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Marshall Islands gets gussied up

From newly-painted lines on roads to practice runs for motorcades, the Marshall Islands is sprucing up ahead of the first-ever official visit by a president -- even though he is a leader most of the world does not recognize.

Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) arrives today with a delegation of about 170, including more than 40 media members, as part of a visit to three tiny South Pacific states which are among the 25 countries worldwide which diplomatically recognize Taiwan rather than China.

Although at least one South American president flew through Majuro on a refueling stop en route to Asia in recent years, when Chen sets foot in Majuro he will become the first president to make an official visit to this central Pacific nation of 60,000.

Taiwan's ambassador to the Marshall Islands, Lien-gene Chen (陳連軍), said more than 40 journalists will be covering Chen's visit to Majuro and the nearby states of Kiribati and Tuvalu. It is possibly the biggest media contingent to descend on the Marshall Islands since the first US nuclear tests of the 1940s.

The lead-up to the visit has been marked by allegations of payoffs to government officials by people linked to China in an attempt to get diplomatic recognition switched back to China. The government has officially denied the payoffs, claimed to be between US$6,000 and US$10,000 offered to each official.

The Marshall Islands switched its recognition to Taiwan in 1998 and now receives US$10 million annually in aid and other help from Taipei. The Marshall Islands is one of five small and poor Pacific states to recognize Taiwan.

Chen's visit coincides with the 26th anniversary of Constitution Day, the local celebration of independence.

The Ministry of Public Works and many local businesses have been working feverishly over the past two weeks to clean up the capital for Chen's visit. The government on Friday also gave most government workers the day off from normal office duties to ensure the island is spotless.

Trash is being picked up and grass cut in parts of the island usually ignored by clean up crews.

Roads that have not been spruced up since they were repaved in 1999 have seen crews out painting lines morning and night this week.

On Thursday, police and security officials tied up traffic on the single main road for hours by practising motorcade arrivals and departures from the hotel where Chen will stay.

Chen's entourage of 170 is using up every available hotel room on the island. Current occupants of the Marshall Islands Resort, the hotel where Chen will stay for two nights, are being moved out yesterday morning to make room for the Taiwanese group.

Marshall Islands President Kessai Note will host a state dinner tonight. Tomorrow, the official holiday marking Constitution Day, Chen will speak to the Nitijela (parliament), briefly attend Constitution Day ceremonies at the capital, and then open a Taiwan trade fair in the early afternoon.

He and Note will launch the President's Race for the Outrigger Canoe National Cup, and the two will take a short lagoon ride on a traditional outrigger sailing canoe.

Chen leaves for Kiribati on Tuesday morning.
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