FOREIGN MINISTER ENCOURAGES NATIONALS TO GRAB SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE

Basseterre, St. Kitts, December 18, 2020 (SKNIS): Nationals in St. Kitts and Nevis are strongly encouraged to grab scholarship opportunities when they become available as they are free and help students to enter into higher education institutions or training facilities without having to depend on student loans.

“I continue to encourage, and I am so proud that our people are starting. There is a trickle and I want the trickle to become a flood… [We encourage] our people to get the education, to get the language, get immersed in the culture,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs and Civil Aviation, the Honourable Mark Brantley. “What better diplomacy than people to people? When you know about the people, food and culture that is the best diplomacy.”

As a recipient of multiple scholarships throughout his life, Minister Brantley stressed that such opportunities prove extremely beneficial.

“I have seen the value of scholarships in my own life and I continue to advocate strongly that where possible, our young people seize the opportunities that are being made available for training. It doesn’t have to be a university degree. Sometimes, it is training, a short course, but seize the opportunities,” he said. “I lament all the time Mr. Speaker, that I go, and I beg, and countries respond favourably because I make a compelling case that St. Kitts and Nevis students want the opportunity to study and then countries come back to me and say nobody has applied.”

Minister Brantley said that oftentimes persons don’t seize the opportunities because the universities are not located in the United States, United Kingdom or Canada etc.

“We get into a kind of comfort zone in St. Kitts and Nevis and we are encouraging our people to break out of that. Get yourself in a position, benefit from what is available. We are working for you, but you must now make the step and make it happen,” said the foreign minister. “All of these are made available and possible because of diplomacy, because of our diplomatic relations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is here to help anybody interested so please contact us and let us take advantage.”

He reiterated that the ministry will continue to advocate and bring the scholarships, however, persons need to apply to take advantage of the opportunities.

Some of the areas of study or training available include but are not limited to Leadership in Court Governance – Singapore; Workshop on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure – India; Short-term courses for Police officers, fingerprint identification, the examination of a crime scene – Russia; WTO Advanced Trade Policy Course – Geneva; Public Officers and Junior Diplomats Courses – Austria, as well as Environmental Conservation Sustainability in Singapore. -30-