Chen blames rebuilding woes on KMT

The former KMT-run government should take responsibility for delays in 921 quake reconstruction efforts, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said yesterday.

The president, who took office eight months after the devastating quake, squarely pointed the finger at his predecessors for "cheating people in delaying public construction work."

"The two other main presidential candidates sought during the election campaign to brag about what they planned to do or what they had done," Chen told Nantou County residents. "Yet we can see that much crucial public construction work and reconstruction work remains severely behind schedule."

Chen inspected quake-hit areas yesterday and chose the damaged Chi Lu Bridge (集鹿大橋), which is to connect Chichi and Luku townships, as his venue to criticize civil servants' "inefficiency" and to apologize "on their behalf."

Responding to Chen's remarks, Lian Yueh (梁樾), director of the central government's highway bureau, said that the reason for the delays was the 921 quake itself.

But Chen didn't buy that explanation.

"Government officials have acted with neither honesty nor responsibility. They cheated people in delaying public construction work," Chen said. "And the former government must accept responsibility for that. I will request that the new government abandon the old government's way of thinking."

Chen noted that construction on the Chi Lu Bridge began in June 1996 and was scheduled to open to traffic in September 1998. "But the bridge had not been completed when the 921 earthquake shook the island," the president said.

Chen, while touring Chungliao township (中寮) in Nantou County, also unveiled two measures aimed at accelerating economic recovery in central Taiwan.

"The central government will provide NT$35 million from its budget over the next three years to help finance a reconstruction project for Yungping Street," the oldest street in the township, Chen told Chungliao residents.

Yungping Street (永平街), some 600m in length, which once housed most of Chungliao's major buildings and public services, was almost destroyed by the 921 quake. Of the streets 197 buildings, 170 collapsed.

The president also apologized to Chungliao residents for the slow pace of reconstruction projects. He promised that the central government would do its best to expedite "land re-zoning" procedures needed to facilitate reconstruction of Yungping Street.

Peng Pai-hsien (彭百顯), Nantou County commissioner, said that if the central government could offer assistance with "land re-zoning and urban planning alteration" procedures, the Yungping project could be finalized by November next year.

Academic experts, who have helped residents create a plan for rebuilding the town, said that NT$35 million was insufficient, and that the government needed to help draw a road map for roads linking the town to nearby townships, as well as provide funds.

"We have discussed the reconstruction projects with residents since last October and have already reached a consensus on the new blueprint for the township," said Yu Chao-ching (喻肇青), an associate professor in Chung Yuan Christian University's department of architecture.

"But NT$38 million is the minimum cost at which Yungping Street can be rebuilt, not to mention the additional funds residents need to rebuild the other streets in the township," Yu said.