Honiara (Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation\/PINA Nius Online) – Phone and fax lines to the Solomon Islands Embassy in Taipei, Republic of China (Taiwan), have been disconnected because of unpaid bills, it has been revealed.<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Mannasseh Sogavare is expected to officially open the Embassy today after it was established in April this year.<\/p>\n
Acting Foreign Secretary in the Department of Foreign Affairs, Tione Bugotu, confirmed to SIBC News that his department has been unable to contact the embassy because of the disconnection.<\/p>\n
SIBC News further confirmed this yesterday when it rang the Embassy in Taipei in an attempt to get some information about the program for the Prime Minister’s visit.<\/p>\n
Mr. Bugotu said the department had attempted to get the Department of Finance to pay the outstanding bills but it has not been possible because of the current cash flow problems.<\/p>\n
However, Mr. Bugotu could not reveal the total of the unpaid telephone and fax bills.<\/p>\n
SIBC understands the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) funded the initial establishment of the Embassy and paid a certain amount of money towards its operational costs.<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has arrived in the Taiwanese capital, Taipei, for what Taiwan’s Central News Agency says is “a fence-mending week-long visit.”<\/p>\n
While there, Mr. Sogavare will meet with Taiwan’s President Chen Shui-bian and call on his Taiwan counterpart Chang Chun-hsiung, Foreign Minister Tien Hung-mao, and other government officials.<\/p>\n
The Honorary General Consul of the Solomon Islands in Taiwan, Wang Chin Shih-ying, hosted a dinner party in Mr. Sogavare’s honor.<\/p>\n
Mr. Sogavare was scheduled to hold a press conference at the Solomon Islands Embassy in Taiwan to explain the purpose of his visit.<\/p>\n
The Taipei-based news agency did not mention Mr. Sogavare’s intention of asking for about 300-million dollars to help fund his government’s commitment under the recently brokered Townsville Peace Agreement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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