After years of stagnation since its ground-breaking on September 24, 2011, the Gros Islet Human Resource Development Centre finally opened. The occasion was marked by the attendance of President Tsai Ing-wen of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Residents from the town, students from nearby Gros Islet Infant School and others came to witness an event some feared would never happen.
The parliamentary representative for Gros Islet, Lenard Montoute, said the centre was something he always felt the people of Gros Islet deserved. Alas, he lost the 2011 elections before he was able to deliver it. Nevertheless, on Thursday he proudly welcomed everyone to the town’s latest accomplisment: “If there was one project that I wanted to ensure delivery on, it would be the opening of this centre. This facility will allow for a greater ease of service in the community.”
The centre is fitted with an indoor theatre, training room, music lab, conference room, office space and a restaurant. Its original plan had accounted for a cistern in the building’s foundation, self-serving generators so that it could double up as an emergency shelter, and an exhibition hall so artists could set up their work. However, Montoute said that the finished product differed slightly: water tanks and generators will be installed later. The exhibition area was replaced with a music lab which Montoute believes will provide more technical support to the community. The theatre offers a large hall and stage to accommodate plays, shows and large groups for conferences. It also features state of the art lighting and sound equipment.
His countenance beaming, Montoute said: “The theatre within this facility has enabled us to honour and acknowledge a Saint Lucian prodigy of the literary arts by naming it after him.” He referred to 31-year-old Vladimir Lucien. The renowned poet, writer, actor and critic is one of the youngest award-winning literary artists from Saint Lucia, more specifically from Gros Islet town. Montoute predicted that this laurel, paired with the centre’s prime location and technology, will institute a cultural renaissance in Gros Islet, and Saint Lucia by extension.
Montoute anticipates that the addition of the centre’s resources in the community will provide new facets to the Gros Islet Friday Night experience by providing a different scope of events. He also noted that his ministry holds to a mandate of efficiently training the adult population, and the centre is expected to host a series of skills-training opportunities for citizens in Gros Islet.
“I also firmly believe that the centre presents an avenue for income generation for the community,” Montoute said. “Given the demand for conference and training space nationally, I expect these rooms to be booked regularly.” The restaurant space will also be an option for small businesses to set up and earn revenue.
Montoute ended with expressions of gratitude to the Government of Taiwan for its invaluable contribution to the fruition of the Gros Islet Human Resource Development Centre. Taiwan provided the main source funding for the project. President Tsai noted that projects such as the centre epitomise the Saint Lucia-Taiwan relationship because of all the new opportunities they provide members of the community as Taiwan seeks to enable sustainable growth in Saint Lucia.
