 Hello, St. Lucian. Hello to St. Lucian to the past, but it is all to be hello to our friends over in Taiwan, the Republic of China of Taiwan, because we know that they are tuned in, watching. I am Lucie Julesa with the NICORMOS, called the Primus Hutchinson. We are in Castries, the capital of St. Lucian, the House of Parliament, where we have another auspicious occasion occurring. We are in a joint session in the House of Assembly, where we will be hearing from the president of the Republic of China on Taiwan, President Tsai Ling Wen. Good morning, Prime Minister, welcome. Morning, Alisa, as you rightly indicated, an auspicious occasion indeed. Lots of pomp and ceremony, and of course, the arrival yesterday. And we will give you a brief look into the sudden ceremony at St. Jude. Currently, the president seems to have arrived. Yes, and there are lots of students with the flag of the Republic of China on Taiwan. And Prime Minister, it's a very curious scene on the outside. Lots of excitement. Our young people want to be able to get a glimpse of the president. A very, very important political figure over in Asia. Having been, she's the first woman of the female president in the Asian sphere, and the first for Taiwan as well. Yesterday, she touched down, and the signature is the final stop for President Tsai on a full island as a official state visit of the other countries that are allied, of course, to the Republic of China on Taiwan. Yesterday, as I said, the president, Tsai, and the envoy touched it down and they're here in our international airport. On screen now, we can see that the delegation comprises not just officials, we do have what is equivalent to what we think would be the secret service, of course keeping the president safe. They do have a very large contingent of media personnel. Oh yes, a very large contingent indeed. There we can see solutions of foreign affairs minister there, Hon. Serif Lagova. And the police commission as well, Mr. Moshe. And they will be making their way, as you can see, members of the Russian secretaries forward, right there for that welcome. President Tsai as we indicated is a very important political figure and as equivalent to Taiwan being a very important ally to St. Lucia. Just a bit about President Tsai, she was born in Taipei, Taipei City, there at the capital. And quite interesting, I was fascinated by this, hearing that she grew up at an auto repair shop in which her parents are owned and managed. Now she is the president of Moshe area. She has, she's now given off to there. And she will be a sponsor when they come to the active list commission of their northern day crew. She's also accompanied by a military personnel from Taiwan as well, do you agree? Absolutely. While on the outside, the public ceremonies in Tokyo, here in the chamber, the Parliamentary Chamber, we have a fine official signatory. Our prime minister has arrived as well. Just now. Perhaps we can continue about the president, President Tsai, her career, the professional in diplomatic career. President Tsai began her tenure on Taiwan's trade negotiation delegation in the late 1980s. By 1990, Taiwan began working on the bid to join the general agreement on tariffs and trade. That eventually gave an admission to the World Trade Organization WTO in 2002. She was in the front lines of the process during key negotiations in her capacity as a strict legal advisor from 1992 to 2000. She was just a first-hand witness. I guess we'll continue on this now. You can see that President Tsai now getting off the ideas. And she has been escorted to the entrance. The Parliament building will be greeted by the President of the Senate as well as the Speaker of the House of Assembly. She will be escorted into the Parliament building. Perhaps at this time, I will continue on her career. As I indicated earlier, she was just a first-hand witness to this landmark event in the history of Taiwan's economic transformation. President Tsai successfully as senior advisor to the Mainland Affairs Council from 1994 to 1998. She was also senior advisor to the National Security Council from 1999 to 2000. And she was in the Mainland Affairs Council from 2002 to 2004, reporting the efforts to the development of cross-strait relations. Perhaps we can just briefly mention the Republic of China on Taiwan diplomatic relations with Saint Lucia. Taiwan's excellent achievement in trade, technology, innovation, agriculture, industry, education and healthcare make Saint Lucia Taiwan diplomatic ties crucial. Relations between the two countries continues to grow since the re-establishment of diplomatic ties in 2007. Saint Lucia opened its embassy in Taipei in June 2015. Saint Lucia has benefited from the cooperative agreement in many different areas. The Taiwanese scholarship program, the constituency development program, fruits and vegetables demonstration, cooperation project, agriculture, the ICT technical cooperative project, and the Saint Lucia Taiwan partnership trade exhibition. Also, they financed the Harmingwood Beach Park project. Taiwan provided visa-free travel for Saint Lucia, which became effective on July 12, 2007, in agreement on a reciprocal basis. The two countries first established ties in 1984. The Prime Minister, Sir John Compton, led administration. Taiwan is the 22nd largest economy in the world. I think you alluded to that earlier on. Yes, yes. And you know, Prime Minister, you spoke there of the scholarship program, our students and sensory establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries in 2007, more than 1,330 Saint Lucia students have applied for various scholarship programs which is offered by the government of the Republic of China Taiwan. And among them, we've had 148 students. They've been granted scholarships, and many of them have completed studies in Taiwan and have performed excellently primers indeed. And so we also have Taiwan. We mentioned the Saint Jude reconstruction project, not just the financing for the reconstruction of Saint Jude, but we've also had more than 120 medical experts from Taiwan who've volunteered in Saint Lucia over the years. The Chamber has been called to attention. We can have that drum roll. Let us pray. In the name of God, the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, amen. Almighty God, by whom alone case reign, and princess decrees justice, and from whom alone cometh all counsel wisdom understanding. We, thy people of God, gather this morning in your name. We ask you, gracious Lord, to discern your wisdom from above, to direct and guide us in all our consultations and grant that we haven't died fair, always before our eyes, and laying aside all private interests, prejudices, and partial affections. The result of all our counsels may be to the glory and honor of your holy name. Gracious Lord, true religion comes from you and justice. The safety, honor, and happiness of the queen that we seek of God, the public will, peace and tranquility of Saint Lucia, and the uniting and knitting together of the heart of all persons and estates within the same, in true Christian love and charity, one towards another, through Jesus Christ our Lord, amen. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forevermore, amen. Please be seated. On behalf of the Parliament of Saint Lucia, it is my enormous pleasure to extend a warm welcome to your Excellency, President Tsai Ing-wen, of the Republic of China, Taiwan. Madame Président, bienvenue à Saint Lycee. I wish to acknowledge the presence of the distinguished government officials, legislatures, and business leaders of Taiwan, other members of the entourage and members of the media of Taiwan. Today is a special day in the history of our Parliament. We welcome you as a nation with whom we have much in common. Our constitutions speak to the same freedoms, rights, and duties of the individual. We share the same values of democracy and perseverance. We share common ideals of equity and justice, common goals of national tranquility, social justice, and economic and social development. On the world table, our two nations may be small in size, but stand tall, proud, and large in hard-won democratic principles and ambition. Our Parliaments respect robust debate, oversight, state accountability, and the representation and empowerment of our people, and the development and implementation of laws that promote democracy and good governance. We look forward to greater interactions between our Parliaments and to the continued purposeful building of relations between our peoples. Your Excellency, we are especially pleased that you have chosen to visit at this time during our 40th year of independence, a milestone in our nation's history. You will find the atmosphere still thick with the jubilance of our carnival festivities, and your visit here gives us further cause for celebration. It also gives us the opportunity to further solidify and celebrate our long-standing, deep, and enduring friendship. President Tsai Ing-wen, thank you for coming. We are indeed blessed to have you and the members of your entourage here with us, and I now invite you to address this August's body. The Honourable Senate President, Gerardie McIntire, the Honourable House of Assembly Speaker, Daniel, the Honourable Prime Minister, Shashne, and Labour Party Leader, Peer, Government Leaders, Members of the Parliament, the diplomatic crops, and my delegation, ladies and gentlemen, good morning. First, I would like to thank Prime Minister Chassan for inviting me to St. Lucia. It is an honour to share this special moment with you all and to celebrate the 40th anniversary of your country's independence. I am delighted to see many families, many familiar faces here today. Prime Minister Chassan and Speaker Daniel have both been to Taiwan, and many ministers visited Taiwan last year as well. It is indeed an honour to be surrounded by so many old friends so far away from home. St. Lucia has long been a staunch ally in the Caribbean. Prime Minister Shashne forcefully spoke up for Taiwan at last year's United Nations General Assembly. And Minister of Health and Wellness Isaac made Taiwan's voice heard at this year's World Health Assembly. I want to thank all of you for your courageous support. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I thank you all. Your support means much more to us than you would know. And I hope you will continue to stand by us. Taiwan has much more to contribute, and we are determined to make this known to the world. I chose the themes of freedom, democracy and sustainability for this state visit because these three values truly reflect our efforts in the Caribbean. We are dedicated to state-fast diplomacy and mutual assistance for mutual benefits. With partners like St. Lucia by our side, we can help advance regional peace and achieve the UN's sustainable development goals. Over the past decade, our countries have undertaken many projects that embody the spirit of the SDGs. Together, we are ensuring health and wellness for people of all ages. Taiwan has always been more than willing to share our medical and public health expertise, and we are putting this willingness into action right here in St. Lucia, strengthening your healthcare system through mutual sharing and assistance. Yesterday morning, Prime Minister Chesnet and I attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the new St. Jude Hospital. This facility makes yet another important milestone in our many years of medical cooperation, and I am proud that Taiwan is able to take part in this achievement. Beyond health, we have also worked to pursue sustainable agriculture. In 2013, we initiated a project that successfully tackled Black Singatoka disease in St. Lucia. Banana farmers now enjoy increased productivity, new international markets, and high profits. Today, St. Lucia is the only country in the Eastern Caribbean exporting bananas to the European markets. Our cooperation and agricultural development resonates with the work of William Arthur Lewis, St. Lucia's economist and Nobel Prize winner, who dedicated much of his work to ending rural poverty. We have made great efforts together in ICT as well. Internet infrastructure is vital for providing efficient government services and narrowing the digital divide. It makes it easier for people to get education to find a job, to do businesses. And of course, reducing inequality is at the core of the SDGs. Here, I would like to invite all of you to join us later in the ceremony to launch the second phase of the government island-wide network. This will further broaden internet access across the island. Public infrastructure is the foundation for sustainable development in any country. And this year, we have initiated many major projects. In addition to the St. Jude Hospital, we have also begun work of the International Airport, as well as a national road system. These projects do more than build resilient infrastructures. They also create high-quality jobs. That is also an important element of the SDGs. While project loans will come from Taiwanese banks, the work will be contracted to St. Lucia's companies through Taiwan's overseas engineering and construction company. This means we will be hiring local workers and using local materials. This model of cooperation ensures that both our peoples can participate and reap the benefits. There will be no issue of debt traps, unlike some other corporation models. We believe in mutually beneficial projects rooted in strong communication and collaboration. Both of our countries want to provide brighter futures for our next generation. In line with the SDG goals to provide equitable quality education. Taiwan is honored to help young solutions develop professional skills and expertise through scholarship programs and vocational training. St. Lucia's students now have access to more diverse channels to make use of their talents and give back to their communities. Students returning from Taiwan bring home new expertise, knowledge and ideas, creating new possibilities right here in St. Lucia. My time here calls to mind the words of another Nobel Laureate from St. Lucia. The poet Derek Elton Warcote, whose writing made readers all over the world fall in love with St. Lucia. In The Sea is history. He captured the many opportunities and challenges that maritime nations have faced throughout history. Taiwan and St. Lucia are small countries and we both face challenges brought about by geography, access to resources and climate change. Yet we have both walked the long road to democratization. We respect the value of human rights and democracy. The shared journey gives us a duty to work together to achieve regional stability, freedom and democracy. Once again, I want to thank both Senator President Gerardi McIntire and Speaker Daniel for giving me this opportunity to address you all. Your government and people have been true friends to Taiwan. May all countries enjoy a sustainable future and lasting friendship. Thank you. Today, we welcome President Tai Ing-wen of the Republic of China Taiwan to the sacred halls of our parliamentary body of representative government. Kindly put me, Madam President Tai, to convey on behalf of the parliament our gratitude, thanks and appreciation to you, your government and the wonderful people of Taiwan for your kind support and assistance in many areas of cooperation. This we value and recognize on the basis of our mutual trade in the emotional currency of respect, friendship, appreciation, support and truth. This our shared covenant is expressly manifested through the love of our peoples bounded by dignity and the appreciation of democratic principles. Madam President, I want to assure you that the cherished bonds of harmony and accord that we share between the hellen of the West Indies and the hidden jewel of Asia is far more than the social science of production, distribution and consumption of goods and services that define economics in a broader sense. Madam President, our support and enmity for Taiwan was not conceived out of a fetish to be popular, not safe. It is born out of a clear sense of devotion to each other, steadfastness, attachment and allegiance which signal to us that you are a provocative listener and prepared always to help our causes which need assistance. More fundamentally, Madam President, St. Lucia will always remain a friend to Taiwan under the yoke of the torch of liberty and freedom. Madam President, our principal belief in mutual support and of repress, reciprocity tells us that you equally value such a code of character. Similarity of our topography, of our homelands, often resulting on merciful pounding of mother nature to catastrophic effect. After the aftermath of Typhoon Morrocott in August 2009, St. Lucia made a contribution to your recovery. Ambassador Tom Chu, on receiving the contribution said, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of China on Taiwan and the people who suffered most, I would like to express my appreciation to Mr. King and the people of St. Lucia for your generosity. St. Lucia is a true friend of Taiwan and I think Typhoon Morrocott has bonded us together. And our then Prime Minister, Hon. Stephen King, said, this may be considered small, but I believe it is a symbolic demonstration of our support and appreciation and also to give our moral support of Taiwan to show that we in St. Lucia value that very significant relationship between our countries. Though our contribution then of U.S. 100,000 was a mere token from the crevices of St. Lucia's heart, we know that you value and appreciate our generosity of spirit. President Tsai, it was only last night I gain knowledge that you are from the Ping-Tong Kong. In October 2017, I visited Taiwan for the celebration of your 106th Independence Anniversary and there I met a gentleman also from Ping-Tong Kong. He insisted then that our delegation had to visit Ping-Tong. We had no regrets. It is indeed a picturesque town. Sujiat Yang, President of the Legislative Yang, has been since 2017 a dear friend to St. Lucia and to me personally. I invited him to St. Lucia to be part of our Independence celebrations and he assured me that once time permitted he would visit St. Lucia and true to his word, this year he celebrated our 40th Independence with us. Though what commitment meant you could not have been here on the day in question as we continue to celebrate our young year-long celebrations, we are indeed grateful that you are here in St. Lucia. We, Madam President, we are indeed grateful that President Su, yourself and other members of your delegation have been here and are here with us. For you, Madam President, we express gratitude, deepest gratitude to President Su and to all members of your team who have visited us within our 40th year of our Independence. In the words of Gilbert Chestnut, I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought and that gratitude is the happiest, happiness double by wonder. I thank you, Madam President. We have heard a very inspiring speech there coming from President Tsai Lin-Wen that her speech was founded on the principles of democracy, freedom, caring, making sure that allied nations are not just in step with Taiwan politically, not just pushing the cause of Taiwan on the international stage. Taiwan has been at the forefront as the President indicated there of global health issues and the fight continues for Taiwan to be embraced in the World Health Assembly. Countries like Senusha, allied nations, or two, Taiwan, have been in that fight. We also heard the President speak to the the Hironor International Airport. Taiwan is providing the loan financing for the project, which is the largest single capital project in St. Lucia. The Hironor International Airport is due to be completed in 2020, the third quarter of 2020, and the President said emphatically that the involvement, this business relation there, Taiwan is not seeking or certainly it's not going to be of a debt trap, as the President indicated there has been tremendous concern because it is a very large undertaking as a project costly as well, and there's been concerns across the board as to how this project is going to impact Senusha financially and the President has stated emphatically as I indicated that the Taiwan, that relationship is not going to be one where there is debt. So interestingly promise the same type and castries last of August established ties and municipal relations and at this very moment we have in President's side take that very very short walk across the Constitution Park and there the launch of the second phase of the GI-Net project is going to happen. Yes, Lisa she also emphasized you know the Taiwan's commitment to providing medical and healthcare expertise providing the training for medical and healthcare of course she also indicated the continued assistance to Senusha students develop professional skills. I don't know if you can recall just when the President of the Senate Mrs. McIntyre she also welcomed the President in Cuyol so I think it's fitting that we should add a little Cuyol to the proceeding here. Absolutely, absolutely. Ok, Mrs. Madam when and where this is going to be President Taiwan President Nef this is the first time that the visitation has started and now we are going to have a good ceremony and then we are going to visit each other each one in GNS and the activities will be certainly in Taiwan. Before we end your last proceedings here and what will be your later on today? I just want to say quickly Prime Minister that we spoke quite a bit on the students returning to Senusha and you heard the President say that they are coming back with skills but also new ideas because often that part of the world it's about innovation and that is what drives the economy and so I know quite a number of Senushans who have studied over in Taiwan and when they come back they come back with they refreshed, energized and you see new things in that part of the world and you want to be able to allow St. Lucian to step in stride with that and so we are forever grateful in St. Lucian for that influence that Taiwan is having where we have a new thinking coming out of our students who have been there stay tuned to the Government Information Service National Television Network because coming up very shortly we'll be having that launch we've been speaking about of the GI-Net project the second phase of that which is helping Senusha bridge the digital divide and Ryan O'Brien will be with you for that leg of the activities where we are celebrating the official visit of the President of Taiwan President Tsai Lingwen I am Lisa Joseph behalf of Primers Hutchinson thank you so much for being with us