Taiwan President’s visit incident free – Officials

Government officials here say that the visit of Ma Ying-jeou, President of the Republic of China (Taiwan), was a success.{{more}}

One member of the security team entrusted to oversee Ma’s visit told SEARCHLIGHT that from a security perspective, things were excellent.

“Everything went smoothly. We were active early in the morning to the time the president left. There were no problems.”

President Ma arrived at the E.T. Joshua airport shortly after 8:30 on Saturday morning, where he was greeting by Governor General Sir Frederick Ballantyne, then Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves and other members of Government.

The president, along with his contingent, which included his foreign minister and health minister, staff and foreign media, then journeyed to the Botanic Gardens, where Ma planted a wax apple tree, a fruit which was introduced to St Vincent and the Grenadines by Taiwanese agriculturalists years ago.

Ma was then received by Sir Frederick at Government House, for a brief meeting, before heading to Colonarie, where, with Prime Minister Gonsalves, he cut the ceremonial ribbon signalling the opening of the newly constructed Colonarie bridge, which was built with funds from the Taiwanese government.

Following a lunch at the private residence of the Prime Minister at Gorse, the next stop on the president’s busy itinerary was at the construction site of the Argyle international airport, for a tour of the terminal building, being constructed by the Taiwan based Overseas Engineering and Construction Corporation (OECC).

Back in Kingstown, the two heads of government met at Cabinet room, where they signed a communiqué, solidifying the ties both countries have shared for more than 30 years.

The final event in Ma’s one-day visit saw the president meeting and greeting the latest batch of Vincentian students, set to travel to his country on various scholarships.

Past and present scholarship winners also greeted the president, thanking him for his country’s generosity in providing them with a tertiary education.

The curtains came down on the president’s visit shortly after 7 p.m., when he was whisked back to the E.T. Joshua Airport, where a LIAT chartered flight awaited him to transport him to his next destination, St Kitts and Nevis. (JJ)

(More photos of the President Ma’s visit to St Vincent and the Grenadines can be viewed at SEARCHLIGHT’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/Searchlight1)