Over the past few years, the Taiwanese Embassy, through its various arms, has undertaken a remarkable list of projects locally that must be highlighted. Under the leadership of Ambassador Nicole Y. C. Su, ably assisted by personnel from the Taiwan Technical Mission {TTM} and the International Cooperation and Development Fund {ICDF}, some groundbreaking and much needed initiatives have been implemented across the island. The implemented projects span a wide cross section from agriculture to public health and medicine, information and communication technology, environment and small and medium business enterprises.
The five main Taiwan ICDF projects in Saint Lucia seem like a list of carefully crafted initiatives geared for a growing population.
1. Capacity Building Project for the Prevention and Control of Metabolic Chronic Diseases in St. Lucia
The project will strengthen Saint Lucia’s metabolic chronic disease prevention by supporting policy development, improving hospital capacity and equipment, and enhancing community self-management through training, outreach, and international exchange.
2. Overseas Professional Mandarin Teaching Project
The Taiwan ICDF dispatches professional Mandarin teachers to provide Mandarin teaching services and promote Taiwanese culture with Sir Arthur Lewis Community College {SALCC}, St. Joseph’s Convent {SJC}, St. Mary’s College {SMC}, and Ministry of the Public Service of Saint Lucia.
3. Community Business Revitalization Project
Taiwan ICDF collaborates with the Ministry of commerce to build up a local industry facilitation system to revitalize the local economy by accelerating MSMEs Operations. The goal is to uplift the operating capacity of MSMEs in the Ministry of Commerce in the scope of 4 districts and a total of 90 enterprises with a 10% sales increase.
4. The Application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Digital Capacity Building Project in Saint Lucia
This project aims to assist the Ministry of Public Service in increasing the capacity for information and communication training sessions by 54%, in order to strengthen its capacity in conducting training, increase the training participation willingness of the private sectors and the general public’s Information and communication technology application capabilities.
5. Enhancing the efficiency of production-distribution supply chain in fruit and vegetable sector in St. Lucia (The second phase)
The agricultural information system and production and marketing adjustment mechanism have been established to strengthen the country’s agricultural production and improve the income of farmers, as well as build the resilience of the agricultural sector to mitigate the effects of climate change.
The Women’s Economic Empowerment Guarantee Project (Eastern Caribbean) also ranks high on the list of initiatives spearheaded by the TTM, and ICDF and consequently the Embassy of the Republic of China {Taiwan} in St. Lucia.