TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Saint Lucia Ambassador Dr. Robert Kennedy Lewis on Thursday (Aug. 11) vowed to maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
“We will stand by Taiwan’s side,” Dr. Lewis told Taiwan News. He added that his country will continue to voice support for Taiwan in the UN and other international organizations.
The ambassador pointed to education as being the major hallmark of the good relations between Saint Lucia and Taiwan. “Anyone who educates your people must be your friend.”
Dr. Lewis said Taiwan has long provided Saint Lucian students with scholarships. In 2022, Taiwan gave 29 scholarships, including 11 from the International Cooperation and Development Fund, nine from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and nine from Taiwanese medical institutions, he said.
The ambassador said that Taiwan is educating Saint Lucia’s younger generation and therefore changing the complexion of the nation for the better. Saint Lucians have an “insatiable appetite” for educational opportunities, Dr. Lewis said.
However, the ambassador said he is still urging the Taiwanese government to offer more scholarships. He previously expressed the desire to quadruple the number of scholarships Saint Lucia receives annually from Taiwan, which would realize Saint Lucia Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre’s goal of having a university graduate in every household.
Dr. Lewis also praised Taiwan’s technological prowess, calling it a “world leader” in the tech industry. He said Saint Lucia has sought closer cooperation with Taiwan to improve digital literacy in its schools.
Since Prime Minister Pierre took office, he has made it a goal to provide laptops to high schools across Saint Lucia. To help achieve this, Taiwan donated two smart classrooms in May.
One was gifted to Vieux-Fort Comprehensive Secondary School in southern Saint Lucia, while the other was given to St. Joseph's Convent, located in northern Saint Lucia.
Saint Lucia Ambassador Dr. Robert Kennedy Lewis and Taiwan News President Jack Cheng. (Taiwan News, Kelvin Chen photo)
The ambassador said he admired Taiwan’s accomplishments, given its small size. Taiwan is “punching above its weight,” he said.
With regard to promoting more bilateral exchanges, Dr. Lewis said he plans to invite local Taiwanese youth to the embassy every month and share Saint Lucia’s culture and history in order for them to have a better understanding of the country. He said he wanted to help educate Taiwanese about their country's diplomatic allies.
The ambassador also revealed there are plans to foster a more tight-knit community amongst Saint Lucian nationals in Taiwan.
On Oct.1, there will be a “Caribbean Carnival” at the ABV Caribbean Bar and Kitchen in Taipei, which will feature cuisines from Saint Lucia, Haiti, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The event will feature live performances, cooking demonstrations, music, and other activities which will all serve to bring a more authentic experience to the local community, according to the Saint Lucian embassy.
The ambassador reiterated that relations with Taiwan are strong and expressed his optimism about future cooperation between Saint Lucia and Taiwan.
