Premier Yu Shyi-kun yesterday issued an apology for the government's failure to make good on its pledge to remove radioactive waste from Orchid Island by the end of this year.
But he hesitated to set a deadline for the Cabinet to redress the problem despite pressure from Aboriginal lawmakers, one of whom vowed to take the grievance to the constitutional court.
"I'm willing to apologize on the government's behalf for its failure to relocate radioactive waste from Orchid Island as previously prom-ised," Yu said in response to a question from Aboriginal legislator Walis Pelin (
But the premier said he could not promise when and how he would right the wrong, as related government agencies have had difficulty finding a solution.
Since 1988, the government has stored nearly 100,000 barrels of radioactive waste on the sparsely populated island and promised to remove it by the end of this year.
With the deadline approaching, Yu admitted publicly it is impossible for his Cabinet to implement the policy inherited from the KMT administration.
The premier said he has always opposed storing the waste on Orchid Island, as the government of the day did not consult residents there while formulating the policy.
"In my view, the government should promptly remove the waste without any excuse," Yu said. He pledged to try his best but refused to provide a timetable.
Yu's apologetic statements failed to pacify Aboriginal lawmakers, however. May Chin (高金素梅), another independent legislator, said she was disappointed at the premier's evasiveness.
"What's done is done," Chin said, painting a "rainbow bridge" across her face to underscore her background. "All I care about is when the government will start taking action and remove waste from Orchid Island."
She demanded the premier earmark funds for the purpose when preparing the spending plan for next year.
"My tribesmen have been fooled long enough," Chin said.
But Yu refused to be pinned down, saying, "I cannot make a promise I cannot fulfill later."
He said Taipower has sought unsuccessfully to find alternative repository sites at home and abroad over the years.
Chin suggested the premier make an apology to the scores of Aboriginal people who were visiting the legislature yesterday.
"The DPP owes its rise to power in part to the support of Aborigines," Chin said. "Now the government must not continue ignoring their plight. They are tired of living with radioactive waste."
Though expressing sympathy, the premier said he found an extra apology unnecessary. He did acknowledge that Aboriginal people have received unfair treatment over the years.
"The Cabinet is determined to reverse the longstanding situation," Yu said. "You can tell its resolve by the recent appointment of a distinguished Aborigine to head a Cabinet council."
Unconvinced, Chin said she would seek recourse with the Council of Grand Justices.
She said she was particularly upset over allegations that the Cabinet has channeled funds earmarked for cleaning up radioactive waste to other state-run entities.
Earlier, PFP Legislators Lin Chung-te (林春德) and Lin Cheng-er (林正二), both Aborigines, had voiced similar concerns.
"For a long time Aborigines have been marginalized at the workplace and within society at large," Lin Chung-te said.
He proposed introducing a rule that would confine presidential candidates to citizens whose ancestors have lived in Taiwan for 1,000 years, while Lin Cheng-er suggesting the vice presidency be open only to Aborigines.
CHAOS: Iranians took to the streets playing celebratory music after reports of Khamenei’s death on Saturday, while mourners also gathered in Tehran yesterday Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a major attack on Iran launched by Israel and the US, throwing the future of the Islamic republic into doubt and raising the risk of regional instability. Iranian state television and the state-run IRNA news agency announced the 86-year-old’s death early yesterday. US President Donald Trump said it gave Iranians their “greatest chance” to “take back” their country. The announcements came after a joint US and Israeli aerial bombardment that targeted Iranian military and governmental sites. Trump said the “heavy and pinpoint bombing” would continue through the week or as long
TRUST: The KMT said it respected the US’ timing and considerations, and hoped it would continue to honor its commitments to helping Taiwan bolster its defenses and deterrence US President Donald Trump is delaying a multibillion-dollar arms sale to Taiwan to ensure his visit to Beijing is successful, a New York Times report said. The weapons sales package has stalled in the US Department of State, the report said, citing US officials it did not identify. The White House has told agencies not to push forward ahead of Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), it said. The two last month held a phone call to discuss trade and geopolitical flashpoints ahead of the summit. Xi raised the Taiwan issue and urged the US to handle arms sales to
State-run CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC, 台灣中油) yesterday said that it had confirmed on Saturday night with its liquefied natural gas (LNG) and crude oil suppliers that shipments are proceeding as scheduled and that domestic supplies remain unaffected. The CPC yesterday announced the gasoline and diesel prices will rise by NT$0.2 and NT$0.4 per liter, respectively, starting Monday, citing Middle East tensions and blizzards in the eastern United States. CPC also iterated it has been reducing the proportion of crude oil imports from the Middle East and diversifying its supply sources in the past few years in response to geopolitical risks, expanding
Pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai’s (黎智英) fraud conviction and prison sentence were yesterday overturned by a Hong Kong court, in a surprise legal decision that comes soon after Lai was jailed for 20 years on a separate national security charge. Judges Jeremy Poon (潘兆初), Anthea Pang (彭寶琴) and Derek Pang (彭偉昌) said in the judgement that they allowed the appeal from Lai, and another defendant in the case, to proceed, as a lower court judge had “erred.” “The Court of Appeal gave them leave to appeal against their conviction, allowed their appeals, quashed the convictions and set aside the sentences,” the judges
RSS