Control Yuan members yesterday said that, while they found no flaws in the decision-making process surrounding last month's visit of the Senegalese national soccer team, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) should take partial responsibility for its "imperfect management" of the visit.
Control Yuan members, seeking to clarify officials' responsibilities relating to the event in their ongoing investigation, yesterday questioned Minister of Foreign Affairs Eugene Chien (簡又新). The Control Yuan members asked about the decision-making process and how the event was executed.
The Senegal soccer team came to Taiwan after it finished competing in the World Cup late last month. However, the team's visit disappointed fans when an exhibition match which had been publicized failed to materialize.
Control Yuan members Chao Ron-yaw (趙榮耀), Liao Jiann-nan (廖健男) and Li You-chi (李友吉) reached a consensus yesterday that the decision to invite the team to Taiwan was appropriate given that the team made the final eight in the international competition.
"They could have taught our soccer teams a lot," Chao said.
Chao, however, said the ministry should improve its ability to put decisions into effect.
"The ministry should have spelled out the details of the agreement in the contract. That's why there was a dispute over whether the team was to play an exhibition match on the day they visited Taiwan," Chao said.
"Also, the ministry should have ensured that it had an in-depth understanding of the customs of Senegal in order to brief the team appropriately," he added.
The team showed up at the Chungshan Stadium in flip-flops and casual dress, disappointing fans who were expecting a soccer clinic and some sporting action.
As to media allegations that the players procured sexual services from prostitutes, Chao said that their investigation had uncovered "no proof of that."
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
RSS