and services will be exempted from payment of VAT, but this list is

not exhaustive:

(a)            Domestic residential rental;

(b)            Educational services;

(c)             Financial services;

(d)            Insurance services;

(e)            Medical services;

(f)             Religious services;

(g)            Local transportation services;

(h)            Postal services;

(i)              Certain agricultural inputs; and

(j)             Certain food items, for example:

i.                      Chicken,

ii.                     Certain types of fresh or chilled fish,

iii.                    Milk,

iv.                   Butter,

v.                    Potato,

vi.                   Certain types of fresh or chilled vegetables,

vii.                  Certain types of peas and beans,

viii.                 Certain types of fresh fruit,

ix.                   Rice,

x.                    Flour,

xi.                   Cane sugar,

xii.                  Certain types of preparations for infants,

xiii.                 Unsweetened biscuits,

xiv.                Bread, and

xv.                 Table salt.

6.                              While the standard VAT rate of 15% will be charged on medical supplies, the

Government has secured CARICOM’s approval to remove the import duty on medical supplies. This will mitigate the impact of VAT on consumers.

7.                             During the transition period leading up to the date of VAT implementation, the

Government has agreed that registered businesses would have the option of depleting stocks to minimum levels. Alternatively, Government in conjunction with SLASPA, would allow free storage at the Ports for a three month period. There will be a third option. Registered businesses which have existing storage facilities will be afforded the option of converting those facilities into bonded warehouses during the transition period.

8.               The Government has also agreed to the establishment of a special VAT Refund Account

in accordance with the provisions of the Financial Administration Act. This is to facilitate the timely processing and payment of refunds to tax payers as the Government recognizes the importance of minimizing the effects of VAT on the cash flow position of tax payers.

Impact on Consumers

Mr. Speaker, having outlined the specific VAT policies, I wish to focus on how VAT is likely to impact the average consumer in Saint Lucia. As indicated earlier, VAT will be replacing a number of existing taxes and, consequently, its impact will be cushioned and it may not necessarily result in higher prices in all cases. In fact, based on analyses conducted by the VAT Office, the net effect of the VAT is likely to result in more items not having additional taxes than those for which taxes will increase.

The following are some examples of the likely impact of VAT on the net taxes payable by consumers on those products:

Item	Existing   Rate   of Consumption Tax	Proposed VAT Rate	Net         Tax Payable
Cheese	0%	15%	Higher
Soda	0%	15%	Higher
Dish Washing Liquid	10%	15%	Higher
Chicken	0%	exempt	Unchanged
Flour	0%	exempt	Unchanged
Lentil Peas	0%	exempt	Unchanged
Eggs	0%	zero rated	Unchanged
Pasta	0%	zero rated	Unchanged
Unsweetened Biscuits	0%	exempt	Unchanged
Sweetened Biscuits	15%	15%	Unchanged
Shoes	15%	15%	Unchanged
Rice	5%	exempt	Lower
Sugar	5%	exempt	Lower
Margarine	5%	exempt	Lower
Powdered Milk	5%	exempt	Lower
Evaporated Milk	5%	exempt	Lower
Bread	5%	exempt	Lower
Bottled Water	20%	15%	Lower
Baby diapers	10%	exempt	Lower
Deodorant	30%	15%	Lower
Cellular Phones	35%	15%	Lower
Galvanize	20%	15%	Lower

There will be some items that will attract more taxes either because the existing rates of Consumption Tax are lower than the 15% VAT rate or the method of calculating the VAT will compound the taxes payable since VAT is levied on a combination of import duties, service charge and excise tax (for those

items which attract excise tax). However, those items are in the minority. Therefore, most consumers should not be significantly worse off after VAT is introduced.

The other issue that must be considered is that VAT is not only levied on goods but also on certain services, some of which are not currently subject to tax. This is likely to result in consumers of these services paying more in taxes than they do now. However, with a number of services being exempted from VAT, we are confident that the tax would not be too onerous on consumers of these services.

Top Warning Signs of Diabetes

At Sunday's launching of the SDA hosted health lectures it was quite suprising to note that although there were persons of all ages in the audience that not one person showed their hands when Pastor fabian asked "Do we have any Diabetics here with us? It is possible that there may not have been any or persons who indeed had were keeping this knowledge to themselves. How then are they expected to get help.  the following passage aims to give our readers what signs to look for.

Look For These Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes:

Many of the signs of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are similar. In both, there is too much glucose in the blood and not enough in the cells of your body. High glucose levels in Type I are due to a lack of insulin because the insulin producing cells have been destroyed. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body's cells become resistant to insulin that is being produced. Either way, your cells aren't getting the glucose that they need, and your body lets you know by giving you these signs and symptom

• Frequent trips to the bathroom:

Are you visiting the bathroom much more lately? Does it seem like you urinate all day long? Urination becomes more frequent when there is too much glucose in the blood. If insulin is nonexistent or ineffective, the kidneys can't filter glucose back to the blood. They become overwhelmed and try to draw extra water out of the blood to dilute the glucose. This keeps your bladder full and it keeps you running to the bathroom.

Unquenchable Thirst:

If it feels like you can't get enough water and you're drinking much more than usual, it could be a sign of diabetes, especially if it seems to go hand in hand with frequent urination. If your body is pulling extra water out of your blood and you're running to the bathroom more, you will become dehydrated and feel the need to drink more to replace the water that you are losing.

Losing Weight Without Trying:

This symptom is more noticeable with Type 1 diabetes. In Type 1, the pancreas stops making insulin, possibly due to a viral attack on pancreas cells or because an autoimmune response makes the body attack the insulin producing cells. The body desperately looks for an energy source because the cells aren't getting glucose. It starts to break down muscle tissue and fat for energy. Type 2 happens gradually with increasing insulin resistance so weight loss is not as noticeable.

Weakness and Fatigue:

It's that bad boy glucose again. Glucose from the food we eat travels into the bloodstream where insulin is supposed to help it transition into the cells of our body. The cells use it to produce the energy we need to live. When the insulin isn't there or if the cells don't react to it anymore, then the glucose stays outside the cells in the bloodstream. The cells become energy starved and you feel tired and run down.

Tingling or Numbness in Your Hands, Legs or Feet:

This symptom is called neuropathy. It occurs gradually over time as consistently high glucose in the blood damages the nervous system, particularly in the extremities. Type 2 diabetes is a gradual onset, and people are often not aware that they have it. Therefore, blood sugar might have been high for more than a few years before a diagnosis is made. Nerve damage can creep up without our knowledge. Neuropathy can very often improve when tighter blood glucose control is achieved.

Other Signs and Symptoms That Can Occur:

Blurred vision, skin that is dry or itchy, frequent infections or cuts and bruises that take a long time to heal are also signs that something is amiss. Again, when these signs are associated with diabetes, they are the result of high glucose levels in the body. If you notice any of the above signs, schedule an appointment with your doctor. He or she will be able to tell you if you have reason to be concerned about a diagnosis of diabetes.


Source:http://diabetes.about.com/od/symptomsdiagnosis/p/Symptoms.htm

DEBREUIL SDA CHURCH HOSTS HEALTH LECTURE SERIES

  Last evening saw the commencement of a weeklong series of health lectures hosted by the Seventh Day Adventist Church. The lectures according to the Church officials attempt to sensitize the residents of Debreuil, Roblot and LaMaze communities about basic health issues with a bias on Diabetes, Hypertension and Cancer.

Co-ordinator of the program, Mr David Thomas, welcomed members of the public who assembled at the Hot Spot in Roblot for the opening session. After a brief welcome and prayers, Pastor Figuhr the gentleman who would be delivering the health talks was introduced to the audience. He is a Health Evaluator and Life Skills Counsellor who is attached to the Seventh Day Adventist Churches.  A Dominican by birth, he has been living in St Lucia for the past thirteen years. Pastor Fabian also hosts a program on the local  radio station “Praise FM.”

Pastor Fabian, as he is affectionately called by the church elders coined the day’s talks as “New Start in Life.”  He inquired into the availability of local fruits and urged the audience to make them part of their regular diets. He went on to inform the gathering that high cholesterol; high fatty and high energy foods destroy the body. "The NEW START in life program" , he continued, “is based on eight (8) principles.” The letters in “NEW START” he said can be taken to mean as follows:

N for NUTRITION, E for EXERCISE, W for WATER

S for SUNLIGHT, T for TEMPERANCE, A for AIR, R for REST, T for TRUST IN GOD.

With Nutrition he advised one must be careful what and when he eats. En passant he mentioned briefly the importance of the variety of fruit colours. On exercise he stressed the need for a daily routine. “Good diet and exercise,” he emphasised, “are the two most important ingredients for good health.” One should drink about one 8oz glass of water per lb of body weight per day he insisted. He mentioned briefly the acidity and alkalinity of water and how this can affect the growth of cancerous cells.  Surprisingly he echoed, “Wasco water is the best water.” When quizzed about this statement he was quick to mention that he was talking in terms of the PH of the water.

The production of Vitamin D by the skin when exposed to sunlight he says helps the body utilise calcium. A study done by the Harvard University he says suggests that sunlight can reduce the risk of cancer in humans by as much as 30%. Sunlight kills germs he went on to say. The negative ions in the fresh country environment air helps to rejuvenate the body.  Temperance he said is to use everything in moderation. Abuse of anything whether good or bad is unwise and not to the body’s benefit. “Use what is good in moderation.” He cautioned the teenagers in the audience. “Marijuana, Coffee, tobacco and alcohol do a lot of harm the body and you should stay away from these substances.” He further warned. Trees he says help replenish the oxygen in the air. He carried out a short demonstration where he taught the audience how to ventilate the system with deep breaths..

Our bodies need rest and sleep between the hours of 10 pm and 2 am do a lifetime of good to our bodies Pastor Fabian says. He says that it is during this period of deep sleep that the body tones and heals itself. All of these principles would really be unachievable if we have no trust in God. We must be thankful for whatever God has given to us.

Numerous persons from the audience engaged Pastor Fabian in discussions as well as pertinent questions on health issues. The lecture was brought to an end at about 9:15 pm. The lectures continue on Tuesday and will run until Friday. All lectures start at 7:00pm.

In closing the Pastor promises to talk on Diabetes, Cancer and Hypertension during the week. According to the co-ordinator,” It is our aim to reverse diabetes.” That feat he boasts is already being achieved in a number of St Lucians. Nice to Know.