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St. Lucia
– Residents in Dennery North now have public access to a state-of-the-art Digital Development Centre in their constituency, which offers them a wide range of services aimed at making their lives easier in the technological sphere.
The new Grand Riviere Digital Development Centre was officially unveiled on the afternoon of Friday, May 16, 2025. Located in the Grand Riviere Human Resource Development Centre, the new ICT centre is a hub of digital excellence and innovation aimed at empowering individuals and businesses in the community through cutting-edge ICT resources and training opportunities.
Services provided at the Grand Riviere Digital Development Centre include computer lab, conference room, training programmes, co-worker space, internet café, digiGov Service Bureau Office, and bring your own device (BYOD).
The new Centre falls under the “Application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Digital Capacity Project”, and executing partners are the Taiwan Technical Mission (TTM) in Saint Lucia; Ministry of Public Service, Home Affairs, Labour and Gender Affairs; Ministry of Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training; and the Department of Housing and Local Government.
Its overarching goals are as follows:
- Establishment of a well-equipped ICT facility
- Increase in training capacity
- Collaboration with Governments
- Designing and implementation of capacity building frameworks
- Establishment of total quality and monitoring management procedures
- Sustainable skill development
This is the second Digital Development Centre that the Taiwan Technical Mission has been instrumental in establishing in Saint Lucia. The first one, which is located in the Velon John Administrative Building in Laborie, opened in April 2024. Two more Digital Development Centres are earmarked for Soufriere and Gros Islet.
Speaking at the official launch ceremony, H.E. Nicole Su, Taiwan’s Ambassador to Saint Lucia, said Taiwan was proud to be a partner on the project, as more people in Dennery North now have greater access to digital equity. She added that it demonstrates Taiwan’s continued commitment to bridging the digital divide across communities in Saint Lucia.
“We envision this Centre hosting training workshops on cyber-security, digital marketing, and business development to empower local entrepreneurs and young professionals,” Ambassador Su said. “By leveraging information technology, Grand Riviere in Dennery North will be better positioned to foster economic growth and strengthen community resilience.”
Ambassador Su also addressed the importance of cyber-security, noting that in recent years there have been deliberate and malicious efforts in spreading disinformation and misinformation. Equally concerning, she said, was a rise in cyber-attacks, cyber-crimes and online fraud. She added that no country was immune from cyber-attacks, including phishing schemes that target personal data to ransom-ware attacks that disrupt essential services.
“These issues are much closer to us than we realize, and these incidents happen more often than we might think,” Ambassador Su stated. “That is why having a Digital Development Centre here is not just about digital access—it’s about building digital resilience. We hope you will make the best use of the Centre to enhance digital literacy, cyber-security awareness, and safe online practices, to build a digitally safe Saint Lucia for all of us.”
Ambassador Su praised the great collaboration among the teams from the Ministry of Public Service, especially the Division of Public Sector Modernization, partners from the Dennery North Constituency Council, and the Taiwan Technical Mission, for their contributions to making the project a reality. She also acknowledged the visionary policy of the Government of Saint Lucia and the leadership of Hon. Minister Virginia Albert-Poyotte, Hon. Minister Joachim Henry, and Hon. Minister Shawn Edward, for their hard work to put people first.
“Taiwan is committed to working with the people and the Government of Saint Lucia in driving digital inclusion and technological advancement. Together, let’s build a stronger, smarter, and safer digital world,” Ambassador Su concluded.
Hon. Dr. Virginia Albert-Poyotte, Minister for Public Service, Labour and Gender Affairs, explained that the Government of Saint Lucia has designated 2024/2025 as the Year of Infrastructure, with particular focus on digital public infrastructure, including e-government and telecommunication connectivity. In the past, most people saw infrastructure as roads or houses, but the Government of Saint Lucia has added technology as one component of infrastructure.
Through the Department of Modernization, she said the Government of Saint Lucia has invested millions of dollars towards advancing Saint Lucia’s technological development.
Hon. Dr. Albert-Poyotte said the Grand Riviere Digital Development Centre is a testament to her Government’s belief that no community should be left behind. She said the Ministry of Public Service remains deeply committed to supporting community development initiatives that not only enhance public access to Government services, but also nurture innovation, learning, and entrepreneurship at the local level.
“This initiative is made possible through the enduring partnership between the Government of Saint Lucia and the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and leverages Taiwan’s expertise in ICT and education to bring a world-class digital facility to the people of Grand Riviere,” said Hon. Dr. Albert-Poyotte.
Hon. Shawn Edward, Minister for Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training, and Parliamentary Representative for Dennery North, said the project complements the Ministry of Education’s current “One Laptop per Child” programme. He added that the various projects rolled out by the Ministry of Education underscored Government’s acknowledgement that there is an indispensable role for technology in education delivery.
Hon. Edward encouraged residents to make use of the free services being offered at the new ICT Centre, adding that age does not matter when it comes to learning new things, including in the technological sphere. However, he urged users to be responsible in how they use technology, including staying clear of harmful content. He also thanked those who made the project possible.
“On behalf of the people of Dennery North, I want to thank immensely Ambassador Su, and the Government and people of Taiwan, for the manner in which they’ve been able to work with the Government and people of Saint Lucia, not just in the realm of ICT and education, but across almost every facet of national development,” Hon. Edward stated. “The Taiwanese DNA is well registered and well received, and the impact can be felt across sectors and communities in our country.”
Hon. Joachim Henry, Minister for Equity, Social Justice and Empowerment, noted the while Government has made many interventions over the years to address poverty, many people still face challenges. However, he said Government believes that the many functions that technology plays in people’s daily lives makes it a prime factor in reducing poverty significantly.
“The days when people were preparing resumés and long letters and knocking on doors asking for employment opportunities are becoming a thing of the past,” he said. “And if, perchance, a student were to knock on the door of an employer in time to come, it would be to tell them what they can do for that business. So we’re training our people to not just become job seekers, but to also become job creators, and to enhance business opportunities in existing businesses today.”
With the new ICT Centre now opened, Mr. Emrand Matthew, Chairperson of the Dennery North Constituency Council, said Dennery North is now poised to embrace the transformative power of information technology. He noted that the equipment and properly aligned processes reflect the evolving world where ICT plays a crucial role in driving progress, fostering innovation, and helping people to connect and collaborate like never before.
“This investment – by no stretch of the imagination – shall not be in vain,” said Matthew. “We endeavour to optimize its use for the benefit of our people, and by extension, our community. For our young people, it is a chance to advance digital skills. For business persons, it is a space to harness the power of technology to grow their businesses and reach new markets. For our community, it is a hub for learning and access to vital online resource and essential Government services through the digiGov platform.”
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