Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Antigua and Barbuda; His Excellency Mr. Ren Gongping;
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ms. Sandra Joseph;
Members of the Prime Minister's Scholarship Committee;
Officials of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China;
Scholarship recipients, students and parents;
Members of the Media;
Good Morning:
In 2007, when I launched the programme to use our diplomatic relationships to secure scholarships for our young people, I indicated that the UPP's government's aim was to ensure the continued growth and development of Antigua and Barbuda. I believe that to achieve this, is heavily dependent on how best we as a government empower our young people educationally. Developing the intellectual aptitude of our youth, by giving them opportunities to pursue tertiary studies in some of the top universities around the world, is a major guiding principle of the government and we are totally committed to this policy."
Six years later and with hundreds of students enrolled in universities around the globe, the programme has demonstrated its relevance to the socio-economic development of our nation.
As mentioned earlier, scores of students have graduated with university degrees and are making meaningful contributions at home and abroad, while others are continuing post-graduate studies.
Today, we celebrate the achievements of those students and commend them for being proud ambassadors of our country. At the same time, we congratulate the ten students who are the recipients of the Chinese Scholarships this year.
The government values our relations with the People's Republic of China and believes that our collaboration in the field of education is one of the focal points of its development.
As you the students get ready to commence your education, I wish to remind you that University education is more than the next level in the learning process; it is a critical component of your human development.
It provides not only the high-level skills necessary for every labour market but also the training is essential for you to become effective teachers, doctors, nurses, civil servants, engineers, entrepreneurs, scientists, social scientists, and a myriad of other professions.
It is these trained individuals who develop the capacity and analytical skills that drive local economies, support civil society, teach children, lead effective governments, and make important decisions, which affect entire communities.
So in short, an educated populace is vital in today's world. With the convergent impacts of globalization, knowledge is the main driver of growth, and the information and communication revolution.
University is entirely different from school, the major difference being that you enroll yourselves in a particular university because you 'want to' and not because you 'have to'. Likewise, attending university is completely your choice, unlike school which is mandatory.
I urge you to make good use of this opportunity because not only does university level education make you earn a living, but it also helps you live better lives.
I wish at this time to commend the Chinese government for partnering with us in investing in our people through education. I believe that this initiative will also serve to deepen the understanding between our peoples.
The People's Republic of China has proven over the past 30 years of our bilateral relations, that it is indeed a true friend of Antigua and Barbuda.
Not only is this friendship demonstrated in the granting of scholarships to our young people, bringing the total number of scholarships to date since 2007 to ninety-five, but it is also evident in the areas of agriculture, economic and trade cooperation through infrastructural development projects, culture, health, utilities and support to the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force.
Through this programme and the scholarships being offered by friendly government's, we are building the human capacity of our nation and preparing you the young people to make meaningful contributions to our nation, our region and indeed the world.
I therefore admonish you to not take the scholarship you are receiving today lightly. You are called upon to work hard.
Utilize this opportunity wisely. You are called upon to hit the ground running and be productive in your studies from day one. Learn from those who have gone before you and are excelling at their studies.
It is my belief that our recovery from the global economic situation is directly related to how educated, qualified and relevantly trained our youth, our employees and our managers are.
Recognizing that the number of students pursuing degree studies in the People's Republic of China and the continued growth of the relations between our two nations, I wish to announce that it is the government's intention to advance our efforts to have permanent representation in the People's Republic of China.
Both Ambassadors and our Ministries of Foreign Affairs will, in a few weeks time begin the process to make this a reality in the not too distant future.
As I close, the government pledges to continue to pursue education, training and workforce development in a planned and systematic way. Scholarships for our people will remain at the top of our agenda.
You the students today have answered the call to advance yourselves. Let us make it a successful partnership. Let us make it work – for yourselves and our nation.
I am highly confident that you the students selected to be our ambassadors in the People's Republic of China will represent our nation well.
You are expected to be symbols of pride for us in that part of the world and we expect great things from each one of you.
Congratulations!
And May God Bless each one of you and your families. Thank you very much.