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TAIWAN HOLDS ON TO E10M FOR COVID-19

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MBABANE – Does the Republic of China (Taiwan) have trust issues with the National Disaster Management Agency?

The Taiwanese have decided not to hand over to the custody of the NDMA an amount of E10 million that they donated to the Kingdom of Eswatini towards the fight against coronavirus.
Instead, the Taiwan Embassy is said to have informed the NDMA that it would keep the money under its care and only release it if and when a particular payment is to be made and proof in that regard has been submitted. This has been confirmed by the NDMA. Sources disclosed to the Times SUNDAY that the Taiwanese were applying strict measures around the E10 million and were avoiding releasing the money each time a request was forwarded.

Justification

“They always demand proof and justification as well as having the leeway of determining what their money can buy and what it cannot buy,” one of the sources said. It was on March 25, 2020 when Taiwan Ambassador Jeremy Liang handed over a E10 million replica cheque to Deputy Prime Minister Themba Nhlanganiso Masuku, who was in the company of Phil Mnisi, the Chairman of the Resource Mobilisation Committee. Initially, the E10 million was supposed to go towards the celebrations of His Majesty King Mswati III’s 52nd birthday. The celebrations were to be held on April 19 at a time when the spread of the coronavirus was gaining momentum and cases of infections were on the increase.

Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini held a press briefing to announce that the celebrations had since been cancelled because the increasing number of confirmed cases in the country called for everyone to be vigilant and responsible in all actions, in order to quickly turn the tide against this rampaging virus. Also to be suspended alongside the King’s birthday was the Army Day and the Good Friday and Easter Services. But the services were later held under strict COVID-19 protocols, where not more than 20 people were allowed to attend. The PM said His Majesty had therefore commanded that the King’s birthday Resource Mobilisation Committee should change focus and channel their energy towards fundraising for COVID-19.

 

 

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