 It is my pleasure this morning to welcome you to Viewfort Comprehensive, the best school on the island of St. Lucia. We are here this morning, as Ms. Alfred would have said, in honor of the Taiwanese embassy and their generous donation, not only to the government of St. Lucia, but by extension, Viewfort Comprehensive Secondary School. This kind donation and support from the embassy and from the Ministry of Education towards the realization of our multimedia room, sorry, for the enhancement of the student experience at Viewfort Comprehensive is one we will not and cannot deny. COVID, we know, offered an opportunity to re-energize, re-imagine our teaching learning processes at Viewfort Comprehensive. And it offered us as well an opportunity to improve the use of multimedia in education and to change the landscape of instruction at Viewfort Comprehensive. And for this, we are thankful. And I know we have many of our staff members who are eager lining up already for use of this multimedia room. So if there's anything I can promise, sir, is that this is not going to be a room just for show. I know our teachers will use the technology and use it well to ensure that the experiences of our students are that much more enriching. The room will also afford the opportunity for our students and the staff to become content creators in their fields. And I'm saying it will, knowing full well that some of our teachers and our students have already started on the journey of content creation thanks to the opportunities that COVID presented. It will also offer us an opportunity to literally have it all at our fingertips as we expand the experiences and build capacity for both students and staff. Our school mission remains towards creating students who are worthwhile contributors to our society. And we know technology is just one tool that we can use to ensure that these children are really ready to compete on a global landscape. It can never replace the outstanding teachers such as we have at Viewfort Comprehensive Secondary School. I think we need to give our teachers a hand. And as I end my welcome, I will reference a quote by Bill Gates, which says, teaching technology sorry is just a tool. In terms of getting our students working together and motivating them, the teacher is the most important. And so we say thank you again and welcome to all of you as we proceed with this handover ceremony this morning. When I attended this Viewfort Senior Secondary School as it was known at the time during the tenure of the sister, Asin James, as our principal. The only screen I remembered seeing was a small tube tunnel television and a color television at it. And it was mostly operated at the time by Kennedy Bootsamiel and Kenne Leapolet. And that would be on occasion, let's say of Immuncy Patient Day or certain world events. And one I remember in particular was the death of the Honorable Lester Bob Mali where all of us cramped in the auditorium, the concrete auditorium. You know, all of us trying to get a little peek at that screen to look at the events surrounding his death. So that's the only kind of major technology we knew at the time. And even phones growing up in Sufreit, it was a luxury and only a few families had phones. And yet even to answer the phone was something no child would have been involved in. And you know, the normal thing that would happen on a normal day at home is the phone would ring and some auntie would call and they would give it to you for a short while and repeat off from your ears because somebody have to say hello to. And so those were luxuries we enjoyed and we just saw, we heard it ring and could have done nothing about it. And now, if you thought that was back in the day, the first computer I use as a young boy when I was in America was the Commodore 64. I don't know if any one of you are familiar with a Commodore 64. It's one of the first home computers made available to people. And it carried a DOS operating system, nothing like you know now. This system booted straight into a basic interpreter which was stored in a room only. It was a kind of a BIOS right now used in a normal PC. And the command line was just a basic command line which had things like just load, save, run, and new. And sometimes you get a delete button. It was a green screen with little lines on it, okay? Nothing as we have today, okay? So today we have come along a very, very long way. Today we are here to officially commission the second multimedia smart classroom opened in the Caribbean, I was told. And St. Joseph Convent being the first on Ireland. With eight recording classrooms to be completed this year, I am happy that our Viewfort Conference of School is completed and will be utilized properly in an effort to boost the excitement and the anticipation of other communities yet to be completed. With the difficulties created by COVID-19 and other world events attempted to cripple the free movement of people including new students, I was told that this new innovative recording classroom will assist our students in viewing lectures they cannot attend in person, repeat lectures in an effort to better understand the subject matter or simply to review lectures during their free time. I was also informed that this system can support a lot more and I can only hope we maximize its functions as we improve on the use of technology in education in our country. As Mayor of Viewfort and as a past student of this school, I am grateful for the support given through the International Cooperation and Development Fund, Taiwan ICDF and I know they remain dedicated to boosting our socioeconomic development, enhancing human resources and promoting economic relations in St. Lucia and I can now proudly say in Viewfort, our comprehensive school. The information and communication technology and education project and the support from the government and people of Taiwan, China cannot come at a better time in our community before all what is going on. Your Excellency, I thank you for your continued support of Viewfort South and by extension St. Lucia and await your continued innovative and collaborative approach in making our students journey and exciting and rewarding one in the area of information, communication and technology. I feel honored to be part of the ribbon cutting today and I thank you and hope that there is much more to come in Viewfort South. When I listened to our principal and our mayor, I could have heard the, I got the enthusiasm, the excitement even portrayed by the staff in here. So I'm very pleased that this is a very exciting day. We are here today with our friends from the Republic of China, Taiwan who continue to provide assistance in a number of ways to the education of the children of St. Lucia. One of the Ministry of Education's strategic priorities is the strengthening of our E-education ecosystem in order to better facilitate the integration of ICTS in the teaching and learning process. It is no secret, we all know that we are living in a technological era and it is very important that we reposition ourselves and do whatever it takes to enable our children and citizens to be on par with the rest of the world. As we move steadfastly and fostering this agenda, we continue to face many barriers and challenges on a daily basis, especially when it comes to the necessary ICT infrastructure. We are therefore very pleased that the Taiwanese government continues to provide this much needed support in the pursuit of this ICT in education agenda. I am delighted to note also that the Taiwanese government in addition to providing ICT devices and equipment to a number of schools over the past years, that a total of eight fully functional smart classrooms are being constructed this year around the island and before comprehensive secondary school is the first school in the south of the island to benefit from this initiative. As you can see, this air conditioned smart classroom has been outfitted with two 65 inch smart televisions, motion detection cameras, speakers and a central control monitoring server. The rehabilitation of this room was outsourced to the Sapa Lewis Community College. We are pleased that this smart classroom will allow classes to be recorded and also live stream. Thus, it creates many opportunities, including, and the mayor would have mentioned some, but I just would like to reiterate some of them. We play in lectures so that students can review and reinforce the concepts of what is thought at any given time. Allowing students who are absent from school for whatever reason, whether they are sick, to be able to follow class from home or wherever they are. Additionally, a class from another school should be able to join virtually when the teaching of a, especially some of our difficult topics are being taught by a more proficient teachers. We know that they are different. When we look at the chemistry concepts and some of the mathematical concepts, we know that we have some good, we have some very good teachers across the island and it is a very good thing that we can share or even live stream simultaneously to other schools around the island. Viewport comprehensive, principal, teachers, students, I implore you to take advantage of this opportunity presented here and make the most effective use of this smart classroom. Use the resources to make your classroom come alive. Provide a greater reach and a more authentic education to the young minds of Viewport and its environs who will very soon be the future leaders of our nation. Your Excellency, we appreciate the efforts and hard work of your team, especially Joanna who has been running around doing whatever it takes to make these things to see these initiatives through. We are very pleased that the ICDF project has been able to facilitate smart classrooms to allow our students and teachers to harness the technologies, facilitate higher levels of digital literacy and media fluency in pursuit of the development of a diverse, educated and resilient people. This kind of support and commitment will continue to ensure that our citizens are 21st century compliant and that we are able to meet our local, our regional, our international commitments, including the attainment of the sustainable development goals. Again, on behalf of the Ministry of Education, I wish to express our sincere gratitude to the government and people of the Republic of China, Taiwan for this initiative and your continued support to the education of the children of St. Lucia. It's my great pleasure to attend the opening ceremony for the multi-media smart classroom in view for comprehensive secondary school today. I would like to extend my appreciation to former Prime Minister, Honorable Dr. Kenny Ansaris, staunch and continued support for Taiwan and St. Lucia's bilateral cooperation project, as well as cross friendship with both value. And his presence today is another testimony. I would also like to commend Mayor Sirio Sartobos, my old friend, for devoting much effort in the community and education development in view for. This multi-media smart classroom is one of the two we have built in St. Lucia. And it's one of the achievements under Taiwan's ICT in Education project through collaboration, inspiration and partnership with Ministry of Education. For that, I would like to thank the leadership and efforts of Honorable Education Minister, Sean Edwards and all the colleagues from the Ministry of Education and Taiwan Technical Commission. And we already heard Mr. Kodra and Principal mentioned and also Mayor mentioned a lot of the function and benefits of all the equipment. I think this multi-media smart classroom will not only make study more interesting and more attractive, but also is a timely instrument for digital transformation, which will be part of living of the next generation. And I'm glad to hear from a principal that most of teachers and students are eager and excited to use this new equipment. And I also know some teachers from school have participated in our workshop under ICT in Education project. That will make the most of this classroom and offering benefits for students of view for comprehensive security school. Taiwan will continue to work with the government of Sanusha to provide top-notch opportunities for its education. Thank you. A few days ago, I participated in a ceremony to signal the commencement of the distribution of laptops to form two students in this My Alma Mater. On that occasion, I wore a blue shirt and matching gray pants in honor of my school and to signal my deep respect and affection for this institution. Today, I wear a picture to honor not just the school but the young ladies who make up the school population and who over the years have graduated from this institution equally with honor and distinction. No one then, remote as it may be, can accuse me of gender bias. At the ceremony to distribute the laptops, I shared with those present a few random thoughts on the dramatic advancements taking place in digital education throughout the world and why our engagement and involvement were vital to our survival. It seems that I'm on a roll these days because a couple of days before that, in a similar, in an address to the principal's association, I spent quite some time alerting them to the need to rethink, reprocess, to re-energize and to adjust to the realities of ICT technology in education. I am of course delighted to be back to be a witness to another milestone in digital education, this time the formal opening of this multimedia classroom, designed as you heard, financed and outfitted by the government of the Republic of China, Taiwan, through its embassy here in St. Lucia. Of course, this is a welcome initiative in more ways than one. It is symbolic of the friendship that exists between St. Lucia and Taiwan. But more deeply, it signals a friendship that has been nursed over time, but fundamentally coming from a country that understands the value of technology and has been an exporter of technology to the world at large. There is perhaps no better place country in the world to share experience with us in these matters than the Republic of China, Taiwan, because of their long history of involvement, the development of technology. As you have already heard, our school, the View Fort Senior Comprehensive Secondary, was selected as a first school in the South to be fitted with a multimedia classroom. Of course, despite the fact that I am the parliamentary representative of two secondary schools, I would quickly say that it could not have been otherwise for the very simple reason that this school has been in existence since 1963, and I remain a perpetual guardian of its interests. But you know, in passing, I want to note, and this is just a digression, Madam Principal, that we still continue to name our school the View Fort Senior Comprehensive School. We have had several mutations of the name of this school, and I hope, Madam Principal, that sometime soon we can rename our school to properly capture its extraordinary history and accomplishments. Now, please, please, please. I get into trouble from time to time because I can imagine the whispers, hey, him, hey, him, he wants a school name after him. Please, Mr. Principal, I'm not interested. And I'm not championing that this school be named after me as I have repeatedly said I expect and want no recognition or honor for my service to my constituency and country that has always been my position. I just want to dwell in the hearts of men, women, and citizens, no more, nothing less. But let me return to the business at hand. As you heard, there are several components to this project, and I don't want to dwell on that anymore, except that I want to emphasize it. We are receiving the latest technology, technology fashioned by this extraordinary country, Taiwan. This multimedia smart class room will offer several benefits to those who make use of it. It will bring new learning experiences to both teachers and students. And despite the fact that I am repeating some of what you have heard, as a teacher, a former teacher, I'm going to repeat them because, you know, repetition is a key to learning. And if you notice a few moments ago, it was emphasized that after you've been initially exposed to the first lecture or exchange with your teachers, you have the opportunity to review and repeat that experience, again, the value of repetition. So I'm just being the teacher that I've always known myself to be. The internet learning management systems and access to online content have expanded the borders of classrooms and altered learning styles. Digital revolutions have shaped every aspect of learning. A classroom is no longer a physical space. And I wanted to grasp the enormity and significance of this because even as lawyers, we are now beginning to understand that legal practice need not take place inside a courthouse anymore. That a lot of our legal work is being done online. And if I were to tell you that some of us may appear that we are dressed with a jacket, but what's below the jacket is a different thing. And all of that, all you have to be careful is that you never stand up because if you stand up, you're in serious trouble. Especially if you have an early session of court at 9 a.m. and then you are rushing and hurrying. So I say this perhaps in exaggeration to bring home to you that the physical classroom is not only going to be the learning place or the sole learning space. The concept of the classroom has changed. It is known that high quality video content can help keep students more engaged and interested in the learning subject. Video lecture material is much easier to grasp if the picture and sound are crisp and clear. Additionally, students build a better connection with a teacher whom they can see and hear clearly. I'm from the old school and I still believe that body language has a lot to do with interaction. So if you can see your lecturer and watch his mannerisms and his habits, how he's using his hands, his facial features, and then of course the poetry that accompanies his use of language, it makes the learning experience more exciting and more attractive. As you heard, an outstanding feature of this system is the ability to play back recorded lectures. This means that students can learn and review in their own way at their own pace the teaching experiences presented to them. This feature is particularly helpful to those students who may have disabilities or learning challenges or may prefer to learn in a specific way and embrace what works best for them. So I am also thinking of those special students among us who initially appear to us to be slow learners, but through of course continuous engagement, they do as well as other students. But in any event, as I said to you, don't despair that you have to repeat a subject matter because it does take time sometimes to grasp the written word. And all of us need to do that from time to time. None of us can master material at the very first engagement. So I simply want to say that some students also need to hear lessons more than once to grasp and comprehend the subject material. And again, I repeat, this is normal because I can tell you that sometimes even when we read, we have to read and reread material to grasp and understand what is presented to us. The good thing is that students can re-watch lectures as many times as they want or need without worrying about slowing down the rest of the class. So this is an excellent opportunity for those who have different needs, different abilities to learn in accordance with their skills, in accordance with the rate at which they learn and in accordance with the times within which they can digest the material that they learn. Cushally, the multimedia smart classroom expands live stream lessons to audiences outside of the traditional classroom setting. With the permission of teacher students at another school can share the class recording and also benefit from them. And how pleased I was to hear that your teachers are trying to extend their skills to other schools. This is exciting with great possibilities. More collaboration and interactions among students, teachers, and schools can be realized and enhanced. Actually, such cooperation has been underutilized in the past so we now have an opportunity to explore new synergies. And I'm saying all of this just to mention that I would be really very pleased if the teachers of this school can in turn share lectures with other schools in other parts of the island. Whether, of course, it be St. Mary's or St. Joseph's, or for that matter, secondary school in Dennery or in Mikuoy or in Sousa. And never forget what I've always preached. Never let any other school feel they're better than you. Never ever, never ever. So I am looking forward to great production from our teachers at this school as they enter and share and export their experiences. I also like the versatility of the experience. The recording lecture facility supports access to versatile learning groups which previously was limited by the physical learning environment. Students can show their talents to the world with the adopted technology. The only limitation is their imaginations. And that's your limitation. And just think for a moment. In this classroom, you can develop your productions and share it with students in Taiwan, in Canada, in the United States, in Norway, in Holland, in Siberia. Think of all of these possibilities. It is for the students to tap into their imaginations and for teachers to guide and inspire them. As has been said repeatedly, the learning experience is best when it is inspiring, interesting, beneficial and enjoyable. No doubt, the KASIP Wi-Fi program, which I had the honor to initiate and comment several years ago, will be helpful as it facilitates all primary and secondary schools with access to steady, reliable internet connections. That project, too, was financed by the Republic of China, Taiwan, for which I am forever grateful. So everything then seems to be falling into place. Years ago, when we did these isolated things, it was never understood or appreciated. And how time is such a wonderful teacher. There's a way that time helps us to understand what seemed incomprehensible. Just as I said to the students when you were delivering the laptops, that when the laptops were introduced, the value was never understood, never appreciated. And today, COVID. And finally, the significance has been brought home to our students, our teachers and our parents. So all is really falling into place. And I want to say thanks again to Taiwan, ICDF, which provides support for the state of our smart classroom. An example, as you've already heard, of the many smart classrooms which will be installed in schools around the island. And I want to pay respect, too, to the relationship between the Ministry of Education and the Republic of China, Taiwan, through the ICT and Education Project, jointly fashioned by the parties, but inspired by initiatives of the past. With students harnessing technology, a higher level of digital literacy and media fluency can be achieved. We are on our way, and now it is for us to maximize the opportunities which we have been given. Thank you all and all, and I wish you the very best in this new and exciting journey.