Hubert Emmanuel, Saint Lucia's first ambassador to the ROC, presented his credentials to President Ma Ying-jeou on the morning of December 3 at the Presidential Office Building. The president warmly welcomed Ambassador Emmanuel to his new post and expressed his wishes for the prosperity of both nations and a long-lasting friendship.
In remarks, President Ma noted that Ambassador Emmanuel was serving as permanent secretary in St. Lucia's Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries when the ROC and St. Lucia resumed diplomatic relations in 2007. In that position he made a great contribution to bilateral agricultural cooperation by helping the ROC carry out various agricultural technology exchange programs in St. Lucia (e.g. cultivation of tropical fruits and vegetables, freshwater fish and shrimp, and orchids), and encouraged officials in his ministry to take part in professional workshops organized by the ROC. In addition, during his term as permanent secretary in St. Lucia's Ministry for External Affairs, International Trade and Civil Aviation, Ambassador Emmanuel spoke on numerous occasions in support of the ROC's participation in international activities and organizations, and helped the ROC gain visa-free treatment for its nationals upon entry to the Caribbean nations of Barbados, the Bahamas, and Antigua and Barbuda.
President Ma noted that Ambassador Emmanuel's two daughters have both studied in Taiwan on scholarships. His elder daughter, after graduating from National Taiwan Ocean University, returned to St. Lucia and presently serves in the Ministry of Agriculture, while his second daughter is currently earning excellent grades in her studies at I-Shou University's School of Medicine For International Students.
Noting that St. Lucia has always been known as the "Pearl of the Caribbean" and the "Helen of the West Indies" because of its great beauty, President Ma mentioned that he once visited St. Lucia, and that the local history as well as the friendly people made a deep impression on him. St. Lucia Prime Minister Kenny Anthony also visited the ROC twice, once in November 2013 and again in this past June. During those visits, the two sides exchanged views and signed joint communiques to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
Commenting on the subject of bilateral cooperation and exchange, President Ma pointed out that St. Lucia is an important diplomatic ally of the ROC's in the Caribbean region. The two nations have close dealings relating to infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, information communication technology, and education, and the results have been significant. To encourage foreign students to study in Taiwan, the ROC government also administers the Taiwan Scholarship and Huayu Enrichment Scholarship programs. Under those programs, 81 students from St. Lucia are currently studying in Taiwan on scholarships, while another 30 have already completed their studies and have returned to St. Lucia to contribute their talents to society.
President Ma expressed his gratitude to St. Lucia once again for speaking up on behalf of the ROC in international organizations, supporting our participation in such bodies as the International Civil Aviation Organization, the World Health Organization, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The president further expressed his wishes for the prosperity of both nations and a long-lasting friendship.