 Good morning, delegates. Morning, everyone. Madam Chair of the Special Committee on Decolonization, members of the Bureau and other members of the committee, representatives of other United Nations member states, representatives of non-self-governing territories, experts delegates from civil society, officials of United Nations agencies, members of United Nations Secretariat, members of the diplomatic corps. Let me recognize Excellency Ambassador Mennisa Rambali of St. Lucia. I notice the Ambassador to Cuba and the Ambassador Republic of China, Taiwan, and other members of the local diplomatic corps. On behalf of the governments and people of St. Lucia, I wish to extend to you a warm welcome to our beautiful country. For these delegations from Africa, I wish to welcome you home in the sixth region of Africa. For those of you who are visiting the Caribbean for the first time, I also wish to welcome you to our region, to a country that advances through a process of self-determination and independence under the watchful eye of the United Nations, including the Special Committee on Decolonization. It's now 43 years since our independence here in St. Lucia. And during these four decades, we have given honor to our act of self-determination by growing and protecting our democracy. General elections have been held freely and fairly in accordance with the electoral calendar established by our Constitution. And the will of the people has regularly changed governments as the people have so desired. But decolonization for us has to be more than reason the flag of independence. It must mean that our people know, understand, and appreciate our history, our heritage. And so my government will be making the teaching of African and Caribbean history an integral part of the school curriculum. Beginning this year too, we'll give more meaning to our independence by commemorating the anniversary of our emancipation from slavery in August on a grand scale for the first time. And let me add that is in keeping with our goal to expand our diplomatic relations with countries of Africa. My address here this morning, this opening ceremony of the 2022 Pacific Regional Seminar on the implementation of the Fourth International Decade for the eradication of colonialism, is of special significance because it's another milestone in Saint Lucia's close relationship with the Special Committee of 24. In 1999, Saint Lucia for the first time hosted a Caribbean regional seminar which produced a number of important recommendations for the consideration of UN member states. But more importantly, since then, four of our permanent representatives to the UN have served as chair of the Special Committee of Decolonization. Ambassador Sir Julian R. Hunt, 2005 to 2006. Ambassador O. Stephen Huntley, 2001 to 2003. Ambassador Anthony Severin, 2006. And Ambassador Donata St. Amy, 2010. This partnership of the Special Committee is part of Saint Lucia's contribution to the political, socioeconomic, and constitutional development of non-self-governing territories globally and an affirmation of its firm support for the work of the C-24. The regional seminars have been highly useful in assessing the special characteristics of small island territories. They have provided a unique opportunity for vital, international contacts among representatives of small island, non-self-governing territories, as well as for sharing experiences and challenges along the path towards the full measure of self-governments. The Caribbean has a special interest in the successful self-determination process of the small island territories in our region. The advancement to full self-government is a core issue for the Caribbean for regard the non-self-governing territories as integral parts of the economic, political, and social fabric of the Caribbean. Both independent and non-independent countries enjoy a high level of economic and social integration with our regional institutions. This is evidenced by the associates of full membership of three non-self-governing territories, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, and Montshoch in the organization of Eastern Caribbean states, OECS, headquartered right here in St. Lucia. Both Montshoch and Anguilla share our Eastern Caribbean dollar as its official currency, and both are members of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank. Five of the seven Caribbean non-self-government territories, Bermuda, Turks and Caicos Islands, Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands, and Anguilla are associate members of the Caribbean community, Caricom, while Montshoch enjoys full membership, most benefit from assistance from the Caribbean Development Bank. As is the case of regional institutions, the United Nations has an important territory role to play in the future development process of these territories. The successful decolonization of over 80 territories since World War II reflects the effectiveness of this historical role. These advancements were successful in large measure because of the adherence to the parameters of self-determination set forth by United Nations General Assembly in its landmark resolution 1541 of 1960, which defined the three legitimate political options for non-self-government territories based on the fundamental principle of absolute political equality. It is understood that these principles set forth in resolution 1541 as a companion resolution to the decolonization declaration must continue to be the guiding standards applicable to small island non-self-government territories just as the standards used to decolonize former colonies. However, we must be pragmatic and recognize that it was in 1998 that the UN declared the period 1990 to 2000 as the international decade for the eradication of colonialism and that we have now entered a fourth decade and the process is yet to be completed. In fact, it has been said that we are witnessing a period of stagnation. This has been compounded by the fact that the present non-self-government arrangements do not meet the recognized criteria of full self-government. It is as ironic but timely for the C-24 to recognize the unsatisfactory nature of these non-self-government arrangements that this seminar is being held during a governance crisis in the British Virgin Islands in which the United Kingdom has indicated its intention to impose direct rule on the BVI. This has been soundly condemned by the organization of Eastern Caribbean States, OECS, and in reforming St. Lucia's support for this position, let me quote from the statement of the OECS authority on 2nd May, 2022. And I quote, the OECS has noted the position taken by the duty elected government of the BVI, which, while welcoming the recommendations arising from the inquiry, rejects the intention of the British government to impose direct rule on the BVI. It is clear to us that in principle, it is ill-advised to impose direct colonial rule and the history of such imposition in the Caribbean has never delivered the desired results. The OECS concludes with the elected representatives or the people of the BVI. The abolition of parliament with direct rule from London represents a retrograde step in the evolution of the democratic process that is inconsistent in the United Nations' proclamation of human rights to be free of colonial rule. The UN declaration on granting independence to colonial countries and people's resolution, 151 of 1960, is an international commitment to which Britain is itself bound. The theme for this 2022 regional seminar is advancement of the non-self-governing territories through the coronavirus disease pandemic. As you all know, the COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating. Neither the government's status of countries, nor the political colors of their peoples, have mattered in this rampage. And it would have made the process of decolonization a tough task. It has taken ingenuity, hardiness, patience, and acceptance of new modes of doing things for countries to recover from and successfully cope with COVID-19. If decolonization is to be advanced in this COVID environment, then the C-24 must adopt these same principles. There is therefore much work ahead, some of it quite complex, if there is to be successful decolonization for the remaining of the non-self-governing territories. We can no longer afford the continued repetition of process, which finds continual reaffirmation of the mandates without accountability for implementation. As the former chair of the committee from Papagini, famously said in the 1990s, we must begin to think outside the basket to find solutions to advancing the decolonization process. In this regard, I want to recognize the work of St. Lucia's former chairs of the C-20 in 2001 and 2003, Ambassador Earl Huntley caused the special committee to act outside the basket. Distinguished participants, it is our fervent hope that the recommendations that will be derived from these proceedings will be integrated to the extent possible in the resolutions with the accompanying financial and professional resources made available for the implementation. Of course, within the framework of your deliberations, we encourage you to take time to visit our beautiful St. Lucia, the land of two pitons, the both piece of two Nobel laureates, and an island for our rich, vibrant culture and traditions, an island for you to savor. I wish you well in your deliberations and formally declare open this 2022 Pacific Regional Seminar on the implementation of the fourth international decade for the eradication of colonialism and the advancement of non-safety territories through the coronavirus pandemic and beyond. I thank you.