BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

Prime Minister Owen Arthur has accused Taiwan of seeking to influence the outcome of the January 15 general election in Barbados by financing the campaign of the main opposition Democratic Labour Party (DLP).

Arthur, who is seeking an unprecedented fourth consecutive term in office, has also suggested that the island could switch its allegiance to Taiwan instead of maintaining the current relation-ship with China, should the DLP win the election.

"Our intelligence has told us that there have been many contacts between the Democratic Labour Party, through St. Kitts and Taiwan," said Arthur, as he addressed supporters of his Barbados Labour Party (BLP) on Saturday night.

Efforts to get a response from the DLP have so far proved futile.

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St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines are the only members of the 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

In recent years, Grenada and Dominica have followed the other CARICOM countries and establish diplomatic relations with China. They have all given public support to the 'One China' policy as outlined by Beijing, which regards Taipei as a renegade province.

Arthur criticised some Carib-bean countries for establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

"There are some countries that have been making themselves available to be purchased lock, stock and barrel. There are some countries that have no pride in policy and they are waiting there to be taken by the highest bidder," he said.