Glenfield Gilbert, Director of Client Management Addresses Controversy Surrounding Trip
Glenfield Gilbert, Director of Client Management at ESL and ESL CEO Sunita Daniel at Wednesday’s press briefing
The Government of Saint Lucia, through Export Saint Lucia (ESL), highlighted its participation in Expo Osaka this week, showcasing the island’s potential in international trade and cultural exchange.
Saint Lucia has a long history of participating in World Expos, beginning with Expo Shanghai in 2010, followed by Expo Milan (2015), Expo Kazakhstan (2017), Expo Dubai (2022), and now, Expo Osaka in Japan.
Each staging has strengthened the nation’s global visibility, trade opportunities, and cultural diplomacy, ESL said in a statement.
At a press briefing this week, Glenfield Gilbert, Director of Client Management at ESL, said expos “create direct avenues for showcasing and promoting Saint Lucian goods and services including sea moss, rum and condiments” and gives Saint Lucia the opportunity to be featured before millions globally.
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In an efforts to arrest concerns about cost that has been making the rounds locally, Gilbert highlighted that Saint Lucia’s participation was made possible through the Assistance Program, with the majority of costs covered by the host. At Expo Dubai 2020, over 90% of participation costs — including airfare, accommodation, and support for creatives — were covered by the UAE, according to ESL.
Similarly, at Expo Osaka 2025, Japan covered airfare, accommodation, and expenses for the official delegation and most creatives.
The Government of Saint Lucia supplemented this support to ensure world-class presentations, ESL said in its statement.
Gilbert explained that while Japan covered a number of creatives, “We didn’t think that it would allow us to adequately showcase at the level we wanted… and as such, we took the decision to match the number of creatives that Japan would be paying for by Export Saint Lucia.”
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Regarding the cost of tickets, he said, “I know there has been a lot of talk in the media and so on about the cost… and I could tell you that… there were two entities covering the cost of the tickets primarily.”
“The Japanese government booked their own tickets for the creatives and that was the route through the UK, Dubai, and Japan… the cost… was approximately US $4,000. The cost of the tickets for creatives from Saint Lucia that Export Saint Lucia covered was $2, 000 US dollars, give or take,” Gilbert added.
ESL CEO Sunita Daniel revealed that government allocated $738,559 for Expo Osaka.
“That would include taking care of the creatives, taking care of our PR material, or the cost associated with Expo Osaka. The complete cost of participating in such an expo is well over $3 million so the government support… was actually mainly for the creatives to participate…. but also for us to put up some of our displays,” Daniel explained.
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The release stated that Saint Lucia’s continued presence at global expos brings significant value, including:
Global Visibility & Branding – Millions of visitors exposed to Brand Saint Lucia.
Trade & Export Opportunities – Direct access to new buyers and distributors.
Tourism Promotion – Increased destination awareness and travel interest.
Cultural Diplomacy – Showcasing music, fashion, cuisine, and art on a global platform.
Partnership & Investment Attraction – Opportunities for trade partnerships, joint ventures, and FDI.
Support for Creative Industries – Greater visibility for Saint Lucian artists, musicians, and designers.
Long-Term Economic Impact – Strengthened bilateral ties, sustained exports, and deeper tourism linkages.
Expo Osaka runs until October 2025 and Saint Lucia has secured valuable leads from the Brand Saint Lucia Business Forum. Agencies including CIP, Invest Saint Lucia, SLTA, and Export Saint Lucia are actively pursuing discussions with international partners. (A full report of Expo outcomes will be shared with the public at the end of the event).
In the meantime, Saint Lucia will continue to promote its products, services, and culture, while positioning local creatives and exporters for new opportunities across international markets.
AloJapan.com