CANTA’s 34th General Membership Meeting was held in St. Lucia at the Bay Gardens Beach Resort and Spa, Rodney Bay, on Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th, March 2024.
The St. Lucia TVET Council (SLCTVET), who partnered with SAGE, hosted and coordinated the meeting. Mr. Joseph Alexander, Chairman of the Board of Directors SLCTVET, delivered the Welcome Remarks. The then Chair of CANTA, Mr. Henderson Eastmond, gave the Opening Remarks. At the same time, the Hon. Shawn Edward, Minister of Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training, gave an opening address on the digitalisation, sustainability and significance of TVET in the Region and then declared the meeting open.
CANTA’s member states provided updates in person and online, while the Associate members (Caribbean Examination Council-CXC and Dunn Pierre Barnet and Associates-DPBA) presented in person. CANTA’s partners presented on the ongoing initiatives with member states’ NTAs and TVET Councils. Dr Denise Stoney-James, Deputy Programme Manager-Education and the CARICOM Secretariat’s representative of CANTA provided an update on the upcoming RCMTVET and COHSOD meetings anticipated to occur in October 2024.
CANTA’s new Chair and Executive Management Committee (EMC) were elected at the meeting. Dr. Stoney-James from the CARICOM Secretariat was responsible as the Presiding Officer in calling for nominations for a new EMC of CANTA. The positions included the following: Chair, Vice Chair, Chair of the Occupational Standards Committee (OSC), Chair of the Quality Assurance Committee (QAC), and Chair of the Finance Committee.
Dr. Kertney Thompson succeeded in the election as the new Chair and Dr. Patrice Parris Searles as vice Chair. Perry Thomas was elected as Chair of the OSC, Endall Johnson as Chair of the QAC, and Dr. Taneisha Ingleton was elected as Chair of the Finance Committee.
The two-day meeting was adjourned and ended on day three with activities and a tour of the beautiful, romantic, and adventurous Island of St. Lucia.