Saint Lucia PM calls for deeper Taiwan ties

Saint Lucian Prime Minister Philip Pierre yesterday said that he hopes to deepen cooperation with Taiwan, including by expanding scholarships for students from his country.

Pierre, who arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday for a five-day state visit, made the remarks during a meeting with President William Lai (賴清德) at the Presidential Office in Taipei.

The prime minister said Taiwan and Saint Lucia have faced similar challenges during their 19 years of friendship, including the effects of climate change.

President William Lai, right, and Saint Lucian Prime Minister Philip J Pierre walk past military honors in Taipei yesterday.

Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times

He cited an ongoing drought in Saint Lucia linked to El Nino that has made it necessary for the country to develop an extensive rainwater harvesting system.

Climate change had also made classrooms in Saint Lucia increasingly hot, making more comfortable school environments an urgent priority, he said, adding that his government is modernizing and diversifying agriculture and developing renewable and alternative energy sources amid rising living costs, while hoping to continue exchanging expertise with Taiwan in those areas.

Education is highly valued in Taiwan and Saint Lucia, and the Saint Lucian public is grateful for Taiwan’s continued scholarship support, he said.

“This is why the people of St Lucia are so appreciative of the scholarships you continue to offer our students,” he said.

“In this regard, we look forward to the expansion of our scholarship programs and the construction of a modern cultural and creative arts center,” Pierre said.

More than 400 young people from Saint Lucia have so far received scholarships from Taiwan to pursue higher education, he said.

Pierre stressed that people are a country’s most valuable asset, thanking Taiwan for its assistance with training, scholarships and infrastructure.

He also expressed hope that more Saint Lucian doctors, young academics, students and professionals would move to Taiwan to study.

Pierre said he hopes closer ties between Taiwan and Saint Lucia would bring greater benefits to their people through concrete projects.

“As we look to the future with great optimism and our desire to make Saint Lucia one of the best places to live and work in the Caribbean, I thank you,” he said.

Lai thanked Pierre for his continued support for Taiwan, adding that official and private-sector exchanges between the two countries have grown closer over the past two years.

Lai added that the Taiwan External Trade Development Council would hold the 19th Taiwan-Saint Lucia trade exhibition in Saint Lucia next month, with more than 70 local companies expected to participate alongside Taiwanese businesses.

Meanwhile, he also thanked Pierre for publicly supporting Taiwan’s bid for full membership of the UN at the recent UN General Assembly session and called for continued cooperation on global challenges, including climate change and public health.

Following their meeting, Lai and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) hosted Pierre and his wife at a state banquet, the Presidential Office said in a statement.