Thu, Aug 31, 2000 page2

• Cities score low for quality of life

  DISSATISFACTION A new magazine poll shows people in Taiwan are ambivalent about the quality of life in the major cities, after decades of government overemphasis on economic development

  • By Liu Shao-hua / STAFF REPORTER
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  Common Health magazine (康健雜志) made public yesterday its survey on the quality of life of cities in Taiwan, concluding that there are no genuinely "healthy" cities and suggesting widespread ambivalence about quality of life in the biggest cities.

  Researchers said the finding is no surprise and is a consequence of what it called the government's blinkered preoccupation with economic development over past decades.

  Targeting 23 cities and counties and 3,536 residents, the magazine inquired into several issues relating to the environment and living standards, which are considered by the World Health Organization as benchmarks to determine whether a city is healthy.

  Taitung, Hualien and Ilan counties are considered by their residents to be the most "suitable" areas to live in; while Kaohsiung County, Kaohsiung City, Taipei County, Taipei City, Taichung County and Taichung City lie at the bottom of the "suitability" rankings.

  Residents in Penghu County are the most satisfied with the quality of their security; while those of Taichung City are the least satisfied with theirs.

  Ilan County ranks top for "suitability as a place to raise children" and "convenience for the elderly," while Taipei City ranked as the lowest in both categories.

  The survey was based on residents' feelings toward their areas but referred also to official statistics.

  "There is no champion in this survey," said the magazine's managing editor Michelle Lee (李瑟).

  "Areas with better environments suffered economic difficulties. But residents in more prosperous cities complained about unsafe and unhealthy environments."

  "The negative impact of Taiwan's unbalanced development shows," added Lee, pointing out that, while Taipei City is considered to be the worst city for children and young people, many parents from outside Taipei still strive to send their children to study in the capital's schools where the educational facilities are considered to be of a higher standard.

  Taichung City and Taipei City ranked at the bottom of many of the standings, but nevertheless came first and second for most interviewees faced with the question "Which city would you prefer to live in?" category.

  Such apparent inconsistencies in survey results are very common and reflect Taiwan's "twisted" development, according to Hsia Chu-joe (夏鑄九), a professor of city planning at National Taiwan University.

  "Taiwan is seriously ill," said Hsia, "It's because of the dominant ideology's focus on economic development over the past 30 years."

  "Taiwanese have become slaves of the myth that a government pursuing GNP growth is a good government."

  "Our society lacks the capacity for independent thought, "Hsia stressed.

  Hsia took Penghu County as an example of failure. He said Penghu Island should logically turn to tourism as a means of economic development, "but all the buildings on the island are too ugly to foster tourism."

  "Only sick people would make a city so ugly," he added.

  Hsia emphasized that the public should be more aware of the pitfalls of unitary economic development and should maintain awareness of the government's efforts at city planning.

  "The citizens' awareness is the only hope for bettering Taiwan."
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