St. Vincent and the Grenadines journalist, Kenton X. Chance, has received the Distinguished Taiwan Alumni Award from the Taiwan government in recognition of his outstanding professional achievement, and his contribution to promoting exchanges and cooperation between Taiwan and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.
Chance, who is the founder and executive editor of iWitness News was among the recipients of the award handed out by Taiwan’s Ministry of Education.
Chance, who is also the St. Vincent and the Grenadines correspondent for the Barbados-based Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), said he was “deeply honored” to have been granted the award, saying that the six years he spent in Taiwan, as well as the three study tours in which he participated have been transformational.
“This award will help to motivate me to continue to be true to the training that I have received in Taiwan,” Chance said.
Taiwan’s Minister of Education, Wen-Chung Pan, bestowed upon Chance the award “in recognition of his outstanding professional achievement, and his contribution to promoting exchanges and cooperation between Taiwan and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines”.
Taiwan’s ambassador to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Peter Sha-Li Lan Monday presented the award during a ceremony at the Taiwan Embassy.
Chance is one of ten people globally to have received the award this year and Lan noted that he is one of only two recipients who operate their own business.
“I believe that Mr. Chance is the only one of the two who represents the area of the Caribbean. And, also, I have to say this is the first time a Vincentian got this award,” Lan said, adding that Taiwan’s Ministry of Education created the award three years ago “to have an opportunity to reflect among ourselves how well our recipients are doing” after being trained in Taiwan.
The diplomat noted that 220 Vincentians have graduated from Taiwan universities with undergraduate, masters or doctorate degrees, and about 200 more are currently pursuing studies.
Kenton X. Chance said from the inception, Taiwan has always encouraged scholarship recipients to return to their respective countries upon completion of their education and contribute to the countries’ development.
“To my mind, this is a demonstration that Taiwan’s motive in educating people, and may I emphasize, not only citizens of its allies, is honorable,” Chance said and pledged to “remain true to the training that I received in Taiwan in my respective fields of endeavor”.
He said Vincentian graduates of the Taiwan university scholarship programs distinguish themselves in whatever field they are engaged.
“This award is also a tribute to all the other alumni and their various contributions to the development of our country and our regional and global society,” Chance told the ceremony.
CMC/
