Saint Lucia: PM directs EC $5.1 M grant from Taiwan to support local bilateral projects

The Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Philip J Pierre, directs EC $5.1 Million from a Taiwan grant to support ongoing local bilateral projects in Saint Lucia. 

Continuing cooperation between Saint Lucia and Taiwan has inspired another injection of grant funding to support projects and programmes itemized in Prime Minister Hon. Philip J. Pierre’s maiden 2022/23 Budget was presented in April.

Taiwan remains a strategic development partner and an important diplomatic ally to Saint Lucia.

On December 19, 2022, Taiwan Ambassador to Saint Lucia, H.E Peter Chia-Yen Chen, handed over EC $5.1 million in grant funding to support nine local bilateral projects.

Recently Deputy Prime Minister of Saint Lucia- Ernest Hilaire, expressed gratitude and wishes to the Republic of China for the monetary funds and donation to the Government Information Service (GIS).

The Republic of China, Taiwan, recently donated funds to the Government Information Service (GIS) of Saint Lucia to upgrade its aging equipment.

The Deputy Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Ernest Hilaire, extended warm wishes to The Republic of China for coming forward to support the nation.

Deputy Prime Minister of Saint Lucia added that spreading and disseminating the truth is very important in this digital era.

While appreciating the efforts made by The Republic of China, Ernest Hilaire added that this monetary fund support would ensure that the Government Information Service (GIS) continues its mandate of providing factual information to the people of Saint Lucia.

Saint Lucia maintains very strong and warm relations with the Republic of China. The country holds close links with the world’s superpowers, including the United Kingdom, United States, Canada and France.

In 1984, the Republic of China and Saint Lucia established diplomatic relations, but relations between both countries were severed in 1997 when the Caribbean country changed recognition from Taipei to Beijing.

In April 2007, The two countries again established diplomatic relations, and China severed formal ties with Saint Lucia.