Young Saint Lucian entrepreneurs now have greater opportunities to succeed, thanks to a Technical Cooperation Agreement (TCA) signed between the Taiwan Technical Mission (TTM) and Youth Economy Agency (YEA) on Tuesday, April 30, 2024.
With financial and other support from the Taiwan Technical Mission, 420 young Saint Lucians will be able to participate in advanced training workshops, thereby equipping them with the skills needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving economy. They will also receive training in investment to help them become more financially literate and empowered.
The young entrepreneurs will also get the opportunity to represent Saint Lucia at the prestigious Global Youth Trends Forum in Taiwan, to not only expand their horizons, but also create valuable networking opportunities. Moreover, 420 youth will receive grants of up to $1,000.00.
In his remarks at the signing ceremony held at the YEA’s office on Chaussee Road, Castries, H.E. Peter Chia-Yen Chen, Taiwan’s Ambassador to Saint Lucia, congratulated the YEA for its remarkable achievements and transformative impact of various initiatives on the lives of young Saint Lucians through a variety of interventions over the past year.
“By providing access to funding, mentorship, networking opportunities and capacity-building workshops, YEA has been steadfast in its mission to nurture the entrepreneurial spirit among the youth, and the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) is glad to have a reliable and trusty partner like YEA so that our program can run successfully,” said Ambassador Chen.
Ambassador Chen also commended Hon. Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre’s pledge for the youth economy, and his leadership and commitment in creating an enabling environment where young entrepreneurs can thrive and innovate, and where every young person has the opportunity to fulfill their aspirations. On behalf of the Government of Taiwan, Ambassador Chen also presented five laptops to YEA.
“Together with the Government of Saint Lucia and partnering organizations, we can harness the power of youth entrepreneurship to drive innovation, create jobs, and foster sustainable economic growth,” Ambassador Chen said.
Hon. Philip J. Pierre, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Economic Development and the Youth Economy & Minister for Justice and National Security, thanked the Government of Taiwan for continuing to invest in the people of Saint Lucia, including making a difference in the lives of young people.
“Ambassador, I want to tell you that you are doing for this agency something that I cherish,” Hon. Pierre said in his remarks. “I really cherish it because this country cannot survive if the young people in this country do not buy into a certain level of philosophy…of being better than their parents. This generation must do better than the last generation.”
According to Mr. Bryan Vidal, Chief Executive Officer of the YEA, the financial support from the Taiwanese Government will empower young entrepreneurs to launch or scale their businesses, drive innovation and create jobs within the micro, small, and medium enterprises sector.
“These initiatives are not just about providing resources; they are about building a brighter future for our youth, fostering closer collaboration between agencies engaged in youth development, and ultimately contributing to the economic growth of our nation,” said Vidal.
Meanwhile, Mr. Thomas Leonce, Chairman of YEA, expressed gratitude to the Government of Taiwan, saying that unwavering financial and technical support from Taiwan has been instrumental in the YEA getting its footing.
“The Republic of China (Taiwan) has become more than a friendly contributor to the YEA, more like family, in a short space of time,” Leonce said. “The initial show of confidence back in 2022 may very well have served as an impetus for other countries, agencies and entities to get involved and to get behind the mission of the Youth Economy Agency.”