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....Guest Editorial

19th January 2012
Relations Unclear

It is still unclear what the future of diplomatic relations between Saint Lucia and Taiwan will be following the meeting in Castries between a delegation from Taiwan led by that country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Timothy Yang and top representatives of the Saint Lucian Government headed by Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony.
Although the Taiwanese Embassy in Gros Islet released a statement stating that Prime Minister Anthony expressed thanks to Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jeou for his willingness to further cordial relations of cooperation and partnership in Saint Lucia, the future still does not look promising for continued diplomatic relations between the two countries because of the demands the Saint Lucian Government has placed on its Taiwanese counterpart.
Alva Baptiste, the External Affairs Minister noted that a definite decision regarding Saint Lucia’s diplomatic relations position with Taiwan will be made within a few weeks.
How long Saint Lucians will have to wait is unclear, however the External Minister said that the Saint Lucian Government had articulated its concerns to the Taiwanese Foreign Minister about his ambassador to Saint Lucia, Tom Chou.
When it was in opposition the SLP had strongly expressed its objections to what it claimed was Ambassador Chou’s deep involvement in Saint Lucia’s political affairs.
Minister Baptiste remarked that the behaviour of the ambassador was not in keeping with the normal behaviour of other diplomats in Saint Lucia.
 
 

Also of concern to the government is the manner in which monies from Taiwan were handed to the former government of Stephenson King. The Taiwanese funds given to the previous government were the subject of much debate in the country and a platform criticism of the Labour Party during the general elections campaign.
The return of Dr. Anthony to the helm of the government has stirred up national interest in the future of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Dr. Anthony, after taking his oath as prime minister, wasted no time in suppressing the voices of those most vociferous in calling for the immediate departure of Ambassador Chou by saying that it would be rather uncivilized of a government to put Ambassador Chou on a plane bound for Taiwan immediately after winning the general elections.
And in any case, noted Prime Minister Anthony, his government’s first request of Taiwan is for that country to give him full disclosure of the monies given to the government of Stephenson King.
Prime Minister Anthony said that during the first round of talks with Minister Yang he made it absolutely clear to him that the Labour Party had no objections to the assistance Taiwan provided to Saint Lucia, and that in fact the government welcomed the assistance.
“We are very concerned about the manner in which that assistance was handled. We have very serious concerns about the monies given to parliamentarians and the behaviour of the ambassador here,” Dr. Anthony said.
(Adapted from an article filed by Micah George)

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