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No description available.

The purpose of this research was to explore the role of the school principal in St. Lucia in staff development. It also explored whether the role corresponded with the expectations of school teachers. / Data was obtained through questionnaires administered to school principals and to school teachers respectively. For the most part, the data was analysed quantitatively. However, a small part of the data was analysed qualitatively using content analysis. / The findings show that generally, school principals play a positive role in staff development and this matches the expectations of teachers. This role takes the form of conducting orientation sessions for new staff, advising staff on teaching techniques, encouraging staff to pursue further studies, inviting their input in school related matters and preparing effective professional development day sessions.

Three soil conservation systems: contour drainage, strip cropping, and terracing, were designed and established within separate plots on hillside farmlands in St. Lucia. A control plot with no form of soil conservation was also established. Topographic and soils surveys of these plots were conducted. Rainfall, runoff and soil loss were measured over one wet season. Crop yields and construction and maintenance costs were also determined. / For rainfall amounts between 14.2 and 211.2 mm, runoff depths varied from 0.6 to 203.6 mm in the control plot, 2.1 to 199.2 mm in the contour drained plot, 3.2 to 155.1 mm in the strip cropped plot and 1.3 to 94.7 mm in the terraced plot. The largest amounts of runoff were most often recorded in the strip cropped plot, while on most occasions, the terraced plot produced the least runoff. / Soil loss rates varied from 0.01 to 1.77 kg/ha in the control plot, 0.07 to 16.88 kg/ha in the contour drained plot, 0.2 to 28.86 kg/ha in the strip cropped plot and 0.01 to 6.62 kg/ha in the terraced plot. / Construction costs per hectare were EC$5565 for the contour drainage system, EC $5425 for the strip cropped system and EC$6350 for the terraced system. / Further monitoring of the conservation systems is required for prediction of their long-term effectiveness in runoff and soil erosion control.

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No description available.

No description available.

Ten individuals of Cephalopholis cruentata, a marine serranid common on Caribbean coral reefs and important to artisanal reef fisheries, were implanted with acoustic transmitters on two reefs within the Soufriere Marine Management Area, St. Lucia. The mean home range area determined was 2120m2. Home range shape was non-circular, with a mean aspect ratio of 0.72. Neither home range size nor home range shape differed between the study sites or as a function of fish size. However, more active fish, as determined by movement per hour and displacement per hour, had larger home ranges. / Use of space within the home range was characterised as activity rates (movement per hour), displacement rates (maximum distance between fish locations per hour), and preferential use of specific areas (% of position fixes in different areas). All fish demonstrated a clear preference for specific areas in their home range. Activity, displacement and % time spent in the preferred reef area were not correlated with fish size. Activity and displacement were higher by night than by day, and consistent with this, fish spent less time in their preferred home range area by night than by day. Given the home range size and movement patterns of C. cruentata determined in the study, the effectiveness of the marine reserve zones in the Soufriere Marine Management Area in protecting C. cruentata is assessed.

An indirectly heated solar drier fitted with a flat plate collector and a directly heated solar drier were compared with open air sun drying of cocoa beans under field conditions in St. Lucia. Sun drying was conducted on two surfaces, perforated steel and non perforated wood. The methods were examined for the ability to adequately dry fermented beans and effect on quality. Loading rates of 13.5, 26.9 and 40.4 kg/m$ sp2$ were examined. / Temperature increases of 15$ sp circ$C and 20$ sp circ$C above ambient were achieved in the indirect and direct drier, respectively. The solar driers were more efficient than sun drying units at removing moisture throughout at loading rates of 26.9 and 40.4 kg/m$ sp2$ but only in the initial stages at 13.5 kg. External mould development was therefore reduced. Open air sun drying on the wooden surface proved more effective in the final stages at 13.5 kg/m$ sp2$. / The dried beans were of similar internal quality despite faster drying in the driers. The various drying methods and loading rates produced beans of similar pH while only loading rates affected titratable acidity differently. The direct solar drier achieved lower final moisture levels at high loads and was the cheaper alternative.

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