Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698834550856.pdf (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND FOREIGN TRADE Saint Vincent and the Grenadines D i p l o m a t i c C o u r i e r MAY - AUGUST 2021| Issue No.
2 Page 1 Page 31 Page 22 - 24 Page 14 -19 Page 5 Her Excellency I. Rhonda King (C.B.S) Awarded Kenya’s Chief in The First Class of the Order of The Burning Spear by President Uhuru Kenyatta Winners of the 2021 Mistry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade (MOFAFT) Annual Essay Writing Competition CARICOM Week of activities celebrated under the theme “I am CARICOM”.
ALBA-TCP Delegation visited St. Vincent and the Grenadines to coordinate humanitarian Bridge | Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 In Celebration of the one (1) year Anniversary of the Or- ganisation of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), Senator The Hon.
Keisal M. Peters, Minister of State With Responsibility For Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade shared the following message: “On behalf of the Government and People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, I would like to extend hearty congrat- ulations to the Organisation of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) in celebration of its first anniversary.

A single year in multilateral diplomacy can accomplish many things.
However, more often than not it is slower and harder than other bureaucratic processes.

We com- mend the OACPS for the advancements it has made thus far in so short a time and its commitment in fostering co- operation in all strategic sectors as a means of promoting the socioeconomic development of the Member States.

Senator The Hon.
Senator The Hon.

Keisal M. Peters, Minister of State with responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Organisation of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) in celebration of its first The theme for this year’s celebration “OACPS for the fu- ture: Transition.

Solidarity.

Unity” is fitting considering the unprecedented and challenging time during which we ex- ist, with persistent threats of a contracting global economy and supply chain disruption caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Now more than ever, multilateral mechanisms like the OACPS are fundamental as states transition to ensure a sustainable future for all Members in a spirit of unity and solidarity to surmount the extant challenges which con- front them.

Anniversary Moving forward, I trust that the fruitful cooperation amongst States of the OACPS, will continue to strengthen, as we deepen integration and continue to work together diligently on issues of common interest together.
Once more, Happy Anniversary to the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States.” Visit http://www.acp.int for more information on the OACPS The Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) is an organisation created by th-e Georgetown Agreement in 1975.
It is composed of African, Caribbean and Pacific States which are signatories to the Georgetown Agreement or the Partnership Agreement be- tween the OACPS and the European Union, officially called the "ACP-EC Partnership Agreement" or the "Cotonou Agreement".
The main goals of the OACPS are:  sustainable development of its Member States and their gradual integration into the global economy, which entails making poverty reduction a matter of priority and establishing a new, fairer, and more equitable world order;  coordination of the activities of the OACPS in the framework of the implementation of ACP-EC Partnership Agreements;  consolidation of unity and solidarity among ACP States, as well as understanding among their peoples; and,  establishment and consolidation of peace and stability in a free and democratic society.
| 2 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 The Government and People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines recognizes the life and legacy of the late Mr. Parnel Campbell QC, a former Deputy Prime Min- ister, Attorney General and Minister of Justice of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
He was a nation-building trailblazer who dedicated his adult life to the service of his country through his political activism, influence on constitutional reform, and his national public ser- vice television series “The Law and You”.

Mr. Campbell also served as a doctoral research student, a Lecturer in Law, and a Fellow of the Caribbean Law Institute.

In historical order, some of the highlights of Mr. Campbell’s career pursuits and achievements are herein outlined.
In January 1980, he became a private legal practitioner and in October 1985 he was award- ed the Honour of the Commander of the Royal Victori- an Order (C.V.O.)

by her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, in person.

In that same year, in November, Mr. Campbell was appointed as a Senator and Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly.
A Tribute to Mr. Parnel R Campbell, QC From 1986 to 2002, Mr. Campbell served as the elect- ed Chairman of the New Democratic Party, and during this time, in February 1987, he became an elected Member of Parliament.

In May 1989, Mr. Campbell was the elected representative for the constituency of Central Kingstown.

Notably, from May 1987 to Sep- tember 1995, Mr. Campbell was the Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Information.
As Attorney General, Mr. Campbell oversaw the completion and publication of the Revised Laws of St. Vincent and the Grenadines 1990, in eight volumes.

His efforts led to the creation of the Family Court in 1992, and he also piloted, directly or indirectly, over 300 pieces of legis- lation through Parliament between 1987 and 1995.

From February 1994 to September 1995, he was the Deputy Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Former Deputy Prime Minister, Attorney General and Minister of Justice of St. Vincent and the Grenadines In a thrust to educate and empower Vincentians about the law, in May 1997, Mr. Campbell produced and presented a television series on national television entitled “The Law and You”.

The programme continued, on Mondays, until the time of his death with 997 pro- grams being aired.
This, along with his numerous portfolios paved the way for him to have been awarded the distinction of Legal Lumi- nary by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Bar Association.

Subsequently, he served as the President of the St. Vincent and the Grena- dines Bar Association from October 2001 to August 2003.

In October 2002, he was appointed Queen’s Counsel and in November 2002, he was appointed the Deputy Chairman of the Constitutional Review Commission.
From September 2003 to December 2009, he was the Chairman of the Constitutional Review Commission.

During the last two decades of his life, Mr. Campbell was ordained as a Pastor in the Spiritual Baptist Archdiocese with the responsibil- ity to the St. Elizabeth Spiritual Baptist’s Cathedral from June 9, 2002.
In 2018, after the death of His Excellency Patriarch Edmund John, Chancellor Pastor PR Campbell was appointed as the Senior Pastor to head the St. Elizabeth Spiritual Baptist Cathedral at Belmont, and in 2019, he was appointed Dean of the said Cathedral.

He held those positions until the time of his death.
Mr. Campbell was married to Juliette Campbell for forty-seven years and leaves to mourn his six children: Denise Grant, Dr. Arusha Campbell-Chambers, Alpha Campbell, Bantu Campbell, Mandella Peters and Daniel Campbell, grandchildren, other relatives, and friends, as well as the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Mr. Parnel R. Campbell lived a full life, and a legacy that would forever be entrenched on the minds and hearts of Vincentians and the region.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade conveys best wishes to his family.
| 3 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 318 OECS Nationals Travel to Canada for Employment ALBA-TCP Delegation visited Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Information Sourced: OECS website @ https://pressroom.oecs.org/318-oecs-nationals-travel-to-canada-for-employment On Thursday, May 13th, the OECS Commission facilitated the 3rd flight to assist farm workers with travel to Canada.
This marks the 3rd chartered flight for 2021, since commercial flight cancellations between Canada and the Eastern Caribbean due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

they venture back to Canada for employment in the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec, and a new addition – Saskatchewan, where 2 women from the Commonwealth of Dominica will commence employment as the first OECS farm workers in that prov- ince.
to coordinate humanitarian bridge in the Canada-Caribbean Seasonal Agricultural Workers The OECS Commission, through its Eastern Caribbean Liaison Service (ECLS), has defied all odds to continue expanding participation of OECS nationals Programme – with over 1000 OECS workers in 2020 contributing approxi- mately EC$37 million dollars in remittances among the OECS and with similar expectations for 2021, amid the travel limitations and health risks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Strict COVID-19 ‘Health and Safety’ protocols continue to be reinforced by the OECS Commission in close collaboration with Ministries of Labour, Ministries of Health and Canadian authorities, prior to the departure of the workers.
Some of the revised 2021 Health and Safety protocols are as follows: The 1st chartered flight, scheduled to depart St. Vincent and the Grena- dines on April 9th was delayed due to the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano and the subsequent implementation of emergency security measures.
Despite these difficulties, the OECS Commission has since mobilised three (3) chartered flights to move 318 OECS nationals to Canada – in- cluding 152 workers from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, many of whom are from communities in the red or orange zones and have been staying in shelters since the volcanic eruption.
It is worth noting that these work- ers, along with their fellow OECS counterparts, will soon be gainfully employed and able to support their families and communities – this is especially important to the ongoing relief and rebuilding efforts in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Once again, OECS farm workers have displayed resilience and courage as  COVID-19 testing, within 72 hours prior to departure, so that test results can be presented on arrival in Canada;  Workers provided with travel kits containing face masks and hand sanitiser;  COVID-19 vaccinations administered to interested workers on arrival in Canada;  Workers to be quarantined for 14 days on arrival in Canada - WITH FULL PAY;  Additional supplementary insurance to cover workers for all eventu- alities, including with COVID-19;  Farm accommodations have been sanitised under the supervision of Canadian Health authorities and the ECLS; and  Each farm has an appointed worker representative and is part of a WhatsApp group with the ECLS team in Canada with 24-hour hotline support.
| 4 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 L-R: Hon.

Saboto Caesar, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries with H.E.

Raul LiCausi, Deputy Minister for the Caribbean of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and Mr. Sacha Llorenti, General Secretary of lba-TCP assessing the damages caused by the La Soufrière volcano.
ALBA-TCP Delegation visited Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to coordinate humanitarian bridge H. E. Raul LiCausi, Deputy Minister for the Caribbean of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and Mr. Sacha Llorenti, General Secretary of Alba-TCP met with Prime Minister, Dr.

The Hon.

Ralph E. Gonsalves and other Government Officials including the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Hon.

Saboto Caesar.
Saboto Caesar.

The delegation’s visit to St. Vincent was to coordinate and strengthen the humanitarian bridge activated by the member countries of this regional bloc of the Alba-TCP to assist the people affected by the eruption of La Soufrière volcano in early April.

Following the eruptions of the La Soufrière volcano, more than 14,000 persons were displaced and well over 100mil- lion dollars in losses and damages were registered.
The delegation also carried out an evaluation of the living conditions of the Sandy Bay area where there was the destruction of important farmlands and the loss of cattles.

The ALBA-TCP donated humanitarian aid to assist with the relief efforts which includes 280 tons of drinking water, 48 tons of supplies, bottled water, food, personal hygiene kits, 100 1-gallon water tanks and a base station for mobile communications, in addition to medicines and health personnel provided by the Republic of Cuba.
Venezuela also delivered 20 tons of humanitarian aid, 68 doctors and experts in natural disasters, including 15 members of the Simón Bolívar Humanitarian Task Force, and a navy ship to transport aid from the Caribbean’s allied countries.

The Government and People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines thanks the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and ALBA-TCP for providing the support to this country .
The Government looks forward to continuous cooperation with our friends and diplomatic allies as we work to strengthen the Caribbean and Latin American region.
****************************************************************************************************************** The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of our America (or ALBA for short) was founded on the 14th of December 2004 when Presidents Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Fidel Castro of Cuba signed protocols bringing the agreement into existence.
In its own terms the ALBA is defined as an “integration platform” whose fundamental purpose is to achieve “integral development” for Latin America and the Caribbean through a process of integration inspired by the likes of Simon Bolivar and José Marti.
Beyond a narrow focus upon trade which has tended to mark other regional agree- ments, the ALBA professes to be a “political, economic, and social alliance in defence of independ- ence, self-determination and the identity of peoples comprising it” (ALBA-TCP 2010a).
(National flags of the ALBA member countries from left to right: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Republic of Cuba, Plurinational State of Bolivia, Republic of Nicaragua, Commonwealth of Dominica, Repub- lic of Ecuador, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Grenada, and the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis).
| 5 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 PERMANENT MISSION OF SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES TO THE UNITED NATIONS 685 Third Avenue, Suite 1108, New York N.Y.10017 Svgmission@gmail.com COMMUNIQUE OF SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES ON THE MILITARY AGGRESSION OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL AGAINST THE STATE OF PALESTINE The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines strongly urges the Government of the State of Israel to cease its most recent military campaign against the State of Palestine.
We condemn attacks against Palestinians in East Jerusalem and Gaza and unilateral actions of the Israeli authorities with respect to Palestinian land.

Most recently, Israeli forces have attempted to remove Palestinians from Al-Haram Al- Sharif and Silwan neighborhoods; conducted air strikes on Gaza; and launched weaponised attacks on Palestinians worshipping at Al-Aqsa Mosque – all of which we strongly condemn.
Moreover, St. Vincent and the Grenadines condemns the use of force against innocent Pales- tinians resulting, most recently, in injuries to hundreds and the death of over one hundred Palestinians, many of whom were children.

We express our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and reaffirm our solidarity with the State of Palestine.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines stands steadfastly against any attempts to alter the character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, by force.
The United Nations Security Council has “Affirm[ed] a vision of a region where two States, Israel and Palestine, live side by side within secure and recognized borders.” The international community, in consistently reaffirming the two-state solution, has emphasized that the status of Jerusalem is a “final status” issue to be negotiated by the parties.
This position has been reaffirmed in various agreements, includ- ing the Camp David Accords, the Oslo Accords, and the Roadmap for Peace proposed by the Quartet on the Middle East.
The United Nations Resolution of November 22 2017 stated that the General Assembly “Reiterates its determination that any actions taken by Israel, the occupying Power, to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the Holy City of Jerusalem are illegal and therefore null and void and have no validity whatsoever, and calls upon Israel to immediately cease all such illegal and unilateral measures.”1 St. Vincent and the Grenadines, as an elected member of the Security Council and as a Member State of the United Nations General Assem- bly, will continue to stand against these violations of United Nations Security Council and General Assembly resolutions.
Conflict prevention demands that violations such as the ones we have witnessed against the Palestinian State over the past week do not go unchecked – impu- nity creates a climate of perpetual unease and unrest.

We call on all parties with influence over the situation to urge Israel to stop its mili- tary aggression against the Palestinian people, and to fully respect their legitimate and fundamental claims to dignity, equality and human rights.
The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines also expresses sincere condolences to the families of the several people killed in Israel.

We also welcome the diplomatic efforts of other States and parties to end this deadly siege, but more must be done.

The Security Council must stand by its previous resolutions, uphold international law, the Fourth Geneva Convention and the UN Charter.
_________________ United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/ 72/L.11, 22 November 2017 The Permanent Mission of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is located in New York, USA You can follow our mission’s facebookpage at https://www.facebook.com/SVGMissionUN Or visit the website at http://svg-un.org/ | 6 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 Statement by Dr.

The Hon.
The Hon.

Ralph E. Gonsalves, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs delivered at the UN Security Council virtual meeting on May 7,2021, New York on the theme: “Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Upholding Mul- tilateralism and the United Nations- centered International System” Thank you Mr. President, I thank the preceding speakers for their remarks; and commend China for convening this important debate.
As a small country whose continued peaceful existence depends on the norms and principles of international law, and the multilateral system in which these tenets are enveloped, St. Vincent and the Grenadines places particular emphasis on today's discussion.

This fundamental principle is applicable for all states - large and small in every part of the world.
Commandist, bullying or threatening behaviour by any state in relation to another is antithetical to this precept and portends dangerous conse- quences for all.

Last September, we commemorated the 75th anniversary of this treasured institution.

We celebrated, too, the many successes and achievements realised in our collective quest for peace and prosperity.

Yet, there is still much more to be done and to be ever more focused, creative and relevant in these com- plex and challenging times.
The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the reality that a renewed multilateralism remains an urgent moral, political and existential imperative, under-girded by the UN Charter principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence.
Amidst the severe health, socioeconomic, political, and securi- ty implications of COVID-19, states are required to contend with: the ever-intensifying hazards of Climate Change, the continued spread of terrorism and organised crime, increased hunger and acute food insecurity, political polarisation, disinformation and hate speech, the escalation of ethnic and intercom- munal tensions, and in far too many contexts, conflict and mass human displacement.
These contemporary challenges are inextricably inter-connected.

And they will not be successfully addressed by any short-sighted unilateral or military means.

To the extent that many of these issues stretch across borders, and more easily overwhelm the limited capacities of vulnerable states, effective and coordinated multilateral action is an essential condition for any sustainable solution.
Only a comprehensive whole-of-system approach would suffice in addressing the peace and security, development, and humanitarian concerns of affected states.

Mr. President, In the face of vast but continually expanding peace and security challenges experienced globally, we must move quickly in a fresh direction.

Bold and innovative steps are needed to alleviate human suffering, especially in conflict-affected settings.
Capacity-building and development assistance should be scaled up, and national ownership over peace and political processes strengthened.

Practical, inclusive, people-centered, and climate-sensitive solutions ought to be developed and implemented in line with national needs and priorities, and in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals.
It is necessary and desirable that all states must work together, constructively and within the framework of international law - with the support and assis- tance of the United Nations and relevant regional and sub-regional organisations - to achieve this vision of a more peaceful and prosperous world.

When disputes do occur, they ought to be settled amicably and equitably through dialogue, diplomacy, mediation, and other participatory approaches, rather than through unilateral or coercive means.
There can be no substitute for trust and mutual respect.

Any deviation from these universally accepted norms, wheresoever and by whomsoever committed, severely undermines the ideals of multilateralism embodied in the UN Charter.

St. Vincent and the Grena- dines remains committed to these guiding principles.

To conclude, Mr. President, let us all be reminded of our forebears' vision of unity and solidarity as they fashioned this United Nations system.
As we seek to confront the unique and complex challenges of the 21st Century, including a sustainable recovery from the COVID- 19 pandemic which has already de- stroyed far too many lives and livelihoods, the extant circumstances demand the presence of a renewed and effective multilateralism steeped in the virtues of inclusivity, equality and justice, and guided by the principles of international law.

We cannot remain separated by narrow interests or be divided in pur- pose.
We must work in comity even more, together, urgently and resolutely, to realise peace, security and development for all of humanity.

I Thank You.
| 7 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 The Government of Mexico donates Ventilators and Humanitarian Aid to St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 8 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 On June 2 2021a Mexican Air Force aircraft landed in St. Vincent and the Grenadines with two ventilators and humanitarian aid that were donated by the Gov- ernment of the United Mexican States to the Govern- ment of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to assist the health care delivery and ongoing disaster relief efforts following the explosive eruptions of the La Soufrière Volcano.
The Mexican delegation was headed by the Executive Director of the Mexican Agency of Interna- tional Cooperation for Development (AMEXCID), Dr. Laura Elena Carrillo Cubillas.

A handing over ceremony for the donation of the ven- tilators and humanitarian aid was held at the Argyle International Airport.
The Minister of State with re- sponsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Sena- tor The Honourable Keisal Peters, the Honorary Consul of Mexico, Mr. Joel Providence, Representative from the Ministry of Health, Mrs. Neeka Anderson-Isaacs, Chief Executive Officer of the Argyle International Air- port, Mrs. Corsel Robertson, and AIA Airport Staff were on hand to witness the official handing over of the donations which included: two (2) Mexican-made medical ventilators, 10,000 cans of tuna and 18,000 masks.
Senator the Honourable Keisal M. Peters, Minister of State with responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade delivering brief The Government of Mexico donates Ventilators and  Dr. Laura Elena Carrillo Cubillas, Executive Director of the Mexican Agency of International Cooperation for Development  Remarks were by: Senator the Honourable Keisal M. Peters, Min- ister of State with responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade; delivered Humanitarian Aid to St. Vincent and the Grenadines (AMEXCID); and  Mr. Joel Providence, Honorary Consul of Mexico.
Minister Peters in her remarks reiterated the importance of bi- lateral relationships especially at a time like this when we need the assistance of our diplomatic allies.

Minister Peters on behalf of the Government and People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines expressed much thanks and ap- preciation solidarity shown by the Mexican Govern- ment through the humanitarian aid that will assist with the relief and recovery efforts.
the for The explosive eruptions of the La Soufrìere volcano which oc- curred, commenced on April 9, 2021 at approximately 8:41 a.m. resulted in significant damage to properties, loss of livelihoods and the evacuation and displacement of over twenty thousand Vincen- tians from the red and orange zones in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Minister Peters (far left), Hon.
Consul, Mr. Joel Providence speaking with the Mexican Delegation headed by Dr, Laura Elena Carillo Cubillas (centre from right) | 9 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 The SVG Consulate in Toronto, Canada under the auspices of Consul General Fitzgerald Huggins donat- ed a container of new clothing items and face masks to be distributed to citizens of St. Vincent and the Grenadines affected by the eruption of the La Sou- frière volcano.
The donation handed over on June 16, 2021 included a total of twenty-eight thousand (28,000) units of clothing for children and adults, kids toys and learn- ing aids, makeup for female and shoes etc valued at Canadian $1.5 million.

This donation was made possi- ble through the J2 Retail Management Inc; the regis- tered Canadian charity that has provided disaster relief and life-saving humanitarian aid since 2002.
GlobalMedic contributed a total of 1.5 million masks which include surgical masks, N95 masks, respirators and children masks.

Both donations were made through the SVG Consulate in Toronto to assist in the recovery efforts for the displaced persons in L-R: Senator The Hon.

Keisal Peters, Ms. Michelle Forbes and Hon.


Orando Brewster Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines on Thursday, 24th June 2021 arrived in Venezuela to participate in the 19th ALBA-TCP Summit SVG Consulate in Toronto, Canada partners with GlobalMedic to provide humanitarian aid St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Minister of State with responsibility for Foreign Affairs and For- eign Affairs, Senator The Hon.
Keisal Peters on behalf of the Con- sulate of SVG in Toronto, handed over the items to Hon.

Orando Brewster, Minister of National Mobilistion, Social Development, Family, Gender Affairs, Persons with Disabilities and Youth, and Ms. Michelle Forbes, Director of the National Emergency Man- agement Office (NEMO).

Both Ministers thanked the SVG Consulate in Toronto, the various companies and organisations that assisted and the entire diaspo- ra Community for ensuring that this donation arrived here in SVG.
The Ministry on behalf of the Government and People of St. Vin- cent and the Grenadines take this opportunity to express special thanks to the following contributors: 1.

Ms. Jodie Wolfe CEO/President of J2 Retail Management Inc and her partner Mr. Brian LeSaux also of J2 Retail management Inc. 2.

GlobalMedic and Rahul Singh for coordinating the donations.

3.
3.

Canadian Association of PPE Manufacturers (CAPPEM) for their individual donations which add up to over three (3) million in total for both shipments which are valued at over Canadian $800,000.00.

4.

Mr. John Rawlins, a Vincentian national from Barrouallie, currently residing in Toronto, who invented the Nano technology masks that is an evolutionary invention and state of the art achievement.
These masks are touted to be the best and safest in the mask industry and is seen as the next generation of masks.

5.

Ken Chitole of KLC Shippers and Tarvia Henry who were the main contact for this donation.

6.

Dr. Franklyn James for getting his nephew John Rawlins on board with this project.

| 10 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 Prime Minister, Dr.

The Hon.
The Hon.

Ralph E. Gonsalves being welcomed by Venezuelan Government Ministers Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines on Thursday, 24th June 2021 arrived in Venezuela to participate in the 19th ALBA-TCP Summit In the context of the 19th ALBA-TCP Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America- Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP), Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr.

The Hon.
The Hon.

Ralph Gonsalves, arrived on Thursday, 24th June 2021 in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

Prime Minister Gonsalves was welcomed at the Simón Bolívar International Airport by Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, Foreign Vice-Minister for the Caribbean Raúl Li Causi, and ALBA-TCP Executive Secretary Sacha Llorenti.
The representative of the Caribbean nation attended the high-level summit of the regional bloc, that was held under the theme “Alliance for Life and Independence.” The 19th ALBA-TCP Summit was convened to strengthen integration in the face of the challenges of the post-pandemic, and it will be held on the commemoration of the Bicentennial of the Battle of Carabobo.
The ALBA-TCP’s mission is to strengthen fraternal relations among the Latin American and Caribbean people on the basis of solidarity, complementarity, justice and cooperation.

In this context, on April 10, 2021, a Venezuela’s navy ship Armada AB Goajira T-63 set sail with 20 tons of humanitarian aid to support the Vincentian people as part of the “Simón Bolívar” Humanitarian Task Force following the eruption of La Soufriére volcano.
The shipment sent by Venezuela included drinking water, non-perishable food, blankets, sheets, mattresses, mosquito nets, hammocks and personal hygiene kits.

The Venezuelan and Vincentian governments coordinated this solidarity-based action to face the challenges caused by nature as soon as the Caribbean nation decreed the state of alert.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines joined ALBA-TCP on June 24, 2009.

Information sourced from Alba-TCP.org.


| 11 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 The new British High Commissioner to Barbados and the East- ern Caribbean, H.E Scott Furssedonn-Wood paid a courtesy call to Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr.

The Hon.

Ralph E. Gonsalves at Cabinet Room on Monday, 21st June, 2021 to present his Letters of Introduction.
The British High Commissioner, who was on a two-day visit to St Vincent and the Grenadines, was scheduled to pay a courte- sy call to Governor General Her Excellency Dame Susan Dougan.

In welcoming the new High Commissioner, Prime Minister Gonsalves took the opportunity to thank the Government of the United Kingdom for its direct assistance to this country, in the aftermath of the explosive eruption of La Soufrière volca- no, as well as other areas of support.
He highlighted the offer of 55 scholarships offered to Vincentian students by the Uni- versity of Wales, as well as the assistance provided for the construction of the new port in Kingstown.

H.E.

Scott Furssedonn Wood and Prime Minister Dr.

The Hon.
The Hon.

Ralph E. Gonsalves In his response, High Commissioner Furssedonn-Wood conveyed greetings to Dr. Gonsalves on behalf of HRM, The British High Commissioner presents Letters of Introduction Prince of Wales, and stated the commitment of the United Kingdom to continue working with St. Vincent and the Grena- dines on areas of mutual interest.

He indicated that parts of his itinerary included visits to a number of areas in the orange zone impacted by the volcanic eruption as well as the port project.
He pledged to do his best to advance the work of the UK in the region and to strengthen the relationship between both countries.

High Commissioner Scott Furssedonn-Wood brings to the post significant experience having worked in the Foreign and Com- monwealth Office of the UK and serving as the Deputy Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall before taking up this post.

Prime Minister Gonsalves was joined by Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hon.
Keisal Peters, and the High Commissioner’s delegation included Stefan Kossoff, De- velopment Director for the Caribbean and UK Director to the CDB; and H.E.

Steve Moore, Resident British Commissioner.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, welcomes the newly accredited Ambassador and looks forward to devel- oping the bilateral cooperation between St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the United Kingdom.

British High Commissioner, H.E.


Scott Furssedonn Wood, Minister of State with responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator The Hon.

Keisal M. Peters, and Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr.

The Hon.

Ralph E. Gonsalves.


| 12 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 British High Commissioner presents Letters of Introduction | 13 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 CARICOM is the oldest surviving integration movement in the developing world.

It was established on August 1st 1973 with the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas.
It is a grouping of twenty countries: fifteen Member States and five Associate Members.

The Member States include: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.

The Associate Members include: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Vir- gin Islands, Cayman Islands, and Turks and Caicos Islands.
The mandate of these countries within a CARICOM construct is to promote and support a unified Caribbean Community that is inclusive, resilient, and competitive; sharing in economic, social and cultural prosperity.

In the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen the manifestation of regional solidarity in several tangible ways, for example, the testing for COVID-19 through CARPHA in the early stages of the pandemic and the sharing of vaccines.
To even show a greater thrust to re- gional solidarity, we have seen the outpouring of love from our Caribbean brothers and sisters in the aftermath of the explosive eruptions of the La Soufrière volcano.

The Regional Integration Diaspora Unit (RIDU) in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors hosted the 2021 CARICOM Week of Activities under the theme “I am CARICOM” from Sunday, 4th July 2021 to Friday 9th July, 2021.
The aim of this initiative was to showcase the importance of regional integration and express appreciation to our CARICOM brothers and sisters who have shown tremendous solidarity and support in this country’s midnight hour of need following the eruptions of the La Sou- frìere volcano.
The week-long activities included: a CARICOM 10K run, a CARICOM flag raising ceremony, the launch of “I am CARICOM videos, CARICOM Food Day, an online competition on “Your favourite place to holiday in CARICOM” and, CARICOM Dress Day to climax the week of activities.

CARICOM’s culture and color would be on display on CARICOM Dress Day.
| 14 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 Participants from the CARICOM 10K run CARICOM OPEN 10K (CARPHA) Persons responded to the call by the Caribbean Public Health Agency leaders, for governments, healthcare professionals, and citizens to work together to create an environment that supports a healthy lifestyle.

On 4th July, 2021 from 4-6pm persons took part in the 10K Run.
The CARICOM 10K run commemorated annual summit of CARICOM Heads of Government.
community CARICOM 10K Female: 1st place - Linda Mc Dowall 2nd place - Zita Vincent 3rd place - Jozel Miller - 1: 26: 13: 58 (1 hour, 26 minutes, 13.58 seconds) - 42:18: 08 - 57:15: 75 The winners of the competition and their completion times are: CARICOM 10K Male: CARICOM 5K Female: 1st place - Katriel Bailey - 32: 30:19 2nd place - Lau Browne - 33:16:94 3rd place - Sternique Pope - 34:25:94 CARICOM 5K Male: 1st place - Saj Caesar - 45:20:29 (7 years old) 2nd place - Tru Matthias - 50:22:33 (8 years old) 1st place - Markie Edwards - 38:01: 12 2nd place - Ziel Spring - 38: 36: 37 3rd place - Pamenos Ballantyne - 41: 53: 43 In the CARICOM Open 10K, 1st place winners received EC$1,000, 2nd place winners received EC$750.00 and 3rd place winners received EC$500.00.
| 15 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 The 4th July 2021 marks 48 years since the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas by Heads of Govern- ment.

We are thankful for the ex- pressions and tangible manifesta- tions of regional solidarity over the years and most recently as we battle the COVID-19 pandemic and work towards national recovery in the aftermath of the explosive eruptions of the La Soufrière.
God Bless CARICOM & God Bless St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Flag Raising Ceremony – July 5, 2021 the CARICOM Flag Raising Ceremony.

The CARICOM Flag Raising Ceremony was a ceremonial celebration , streamed lived on VC3.

On the program, in addition to the hoisting of the flag and the CARICOM Song be- ing expressed in song and dance, persons were able to learn more about CARICOM and the symbolism of the CARICOM flag.
| 16 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 CARICOM’s culture and color was on display on CARICOM Dress Day on Friday 9th July, 2021 CARICOM dress day required persons to showcase the creativity of their favorite makeup artist, wear a CARICOM T-shirt, or colours of the CARICOM flag, or colors of any Member State of CARICOM for school, work, or leisure on Friday, 9th July, 2021.
Persons also had the opportunity for official photographs at the Ground Floor of the Financial Complex dress in their colours.

Staff at the Ministry showed up in their colours.

| 17 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 Do you know the national dishes of the CARICOM Member States?

Tell us if you can name the flags for each dish in the graphic below.
| 18 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 | 19 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 Statement on the Assassination of the President of the Republic of Haiti, Jovenel Moise It is with profound sadness that the government and people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines learnt of the assassina- tion of Jovenel Moïse of the Republic of Haiti, a member-state of our Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
This senseless and cowardly act of unbridled violence has shocked and outraged many throughout the Caribbean Community and the world.

In our Caribbean Community we settle political differences peacefully through democratic institutions; we do not use violence and thuggery which undermine democracy and the rule of law.
The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines condemns this abhorrent act and calls upon the relevant authori- ties in the sister CARICOM State to ensure that the matter is promptly investigated and that those responsible are brought to justice.

On behalf of the government and people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and on my own behalf, I convey sincere condolences to the family and friends of President Moïse and to the people of Haiti.
I pray that God grants them all strength at this immensely difficult time.

The government and people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines stand in soli- darity with the people of Haiti in their grief.

The government and people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that the Caribbe- an region remains a zone of peace and call for calm in the Republic of Haiti.
The people of Haiti are urged to refrain from vigilante justice and retaliatory aggression that can compromise the con- stitutional order in the Republic of Haiti.
Source: Office of the Prime Minister St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 20 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 St. Vincent and the Grenadines Appoint Honorary Consul in Turkey The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has recently appointed Ms. Julia Gunn, as Honorary Consul in Istanbul, Turkey.

Turkey presented Ms. Gunn with her Exequatur on 21 May 2021.
Ms. Gunn was born in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and completed her primary and secondary education in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

She then studied in the field of Travel and Tourism and Foreign Languages in Barbados; and, Travel and Tourism and Business Management in the United Kingdom.

Ms. Gunn worked in the Ministry of Tourism’s Department in London, promoting St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the UK and Europe.
On becoming Honorary Consul for St. Vincent & the Grenadines in the Republic of Turkey, Ms. Gunn will continue the promotion of the economic interests of the country and facilitate opportunities for the development of business relations, trade, commerce, tourism, culture and employment.

Her posting also includes assisting nationals of St. Vincent and the Grenadines visiting or residing in the Republic of Turkey.
She will enhance friendly and cordial relations existing between St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the Republic of Turkey.

Ms. Gunn can be contacted at svgconsulateturkey@gmail.com.

The consulate location is: Honorary Consul St. Vincent and the Grenadines Valide Sultan Sitesi A1 blok D4 Uskumrukoy Mah.
7Cadde Zekeriyakoy, Istanbul 34450 TURKEY Tel: (90) 530 231 62 The Ministry on behalf of the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines welcomes Ms. Gunn as this country’s Honorary representative in Turkey and wishes her tremendous success in promoting this country’s development interests.

List of Honorary Consul to St. Vincent and the Grenadines Mr. Michele B.R.
Dal Pra—Australia Dr. Walter Schon—Republic of Austria Mr. Bishop Ishmael Charles—British Virgin Islands Mr. Pierre La Rue—Canada Dr. Roger Watson—Canada (Western) Mrs. Jose Jules Bonadie—Canada (Toronto Mr. Douglas Leese—Channel Islands (Jersey) Mr. Michael M. Grasty Cousiño—Chile Mr. Michael Karasavvas—Cyprus Ms. Regina Ann Koenig—Dominican Republic Mr. Mohammed Maged El Menshawy—Egypt Dr. RudigerAckerman—Germany Mr. Constantinos Z. Nikolaidis—Greece Mr. Maurice Hogarth—Haiti Mr. Pankaj Saran (HC-Designate) - India Ms. June Pamela Barbour—Jamaica Mr. Alexander Jeeves—Liechtenstein Mr. Jean Faber—Luxembourg Mr. Datuk Vinod Sekhar—Malaysia Dr. Anton Micallef—Malta Mr. Giuseppe Ambrosio—Principality of Monaco Ms. Michelle Dette—Kingdom of The Netherlands Mr. Philippe Alfred May—Singapore Mr. Hans Norgren—Sweden Ms. Naijla Dabinovic—Switzerland (Geneva) Dr. Pascal Troesch, TEP, IBA—Switzerland (Basel) Dr. Cadrin E. Gill—United States of America (California) You can view the list of Honorary consuls and their contact details via the Ministry’s Diplomatic List February 2020 at: http:// www.foreign.gov.vc/foreign/images/stories/DiplomaticRelations/Updated_Diplomatic_List_Revised-as_at_February_2020_1_1.pdf | 21 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 Winners of the MOFAFT 2021 Essay Writing Competition On Thursday, 1st July 2021 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade held an Awards and Prize-Giving Ceremony for the Annual Essay Writing Competition at the Methodist Church Hall in Kingstown.
The competition since its inception in 2015, has seen a significant increase in the number of participants despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the explosive eruptions of the La Soufrìere volcano.

This year, a total of 47 students participated in the competi- tion from the primary, secondary, and tertiary educational institutions.

The participating primary schools were: Barrouallie Anglican School, Belair Government School, C.W.
Prescod Primary School, Georgetown Government School, Kingstown Preparatory School, New Grounds Primary School, South Rivers Methodist School, Sugar Mill Academy and the Windsor Primary School.

The participating second- ary schools were: Bishop’s College Kingstown, Emmanuel High School Mesopotamia, Saint Joseph’s Convent Kingstown, Saint Martin’s Secondary School, and the Saint Vincent Girls’ High School.

The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College was the only tertiary educational institution.
The competition was divided into two categories: The Envoys category for students aged 9 – 13 years and the Ambassadors category for students aged 14-18 years.
Positions Names of Winners Schools 1st Place 2nd Place 4th Place 5th Place Ms. Isabella Sam St. Vincent Girls’ High School Ms. Seante Marshall St. Vincent Girls’ High School Ms. Lynne Exumé New Grounds Primary School Ms. Belle Adams Sugar Mill Academy Ms. Kuba Francis Georgetown Government School | 22 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 Winners of the MOFAFT 2021 Essay Writing Competition Senator The Hon.
Keisal M. Peters (far left) , Minister of State with Repsonibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Mrs. Sandy Peters-Phillips (far right) with winners and their school’s representatives of the Envoys Category.
The top five (5) winners from the Ambassadors category are: Positions 1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place 5th Place Names of Winners Ms. Callia Jackson Schools St. Vincent Girls’ High School Ms. Keonna Simon SVG Community College Ms. Zaida Small Ms. Fiaya Linley Ms. Azaria Commissiong Mr. Jair Patrick St. Vincent Girls’ High School St. Vincent Girls’ High School St. Vincent Grammar School Senator The Hon.
Keisal M. Peters (far left) , Minister of State with Repsonibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Mrs. Sandy Peters-Phillips (far right) with winners and their school’s representatives.. | 23 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 May—August , 2021 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May—August , 2021 2021 Essay Writing Competition The annual competition has been supported by Digicel SVG, the lone sponsor of the event since inception.
For this year’s competition, Digicel provided trophies, cash prizes, Digicel E-learning plans + Mifi portable Wi-Fi devices with 3 months renewal for the top 5 participants in each category.

Additionally, all participants received a certificate of participation that was signed by the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Dr.

The Hon.

Ralph E. Gonsalves.


The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade’s Annual Essay Writing competition provides a platform for youth to hone their research and writing abilities and allows participants to garner in-depth knowledge on local, regional, and international affairs and events via re- search and applicability to their lives, as well as to the Vincentian society.

The Ministry would like to take this opportunity thank all students for participating in this year’s competition.
The Ministry also extends much appreciation to Digicel for another year of sponsorship.

The next competition will take place in March 2022.

Congratulations to Commander Ralphie Ragguette Lieutenant Commander Ragguette (right) graduated from the US Naval War College located in Rhode Island, United States of America The Naval War College prepares specially selected naval officers for the challenges of command in their own Navies, familiarizing them with U.S. Navy methods, practices, and doctrine.
His one year training, ended in June 2021, and was part of the International Military Education and Training administered by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).

The Government and People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines extend congratulations to Commander Ralphie Ragguette.
| 24 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 May—August , 2021 La Soufrière Volcano Features Again at OAS Meeting Ms. Michelle Forbes, Director of the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO), gave an overview of the aftermath of the 2021 La Soufrière volcanic eruptions at the annual Meeting on the Special Security Concerns of Small Island and Low-Lying Coastal Developing States of the Caribbean at the Organization of American States (OAS) which was held virtually on Thursday, July 1st 2021.
This year’s theme “A Multidimensional Approach to Advancing Disaster Resilience in the Hemisphere/Caribbean” shed light on the multi- pronged approach to disaster management in the hemisphere.

The Caribbean, due to its geographical location and geological structure, is the second most disaster prone region in the world, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Disaster resilience takes into consideration this propensity for disasters and aims to build vulnerable communities, the capacity and capability to recover from disasters despite the existence of such vulnerabilities.

Representing St. Vincent and the Grenadines as well was Mrs. Dora James who offered a testimony from the perspective of the community.

Mrs. James spoke on preparations, the evacuation exercise, clean-up efforts and moving forward.
Ms. Forbes stressed that clean-up efforts which will be long-term, are on-going and will be hampered by the Atlantic Hurricane Season, with the first approaching storm, Elsa, expected to make landfall on Friday, 2nd July 2021.
Ambassador Lou-Anne Gilchrist, Ambassador to the United States of America and Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States, expressed appreciation for the convocation of the meeting and reiterated gratitude for the support and solidarity from Member States following the devastating volcanic eruptions in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Other speakers were Ms. Tonya Ayow, Deputy Executive Director (Ag), The Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS); Dr. Kirk Douglas, University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill Campus and Mr. Dennis Marcelle from the Carib- bean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA).
Taken together, the speakers provided a comprehensive overview of the vulnerabilities and the Special Security Concerns of Small Island and Low-Lying Coastal Developing States of the Caribbean and focused on the need for multi-pronged responses to these concerns.

The case of the volcanic eruptions in St. Vincent and the Grenadines was illustrative of the compounding impact of natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic and how onerous the ramifications can be.
| 25 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 ____________________________ Speech Delivered by Senator The Honourable Keisal M. Peters, Minister of State with Responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, St. Vincent & the Grenadines At The OECS Meeting of Ministers of Trade, Agriculture and Fisheries 21.06.2021 ______________________ Honourable Ministers; Director-General of the OECS Dr. Didacus Jules; Director Ms. Jacqueline Emmanuel Flood; Permanent Secretaries and other Senior Officials; Staff of the OECS Commis- sion; Ladies and Gentlemen, good morning.
It gives me great pleasure to deliver these re- marks and given the pressing nature of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Fisheries Subsidies Negotiations, please permit me to focus my reflections on this topic.

OECS Member States are very small players in the context of the overall global fishing industry.

Data from the University of British Columbia reveal that between 1950 and 2016, OECS fishing fleets accounted for 0.013% of global total fish catch.

This is certainly a microscopic sum.


Notwithstanding our miniscule contribution to global fish catch, the fishing industry is an important pillar of the socio- economic landscape of the OECS.

We rely on the sector for foreign exchange earnings, protein intake, employment and the economic wellbeing of many communities, especially rural and vulnerable communities.
In terms of economic diversification, several of our countries have also identified the fisheries sector as an impetus to this goal and with the inclusion of my own country, we have actively been seeking foreign direct investments in the sector, as well as building the capacity of local players to trade both locally and internationally.

Given these realities, the OECS certainly has a huge stake in the health and sustainability of our oceans.
Therefore, we look on with dismay at global trends towards unsustainable, illegal and over fishing.

Since 1988, global fish stocks have been declining due to a combination of global warming, illegal fishing and overfishing.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) notes that there is an increasing global trend towards biologically unsustainable fishing.
Of course, subsidies, especially subsidies provided by large fishing nations to large-scale industrial fishers, have also played an outsized role to the types of fishing efforts which are contributing to the depletion of our living marine resources.

In this context that the OECS has a systemic interest in securing a positive outcome in the WTO Fisheries Subsidies Negotia- tions.
As you are well aware, these negotiations have been ongoing for the past 20 years and if we were to spend another 20 years negotiating, we will have very little, or no fisheries left.
| 26 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 Cont’d Speech Delivered by Senator The Honourable Keisal M. Peters Rather, a positive outcome for the OECS would be one which is faithful to the mandate in the negotiations which is to “prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, and eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and refrain from introducing new such subsidies.” Importantly, the mandate in the negotiations also calls for “appropriate and effective special and differential treatment (SDT) for developing and least developed countries”, which is seen as integral to a balanced outcome.
Allow me to say a few quick words on SDT.

This is the bedrock of our participation in the multilateral trading sys- tem.

We cannot imagine a final agreement on fisheries subsidies which does not allow us the policy space and the technical assistance and capacity building to develop the fisheries industry in a sustainable manner.

It is im- portant for us to send this signal to our CARICOM and ACP colleagues, as well as to the wider WTO membership, when the Ministerial meeting is convened next month.
We have no interest in using SDT to promote unsustainable practices, as I understand the narrative emerging from some sections of the WTO membership to be suggesting.

Rather, we are not contributors to the global prob- lem of overfishing and overcapacity and therefore, we must not be subject to the same obligations that the prob- lem makers are required to contend with.

As I prepare to close, let me emphasise that this is crunch time for the fisheries subsidies negotiations.
It might be now or never and we cannot live with never.

We have to hold the line with respect to OECS, CARICOM and ACP solidarity.

Where there is the possibility for compromise and flexibility in the negotiations, we must be prepared to demonstrate such without undermining our fundamental principles.

Finally, I look forward to our deliberations here today.

The presence of Ministers with responsibility for both Trade and Fisheries is a demonstration of the cross-cutting nature of this sector.
We do not meet often in this format and therefore, I invite us to take full advantage of this opportunity to share solutions as we prepare for a very intense few weeks ahead.

Agriculture in the Eastern Caribbean Transforming agriculture in the Eastern Caribbean is one of the priorities of the OECS.

A review of the Policy Framework and Strategic Plan for Agriculture was conducted by the OECS Commission in 2009.
The results of the review highlighted some of the key challenges of the agricultural sector in the OECS Member States includ- ing a growing population, an increase of food demand accompanied by changing dietary preferences, an in- crease of the cost of energy and a scarcity of resources such as water and land.
The access to sustainable finan- cial resources to ensure the production and distribution of food is also one of the main issues faced by stake- holders in the area of agriculture in the Eastern Caribbean.
In recognising the urgency to address these issues the OECS Commission, through the Agriculture Unit, is col- laborating with its Member States along with multiple international agencies to review existing policies and formulate and execute a strategy for a sustainable development of agriculture in the Eastern Caribbean region.
Sourced from: https://www.oecs.org/en/our-work/economic-affairs/agriculture | 27 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 ________________________________________________________ Speech Delivered by Senator The Honourable Keisal M. Peters, Minister of State with Responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, St. Vincent & the Grenadines At WTO Trade Negotiations Committee at the Ministerial Level on the topic: Economic and Trade Impact of Natural Disasters on Small Economies 6th July 2021 _______________________________________________________ Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, good day.
Mr. Chairman, thank you for the floor.

It is past 4:00a.m.

here in St. Vincent & the Grenadines, but the importance of this topic demanded my presence with you today.

Like other small vulnerable economies (SVEs), St. Vincent and the Grenadines is unfortunately, almost a daily case study in vulnerability.

Indeed, it is part of our lived existence.

Indeed, the ever-present threat of natural disasters has become part of our reality on an almost daily basis.
It should therefore not be a sur- prise to you that my own preparations for today’s dedicated session were interrupted by the passage of Tropical Storm Elsa which was sub- sequently upgraded to a hurricane.

This had my country and the neighboring islands of Barbados, Grenada and St. Lucia on full lockdown.

Sadly, Elsa has impacted on St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia and Barbados.

The costs and destruction measured in both lives and infrastructure is still being assessed.
I should also note that Elsa is the first hurricane to make landfall in Barbados for 65 years.

Even as we had one eye on Hurricane Elsa, St. Vincent and the Grenadines was still dealing with the negative fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the ongoing volcanic eruption.

On 9th April, our volcano at la Soufriere erupted explosively, displacing 20,000 thousand and decimating important sectors such as agricul- ture, tourism and fishing.
In the space of two weeks, there were over 30 explosive events, covering the entire island in volcanic ash.

Neigh- boring islands such as Barbados and St. Lucia were also impacted, again, a reflection of our shared vulnerability.

The explosive eruptions were followed by floods and fast-moving mudflows which dealt further devastation to the island in a very short space of time.

These mudflows are likely to be a clear and present danger for the foreseeable future.
The government’s preliminary assessment estimates USD 20 million in damage and loss to general agriculture infrastructure, a huge sum for a small vulnerable economy.

Damage to crops, livestock, forestry and fisheries are estimated at over USD 64 million.

However, the full extent of the damage and loss will need to be comprehensively assessed and may result in much higher estimates.
While I am here in my capacity as a Minister of Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, I will also take the liberty of drawing on the experience of my fellow Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Members.

You will recall that not so long ago, other SVEs in the Caribbean suffered severe devastation from hurricanes.

In 2019, Dorian, a category 5 hurricane, caused mass destruction in parts of The Bahamas.
In 2017, Hurricanes Irma and Maria, both category 5 hurricanes, made landfall in the Eastern Caribbean within two weeks of each other and caused about $12 billion of damage to the OECS islands.

Dominica and the island of Barbuda suffered the brunt of this carnage.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), climate change is expected to compound the problem by making such disasters more severe and frequent.
It is projected that Global climate change will result in rising sea levels, changes in rain patterns and temperatures, and more intense hurricanes.

With most of the OECS population living in high-risk areas exposed to sea-level rise and weak infrastructure, and heavy reliance on climate- sensitive sectors, the risks are expected to worsen through damage to biodiversity and coastal erosion risk to water and food security and increased health risks.
As the World Bank has noted, the OECS countries’ small size contributes to natural disasters resulting in high losses relative to GDP, as when a disaster hits, virtually all economic activity lies in its path.

According to UNICEF, the vulnerability of these islands is further shaped by socio-economic factors such as their reliance on climate-sensitive sectors, including tourism, agriculture and fisheries, limited resources, high levels of public debt, and environmental fragility.
| 28 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 Cont’d Speech Delivered by Senator The Honourable Keisal M. Peters According to the World Bank, natural disasters are estimated to have cost the OECS countries an average of 3.6 percent of GDP between 1997 and 2016, significantly above the average for all small states of 1.04 percent.
Dominica and Grenada rank second and third globally, respectively, in terms of the relative amount of damages and losses over the past two decades, with an estimate at almost 8 percent of GDP.

Essentially, in the World Bank’s assessment, natural disasters undermine our ability to attain macroeconomic and development goals and to break-free from the vicious cycle of low growth and high debt prevalent in the OECS region.
Disasters also significantly impact countries’ economic growth through eroding governments’ fiscal buffers.

Such events result in governments having to divert their attention and scarce resources away from vital longer-term development priorities, thereby placing tremendous financial pressure on OECS govern- ments.

The high costs incurred by climate-induced events have also contributed to the region’s high public debt.
For example, the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines estimates that fifteen percent (15%) of debt accumulated between 2010 and 2017 is directly attributable to post-disaster reconstruction and investments in building disaster resilience.

You might be wondering what the trade policy nexus is in light of what I have said to date.

Of course, I am also aware that not all WTO Members see a role for the organization in the context of the vulnerability of my country and other SVEs to natural disasters.
The most obvious and immediate nexus is that natural disasters severely affect the sectors on which we rely on to trade, notably agricul- ture, fisheries and tourism.

Damage to trade support infrastructure, such as roads, ports and telecommunications, heighten trade costs and compound our ability to trade and access global supply chains post-disaster.

What then are the trade policy implications and options?
Before I offer my own impressions, let me pose a few questions for our collective consideration: First, there are the GATT General and Security Exceptions for instance.

However, do they provide any flexibility to a Member who may want to invoke certain WTO inconsistent measures to rebuild from a natural disaster?

Second, what type of trade policy measures might a Member want to invoke which may be WTO inconsistent?
Would that be to provide certain forms of specific subsidies, and in this regard, does the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (ASCM) provide any flexibility?

Would it be to provide certain forms of domestic support and subsidies to agriculture and does the Agreement on Agriculture suffice?

Would Members want any flexibility to increase tariffs beyond the bound rates to provide protection to a domestic sector?

Would members want to apply discriminatory tariff rates among trading partners?
These are certainly worthy of further reflection.

However, as you reflect, you may actually be able to draw some inspiration from the cur- rent draft of the Fisheries Subsidies Text which envisages a carve-out for disaster relief.

Do we then move forward by adopting a similar approach in future WTO agreements?

Or alternatively, do we create an omnibus WTO framework for disaster relief which applies to cur- rent and future WTO agreements?
Unfortunately, I do not have a definitive answer, but put these ideas on the table for delegations to con- sider.

As I prepare to close, let me assure you that we are prepared to engage with Members on these important issues with a view to raising awareness of the impact natural disasters on our trade.

We also remain open to discuss with Members, the appropriate trade policy re- sponses that can be deployed in this context.

Mr. Chairman, the WTO must be actively engaged in these matters.
Finally, as a deliverable for MC12, we call on Members to support a Ministerial Decision of the Work Programme on Small Economies.

We place a high degree of importance on such an outcome which must also recognise the vulnerability of countries like mine and many other SVEs to natural disasters.

Thank you and I look forward to your comments and questions.
The Trade Negotiations Committee visit https://www.wto.org for information on the WTO Trade Negotiations Committee | 29 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 | 30 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 | 31 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Receives EC$330,000.00 from the UK-SVG Friendship Trust Mr. Darrien Ollivierre, the Trust’s local representative to Senator The Hon.
Keisal Peters, Minister of State with responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, who accepted the donation on behalf of the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines.
On Friday, 16th July 2021 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade’s Confer- ence Room, the UK-SVG Friendship Trust presented three hundred and thirty thou- sand Eastern Caribbean Dollars (EC$330,000) to the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines as part of their ongoing commit- ment to assist with the relief efforts follow- ing the series of volcanic eruptions which have had an adverse impact on many lives and livelihoods in the country.

restart their lives.


The Trust partnered with the SVG High Com- mission, the National Council of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Association UK, and over 7000 donors to raise the funds that were distributed today.

It is the intention of the Trust to make further contributions in the near future to help those persons who have been displaced and are returning to their homes.
this that recognises The Trust challenging time for the Government to pro- vide for the needs of everyone who has been affected not only by the volcanic erup- tion but also by the novel corona virus pan- demic.

The Trust is aware of the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters evidenced only a few weeks ago by Hurricane Elsa.
Thus, the Trust has stepped forward to sup- port the Government to assist those under its care at shelters across the country and wherever possible to provide further sup- port to those who are leaving shelters to is a The Trust has also partnered with the St. Vincent Cooperative Bank to provide direct support to over 500 individuals through local partnerships including the Ministry of Na- tional Moblisation, Soroptimist International SVG, Je Belle Football Club and the Voice of the Disabled.
The Trust with the co-operation of the dias- pora is committed to assisting in the long- term recovery and would continue to do all that it can to support Vincentians who have been affected by the recent events.

The presentation was made by Mr. Darrien Ollivierre, the Trust’s local representative to Senator The Hon.

Keisal Peters, Minister of State with responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, who accepted the dona- tion on behalf of the Government of St Vin- cent and the Grenadines.
The Government and People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines as well as the Trust would wish to thank all Vincentians in the diaspora and friends of St. Vincent and the Grenadines for their generous contribution to assist those in need.

The UK-SVG Friendship Trust is a not-for- profit organisation based in the UK chaired by H.E.

Cenio Lewis, High Commissioner of the SVG High Commission in London, UK.

The other trustees are Mr. Adaiah Provi- dence-Culzac and Mr. Steve Maingot.
| 32 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 Her Excellency I. Rhonda King (C.B.S) Awarded Kenya’s Chief in The First Class of the Order of The Burning Spear by President Uhuru Kenyatta St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Permanent Repre- sentative (PR) to the United Nations, Her Excellency I. Rhonda King (C.B.S) was awarded Kenya’s second highest national honour: First Class of The Order of the Burning Spear, by President Uhuru Kenyatta, in a ceremony held in Kenya on 23rd July 2021.
While The Order of the Burning Spear is given for distinguished services, the Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (C.B.S) is reserved for principal public dignitaries, exemplary members of the public ser- vice and other professionals.

Ambassador King (C.B.S) joins a distinguished list of outstanding indi- viduals to have been designated C.B.S; a list which includes the famous 800 metres Olympic Champion and world record holder, David Rudisha.
The only higher national honour in Kenya, Chief of the Order of the Golden Heart (C.G.H), is reserved for holders of presidential office.

The award was conferred during a diplomatic visit to Kenya, in which King, as Head of the SVG Mission to the United Nations, participated in a retreat as a member of the A3+1 (Kenya, Niger, Tunisia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines).
The A3+1 is a formula- tion within the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for cooperation among the three African countries and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

This cooperation is grounded in the principle of “African solutions for African challenges” and in recognition of the African diaspora as the sixth region of Africa.
During its campaign for a seat on the UNSC, St. Vin- cent and the Grenadines signalled its intention to function as a fourth seat on African issues, and as the voice of CARICOM and GRULAC.

In February 2020, the catalyst for formal cooperation as the A3+1 came when Ambassador King (C.B.S), in her capacity as PR of SVG, aligned with the statement delivered by Ambassador Abarry of Niger, on behalf of the A3.
King’s leadership, dedication and advocacy, in both her national capacity and as part of the A3+1, were recognised with the conferral of the prestigious honour of The Order of the Burning Spear.

Under King’s leadership, as an elected member of the UNSC, St. Vincent and the Grenadines has consistently pointed to the com- plex, historical, socio-economic inequalities that produce and maintain conflicts, as well as the need to address root causes of conflict to ensure durable peace and development.
This perspective is crucial to conflict resolution in Africa and the Americas; the two regions for A3+1 coordination and cooperation in their work as elected members of the UNSC.

Ambassador King’s award comes in recognition of not only her critical role in shaping the work of the A3+1, but also her overall dedication to a just multilateralism that functions to produce people centred and equitable development for all.
| 33 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 SVG & R.O.C (TAIWAN) CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS St. Vincent and the Grenadines has championed its mantra “Friends of all we strive for a better world”.

On August 15, 2021 St. Vincent and the Grenadines celebrated forty (40) years of diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan).
This monumental milestone in both countries diplomatic history is a testimony to a fruitful friendship worthy of commendation and one that has seen tremendous growth in strength over the years.

Over the years, these two countries have built a strong friendship based on mutual understanding, trust, shared values, respect for sovereignty and cooperation for the mutual benefit of our people in areas of common interest.
Taiwan continues to be a close ally and a trusted friend to the Government and People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines giving its unwavering support to the development of this country’s sectors including agriculture, health, education, social development, infrastruc- ture, among others.
Just recently following the aftermath of the April 2021 La Soufrière eruptions, the Government and People of Taiwan stood in solidarity with this country to provide support in the form of financial aid and emergency supplies.

A demonstration of this continued when the Simply Help Foundation; a Taiwanese non-governmental diaspora group based in Los Angles, USA donated two (2) containers of emergency supplies to assist with the ongoing recovery efforts from the aftermath of the La Soufrière eruptions.
The handing over of these items took place on August 10, 2021.

The Government and People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines are indeed grateful for the solidarity from the Government and People of Taiwan and take this opportunity to express profound gratitude to the Government and People of the Republic of China (Taiwan) for this long standing bilateral partnership that has blossomed into a beautiful friendship.
Below are photos from a Photo Exhibition that was held at the SVG Library, Kingstown in celebration of the 40 years of diplomatic relations between both countries.
| 34 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 | 35 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 On December 17, 1999, the UN General Assembly endorsed the recommendation made by the World Conference of Minis- ters Responsible for Youth to formally adopt and recognise International Youth Day.

It was first celebrated on August 12, 2000.


The annual recognition is used to advocate on youth issues for the attention of the international community and to celebrate the potential of youth as partners in to- for day's global society.

The this year’s is “Transforming Food Systems: Youth Inno- vation for Human and Planetary Health”.
International Youth Day theme During the 2021 ECOSOC Youth Forum (EYF), the issues and priorities highlighted by young participants included the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly its effect on human health, the environment, and food systems.

As a part of the official outcome recommendations of the EYF, young participants stressed the importance of working to- wards more equitable food systems.
In addition, they highlighted the need for youth to make informed decisions on food choices through increasing global education on the healthiest and most sustainable options for both individuals and the environment.

There were also recommendations on providing adequate capacity development with respect to the resilience of food systems, during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and in its aftermath.
The success of such a global effort will not be achieved without the meaningful partic- ipation of young people at every level; policy shaping and policy making.

In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the government recognises that a sustainable future for a country’s growth and continuity must involve the youth.

As such, the government has championed youth involvement by creating avenues for training as well as opening gate- ways for youth to strengthen their business initiatives.
Initiatives such as Agriculture Youth Programmes, Pan Against Crime, Youth Em- ployment Services (YES) and Support for Education and Training (SET) programmes, Women in Agriculture and PRYME (Promoting Youth Micro Enterprises), among others have seen tremendous benefits for youth to gain experience and/or employment within the public and private sectors or to be self-employed.
Youth are paving the way for the next generation in numerous professions across St. Vincent and the Grenadines and making their mark in various sectors.

For International Youth Day, the Ministry salutes two of the youngest policymakers here in St. Vincent and the Grena- dines: Senator The Hon.

Keisal Peters, Minister of State with Responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Hon.
Orando Brew- ster, Minister of National Mobilisation, Social Development, Family, Gender Affairs, Youth, Housing and Informal Human Settlement.

Honorary Consul of Jamaica to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Mrs. Morine Wil- liams has been recognised for her service as Honorary Consul for twenty-three (23) years.

Mrs. Williams was named in the National Honours and Awards on the occasion of the 59th anniversary of Independence of Jamaica, and is the recipient of the Badge of Honour for Meritorious Service.
Mrs. Williams told NBC News that she is humbled to be named among this year’s National Award honourees.

Mrs. Williams expressed gratitude to the Jamaican Government for conferring her with the honour of a National Award.
| 36 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 The Embassy Of SVG in the Republic of China (Taiwan) celebrates the 40th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the Republic of China (Taiwan) to all Vincentians; Gavesha Following a 40th Anniversary commem- orative slogan competition, which was open Shallow of Rillian Hill and Navia Jack of Lowmans Windward, presented the winning slogan, ‘Friendship Freedom Prosperity’, which captured the essence of the celebrations.
Owing to the pandemic protocols in Taiwan, most interactive celebrations took place virtually and were launched on 8th August, 2021, the second anni- versary of the opening of our Taipei Office.

From 8th-15th August, 2021, congratulatory presentations video from Vincentian and Taiwanese officials and government agencies; Vincentians living in Taiwan; present and former recipients of MOFA and ICDF scholar- ships and friends of our two countries, were presented on our Embassy’s social media sites.
In addition to this, Ambas- sador Bowman did a number of radio interviews and one television interview in recognition of this milestone.

Vincentian students in Taiwan, Rodan John and Sean Roache, respectively donated commemorative seasonings and condiments and paintings to our Embassy.

Mr John’s seasonings and condiments were presented to diplomats and friends of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Mr Roache’s paintings adorn the walls of our Embassy.
The 40th Anniversary Virtual Presenta- tion by Bacchus Design & Construction of Mr Lorenzo Bacchus’s final year award-winning project entitled “City Life Terminal: Before and After”, is indicative of the pride which our Embassy takes in celebrating the accomplishments of our students.

So too is the inaugural 2021 Graduation Yearbook dedicated to this year’s fifteen (15) graduates of universi- ties in Taiwan.
This Yearbook serves as the icing on the cake of our celebrations to mark the depth of our treasured bilat- eral relations.

| 37 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 Vincentian Doctors graduate in the Republic of Cuba Several Vincentian students graduated in the Republic of Cuba in August 2021, having earned their Doctorates in the field of Medicine.
They not only add to the technical expertise in the field of medicine but they also add to our bilingual human capital as they are all proficient in the Spanish language.

Congratulations to the following graduates: 1.

Dr. Chezaul Walker - Medical Doctor 2.

Dr. Chamane Peniston - Medical Doctor 3.

Dr. Raven Cruickshank - Medical Doctor 4.

Dr. Rachael Quashie - Medical Doctor 5.

Dr. Swana John - Medical Doctor (Honours) 6.

Dr. Susannah Francis - Medical Doctor 7.


Dr. Preston Mercury - Medical Doctor 8.

Dr. Anthony Mack - Dentist Dr. Anthony Mack was awarded the title of top-performing foreign dental graduate from the University of Santiago de Cuba.

We are extremely proud of you all.

You have represented St. Vincent and the Grenadines well and left a path for other Vincentian students to benefit from this beautiful cooperation between St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the Republic of Cuba.
| 38 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 Two Vincentians Awarded Chevening Scholarship for the year 2021-2022 We are absolutely delighted to know that two Vincentians have been accepted from the competitive regional round of Chevening applications.

Congratulations to Julonna Peterson 2021/2022 Chevening Scholar.

Julonna Peterson will pursue a MSc Developmental Disorders at Lan- caster University.
She has a BSc from UWI Cavehill in Psychology with Sociology.

She is a firm believer in learning inclusive education, and mental health and equality gender and women's rights.

Julonna started her business "The PERFECT Project" in her to follow goals of providing learning inclusive resources and skills to all.

Her love for youth development stems from over 15 years as a member of the SVG cadet Force, Red Cross and International Youth Alliance for Family Planning (IYAFP).

Congratulations Julonna!


Congratulations to Lorielle Robertson 2021/2022 Chevening Scholar.

Lorielle Robertson, an Economist in the Ministry of Finance has a zeal for volun- teering and giving back to her commu- nity.

She is a mem- ber of the LEO Club St. Vincent as well as a youth mentor committed to providing sup- in academics port and professional pursuits.
a has Lorielle passion for devel- opment and be- lieves St. Vincent and the Grenadines can thrive economi- cally through more youth programmes targeted toward unique skill build- ing and entrepre- neurial exploits.

She believes this is the path to unem- ployment reduction, poverty alleviation and a thriving economy.

For this reason, she will be pursuing an MSc.


in Development Economics and Policy at the Uni- versity of Manchester where she plans to use the knowledge gained and the opportunities afforded by the Chevening network to make a positive contribu- tion to the development of the Vincentian community.

We look forward to following her Chevening journey.

We look forward to following her Chevening journey.
| 39 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 Government of Canada donates AstraZeneca Vaccines SVG DISCUSS FUTURE PROSPECTS WITH WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN The Government of Canada has been continually engaging with its international partners to build and coordinate efforts aimed at ending the pandemic.
In light of ex- isting cordial relations between governments and the thrust to help boost citizens’ immuni- ty and to avoid inequality of access to vac- cines, on Tuesday, 24 August 2021, the Gov- ernment of Canada donated 20,000 Astra- Zeneca vaccines to the Government and Peo- ple of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to boost the country's response to the pandemic.
Mr. Cuthbert Knights; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Envi- ronment on behalf of the Government and People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines ex- pressed sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Government and People of Canada for their contribution.

L-R: Mrs. Okolo-John Patrick, Director of Trade, Mrs. Sandy Peters- Phillips , Permanent Secretary and Senator The Hon.
Keisal M. Peters, Minister of State with responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade The Ministry on behalf of the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines congratulates Dr. Carla Barnett, the newly appointed CARICOM Secretary General.

The Government looks for- ward to working with the new leadership of Dr. Barnett and takes this opportunity to re- new St. Vincent and the Grenadines' commitment towards the continuous development of CARICOM for the benefit of all members.
| 40 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 SVG DISCUSS FUTURE PROSPECTS WITH WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN L-R: Mrs. Okolo-John Patrick, Director of Trade, Mrs. Sandy Peters- Phillips , Permanent Secretary and Senator The Hon.
Keisal M. Peters, Minister of State with responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Representatives from World Central Kitchen & The Food Producer Network Following the eruption of the La Soufrière volcano on the 9th April, 2021, the World Central Kitchen (WCK) reached out to the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to offer assistance with disaster response.
Upon arrival, WCK activated its Emergency Food Relief Programme to assist Vincentian citizens who were displaced as a result of the eruption, by providing daily meals.

Four months later, WCK reached out to the government once more, this time to assist in the recovery phase, through its long-term resilience programme “The Food Producer Network”(FPN).
The FPN’s aim is to support smallholder farmers, fishers and food-related businesses through funding, training and network- ing opportunities, which will help them to revitalise their operations and recover their capacity for food production, distribu- tion and sales after catastrophic events.

FPN has assisted food producers in Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, The Bahamas and Guatemala following various national disasters.
On Tuesday, 17th August 2021, Mrs. Alexandra Garcia, Chief Programm Officer of World Central Kitchen and Ms. Mikol Hoff- man, Director of FPN, met with Senator The Hon.
Keisal Peters, Minister of State with Responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and other Senior Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Ministry of National Mobilisation, Social Development, Family, Gender Affairs, Persons with Disabil- ities and Youth, the Ministry of Education, National Reconciliation, Ecclesiastical Affairs and Information and, the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) to discuss grants which are available to food producers in SVG.
The Government stakeholders would be working assiduously with the World Central Kitchen Officials so that SVG can be offi- cially registered with the World Central Kitchen Regional Food Security Program Strategy and secure grants for farmers and business owners.
| 41 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 SVG TO SHOWCASE AT EXPO 2020 DUBAI For a period of six months, or until March 31, 2022, SVG will be among 190 coun- tries showcasing various sectors of the Vincentian economy.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines will be among 191 participating nations participants Expo 2020 Dubai.

Expo 2020 was initially scheduled to be hosted from 20 October 2020 – 10 April 2021.
However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates, the new dates were listed as October 2021 – 31 March 2022. in Invest SVG is the entity charged with the responsibility of ensuring that this coun- try’s presence at Expo 2020 Dubai is impactful and has a significant outcome.
It is estimated that for the duration of Expo 2020 Dubai, some 25 million visitors will view the various pavilions on display, which provide the perfect opportunity for participating countries, including St Vincent and the Grenadines to showcase their destinations.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Mrs. Sandy Peters-Phillips stated that the event is expected to be a big one which will showcase a wide range of products from various sectors including culture, tour- ism and the arts and provide various displays for investment opportunities.
PS, Peters-Phillips also highlighted that trade was an important catalyst to reengineer economic growth stating that “these occasions provide a platform to facilitate economic prosperity that is much needed at this time.” Additionally, she contend- ed that this country’s national economic and social development plan recognises the need for an increase in the penetration of new markets as well as volumes or ex- ports in order to achieve a strong sustainable trade arrangement.
Therefore, suc- cessful participation in Expo Dubai can assist in accomplishing this objective re- sulting in an increase in export, and thereby enhancing national development.” The focal point of SVG’s representation at Expo 2020 Dubai is not just going to be on establishing trade or investment arrangements, but to promote other aspects of the Vincentian way of life which include Vincy Mas, with the planned 2022 edition expected to be launched at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Ms. Annette Mark, Executive Director of Invest SVG remained confident that SVG IS an mazing product to showcase.

Ms. Mark explained that though the effort is an expensive one, the work invest SVG has been doing will redound to success.

The space dedicated to SVG at Expo 2020 Dubai is a total of two floors with over 2,000 square feet of space.
Ms. Mark explained that the intention was to have the exhib- its on the first floor and upstairs be reserved for offices, meetings or for facilitating members of the Vincentian team.

And while Ms. Mark spoke of the opportunities of being a part of the Expo, she cautioned that it was important to bring those oppor- tunities back to St. Vincent and the Grenadines and therefore, it was intended that the team will return with a large database.
Mrs. Sandy Peters-Phillips Permanent Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Ms. Annette Mark Executive Director Invest SVG St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the United Arab Emirates established diplomatic relations since 20th February, 2009.

The bilateral cooperation between both countries has seen tremendous growth over the years.

The UAE has been a cordial partner to SVG.


Recent- ly, there was a donation of 1333 packages of medical and food supplies to assist in the relief and recovery efforts, after the explosive eruptions of the La Soufriere volcano.
For more Information on Invest SVG and the opportunities available to invest in St. Vincent and the Grenadines visit their website at: www.investsvg.com | 42 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 Photo caption: (Left-Right): Nadine Agard-Juillerat, Deputy Executive Director; Peter Edward, Export Development Manager; Annette Mark, Executive Director; H. E. Calvin Ho, Ambassador, Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan); Grace Chang, Counsellor, Embassy of the Republic of China(Taiwan).
TAIWAN DONATES TO SVG FOR EXPO 2020 DUBAI The Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) donated USD$40,000 to aid the country’s participation in the world Expo in Dubai.

The Expo 2020 will host approximately 180 countries with more than 25 million visits expected from all over the world, making Expo 2020 an extraordinary platform to generate opportunities across many sectors.

The Expo, which was postponed in 2020, will run from Octo- ber 2021 to April 2022.
In observance of the 42nd Independ- ence, St. Vincent and the Grenadines will produce its National Day celebration on October 21st, 2021; a showcase of Vincen- tian culture and entertainment presented at three different venues throughout that day – the Al Wasl Main Stage, Earth Stage, and Sea Plaza.

The key objectives of the pavilion are to showcase St. Vincent and the Grenadines as a jurisdiction and a destination.
As a jurisdiction, the many investment opportunities will be brought to life through ﬁlms, literature, the creative sector, products, and services.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines also intends to host several events during Expo 2020, including investment forums and National Day celebration.
As a destination, St. Vincent and the Grenadines will be exhibited and experienced through ﬁlms, images and literature, showcasing our culture and the essence of our people, using technology to offer an immersive experience of the entire landscape and the opportu- nities within it.

The Executive Director of Invest SVG – Ms. Annette Mark expressed sincere thanks to the Government and people of Taiwan for their generous contribution, making St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ participation and presence possible.
Ms. Mark also expressed her optimism in achieving the overall objective of creating new linkages in fresh markets as well as attracting new visitors and investors to our beautiful islands.

T Sourced: investsvg.com | 43 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Diplomatic Courier - Issue 2/2021 May - August , 2021 TUNE IN TO NBC RADIO on 107.5 and 90.7 EVERY THRUSDAY AT 9:30 A.M. for the Ministry’s weekly radio segment as we educate on issues related to foreign affairs and foreign trade.
Visit our Facebook page: @mofasvg or Twitter page: @mofa_svg Produced by: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, West Indies Phone: (784) 456 2060 (784) 456 2442 Fax: (784) 456 2610 E-mail: office.foreignaffairs@mail.gov.vc, svgforeign@gmail.com, office.trade@gov.vc Website: http://www.foreign.gov.vc/foreign/ | 44