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Chen embraces smaller, more efficient government

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) vowed yesterday to downsize the government to make it more efficient and said he would soon form a committee to carry out the task.

"I will personally convene the committee and offer concrete proposals within the coming months," Chen said yesterday at the opening ceremony of the three-day National Public Development Conference.

Chen said the new committee's proposals would be delivered to the legislature after the elections scheduled for Dec. 1.

The president's remarks yesterday were taken as a sign that he supports a proposal put forward last year by the Cabinet's Research, Development and Evaluation Commission.

The commission has proposed reducing the number of agencies within the Cabinet from 33 to 25.

Chen said yesterday that he was well-aware of the difficulties different government agencies face in coordinating projects such as public construction plans -- which often leads to their delay.

The president said he hoped business leaders and academics could offer their advice on how to streamline the government.

Chen added that a streamlined government would also lead to the smoother implementation of the 322 proposals put forth by the recently concluded Economic Development Advisory Conference.

Also yesterday, the president promised that the government would spend another NT$500 billion over the next five years on infrastructure projects to help stimulate the economy.

This is on top of the NT$810 billion in public construction spending promised by Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) earlier this year.

Lin Neng-pai (林能白), chairman of the Cabinet's Public Construction Commission, which is hosting the National Public Development Conference, said yesterday that the forum was being held to find ways to make public construction projects more efficient.

"More than 600 representatives from more than 47 institutions -- including the government, academic and industrial circles -- are attending the conference," Lin said.

"It's the biggest forum for discussing state construction since the one held seven years ago."
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