St. Lucia seeks aid for ports, schools

The prime minister of St. Lucia called Tuesday for Japanese assistance to improve the Caribbean island nation's ports and install computers at its schools, Foreign Ministry officials said.

The request was made during a meeting between Prime Minister Kenny Anthony and Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi. Obuchi responded that he will examine the request, the officials said. Anthony and Obuchi exchanged a document on Japan's 1.08-billion yen grant for a project to build fisheries facilities on St. Lucia.

Anthony meanwhile told Obuchi that St. Lucia also regrets the nuclear tests carried out by India and Pakistan last month, saying that tests by developing countries pose a threat to international peace, the officials said.