Tang Fei (唐飛) yesterday offered his resignation to President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to take full political responsibility in a bid to ease public outrage over the Pachang Creek (八掌溪) tragedy.
However, Chen declined to accept the resignation, and instead encouraged him to conquer the challenges that the new government is facing.
"The new government has no excuse for mishandling the rescue. The only thing I can do is to resign," Tang said at a press conference held yesterday morning.
PHOTO: LIAO RAY-SHANG, THE LIBERTY TIMES
Four workers conducting riverbed work in Pachang Creek found themselves overwhelmed by a rapidly rising torrent on Saturday afternoon. The four waited in vain for a rescue helicopter and finally were swept into the muddy water and drowned.
Only two bodies have been found so far, while public outrage over the government's failure to mount a rescue continues to rise.
Chen called an urgent Cabinet meeting around 8pm yesterday to work out how to minimize the political damage the event has caused his administration.
Tang held a second review meeting yesterday morning to clarify details and responsibilities concerning the rescue delay.
A demerit was handed down to 13 ministers, including Director of the National Fire Administration Chen Horng-i (
Tang has authorized the Military Rescue and Coordination Center (
"Poor communications and a lack of ability to deal with a crisis led to the failure of the rescue. The first "life-critical" 32 minutes had been wasted on following administrative procedure authorizing the dispatch of the rescue team. We will thoroughly review the government's mechanism to deal with such a situation and strengthen rescue forces and equipment," Tang said.
He then dispatched Secretary-General of the Cabinet Wea Chi-lin (
The body of Liu Chih (劉智) was pulled from the mud of the Pachang Creek yesterday at about 2pm. Liu's relatives identified the body.
The military has vowed to keep up its search effort, while the families of the two missing victims, Yang Tzu-chung (
Each of the four victims or their families are entitled to NT$200,000 in compensation under the National Compensation Law. In addition, the victims' families can claim compensation for occupational injury and death according to the Labor Insurance Law (勞保條例).
Approximately NT$820,000 will be awarded to Yang Tzu-chung, who is covered by labor insurance, while the remaining three are entitled to farmers' insurance of approximately NT$150,000.
The Council of Labor Affairs (
Chang Chun-hsiung (
"The president is both saddened and furious over the tragedy. He has ordered that further investigations into the government's negligence be conducted," Chang said.
"Saving lives should be the top priority of any rescue mission and the president fully respects Tang Fei's decision to penalize the authorities responsible for the mistake," Chang said.
Chang also responded to New Party legislators' accusations that two out of the four Seagull rescue helicopters were reserved for the president's use.
He said that Chen was not aware of the former government's arrangements, and that the president had immediately ordered the two helicopters concerned to be assigned to rescue missions only.
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