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President Tsai Ing-wen, continuing her Journey of Freedom, Democracy, and Sustainability, took a boat trip to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the Pinney's Beach seaside scenic park on the morning of July 14 local time (evening of July 14 Taipei time). The president praised the cooperative project as environmentally friendly, emphasizing local participation and sustainable design, making the project concept fully consistent with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Before heading to Nevis Island, the delegation first went to Timothy Hill, a popular local spot for selfies, to experience the beauty of St. Christopher and Nevis (SKN). Looking down from the Hill, you can see across the mountain to where two oceans meet, with the choppy seas of the Atlantic Ocean on the left and the placid Caribbean Sea on the right.
The delegation then departed for Nevis Island by water taxi. Upon arrival, President Tsai was greeted by Deputy Governor-General Hyleeta Liburd of the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) and her husband, and NIA Premier Mark Brantley (also SKN Foreign Minister) at the pier in Oualie Bay. The president then boarded a vehicle, heading for the site of a planned Pinney's Beach seaside scenic park to attend the park's groundbreaking ceremony.
The following is a translation of the president's remarks at the ceremony:
It is a great pleasure to see all of you here at Pinney's Beach. Before my arrival, I had already heard that this is one of the most popular destinations for visitors. Seeing it for myself, I understand why people are so enamored with this beautiful location.
Like Saint Christopher and Nevis, Taiwan boasts rich tourism resources. The number of foreign visitors to Taiwan has continued to grow over the past few years. That is why we are honored to be here to exchange experiences in tourism development, and join hands on the Pinney's Beach Park Project.
I wholeheartedly agree that tourism development should not just be about pursuing short-term gains; we must also ensure long-term sustainable development. This particular cooperation project is a true reflection of the UN Sustainable Development Goals: It is friendly to the environment, involves the local community, boasts a sustainable design, and pools resources from all sectors.
Construction will begin soon on the park, and I would like to point out one other unique aspect. The park will feature mosaic murals made by children from Taiwan and Saint Christopher and Nevis. Indeed, when completed, this park will serve as a monument to the deep friendship between our two countries.
I have the privilege of being the first President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to visit Nevis Island. To mark this special occasion, we've brought along representatives from Taiwan's tourism sector to explore commercial ventures. In the future, I look forward to even closer cooperation and even more tourism exchanges.
I want to thank Premier Brantley once again for the warm welcome. May construction on Pinney's Beach Park proceed smoothly, and may even more people from Taiwan and around the world come here to witness the beauty of Nevis Island.
Following her remarks, President Tsai and Premier Brantley took spades in hand and broke ground for the project, and jointly unveiled a model of the new scenic park.
