Haiti launches construction of $16m dollar Supreme Court building funded by Taiwan

Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, Aug. 13 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou and Haiti's President Michel Martelly jointly presided over a ceremony marking the beginning of construction of a new Supreme Court building funded by Taiwan in the Haitian capital Tuesday. The building, which will cost around US$16 million and is scheduled to be completed in 2015, will replace the old courthouse that was destroyed in a powerful earthquake that struck the Caribbean nation in January 2010. During his address at the ceremony, Ma said he was deeply moved that Haiti had given priority to the project, which he said demonstrated the importance Haiti attaches to the rule of law. Martelly said rebuilding Haiti's judicial system and improving work conditions are two essential components of the reconstruction of the quake-devastated country, a goal that the government is working toward in cooperation with the private sector. Ma arrived in Haiti earlier Tuesday on the first leg of his five-nation diplomatic tour. He is the first Republic of China (Taiwan) president to visit Haiti since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1956. Ma was greeted at the airport by Martelly. The two presidents later held talks at the presidential palace. During the meeting, Martelly described the ROC as the most important ally of Haiti, recalling that the first rescue team to arrive in Haiti in the wake of the 2010 earthquake was from Taiwan.