By Val Matthias. Updated 9:19 a.m., Tuesday, November 10, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
Veteran Vincentian broadcaster and journalist Chester Connell says St. Vincent and the Grenadines must take responsibility for its development shortcomings rather than blame Taiwan, arguing that the country must be clear about what it needs from its international partners and how it manages the assistance it receives.
Connell made the comments during a telephone contribution to HOT 97’s Morning Show on Tuesday, November 10, amid public discussion about whether St. Vincent and the Grenadines should reconsider its diplomatic relationship with Taiwan and establish relations with the People’s Republic of China.
Drawing on his experience of living in Taiwan for 10 years, Connell argued that it is the responsibility of the Vincentian Government to identify national priorities and make requests based on the country’s development needs.
“It is the responsibility of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to request from Taiwan what St. Vincent and the Grenadines need. It is not the responsibility of Taiwan to decide what it wants to give to St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” he said.
Connell maintained that foreign assistance must be properly managed and that governments must be held accountable for ensuring that development projects deliver results.
Using the country’s hospital development as an example, he questioned whether sufficient progress was being made, arguing that shortcomings in the execution of projects should not automatically be blamed on Taiwan.
“But that’s the point, that you can’t blame Taiwan. Everybody keeps blaming Taiwan,” Connell said.
He placed responsibility for such shortcomings on the political leadership in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, arguing that the country must examine how successive governments have handled development assistance.
Connell also challenged the tendency to compare Taiwan and China primarily on the basis oftheir financial resources, saying the value of diplomatic relationships extends beyond the amount of money a country can provide.
He described mutual respect, trust and recognition of sovereignty as important foundations of international partnerships.
Connell, who said he had lived in Taiwan for a decade, pointed to the country’s economic and technological development as an example from which St. Vincent and the Grenadines could learn.
He urged the Government to seek a deeper understanding of Taiwan’s development experience, including how it transformed its economy and built its technological capacity.
“Documentation beats conversation,” he said, suggesting that St. Vincent and the Grenadines should ask Taiwan directly how it achieved its development progress and identify lessons that could be applied locally.
He also pointed to the country’s agricultural potential, arguing that SVG must become more innovative and make better use of its resources to strengthen food security and economic resilience.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines established diplomatic relations with Taiwan, officially the Republic of China, on August 15, 1981. The relationship has included cooperation in agriculture, health, education, infrastructure and information and communications technology.
The debate over the country’s diplomatic relationship with Taiwan comes against the background of its longstanding engagement with Taipei and wider discussions about the economic and diplomatic implications of relations with Beijing.
Connell’s contribution places the focus on a central question in the debate: whether the country’s development challenges stem from the nature of its international partnerships or from how its own governments identify priorities, manage assistance and account for results.
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About the Author: This story was written and submitted by freelance journalist Mr. Val Matthias, a trained communicator with more than two decades in the media sector. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Media and Communication (UWI Mona), a Master of Science in Tourism and Hospitality Management (UWI Cave Hill), a Certificate in Digital Marketing, and has years of broadcast journalism experience rising to ranks of a programme manager. All supporting materials for this story have been presented, vetted, and verified. Mr Matthias can be reached at [email protected]
