Government pledges civil service jobs safe
Central personnel administration officials reiterated yesterday that the government's plans to streamline the executive branch won't affect benefits for public officials, and that civil service jobs and salaries will not be cut next year.
The announcement was seen as an attempt by the government to secure the votes of public officials and to quell rumors that civil servant jobs might be in peril because of a government project to trim down the executive branch.
A news conference will be held today to explain the government's resolve to safeguard the benefits of the civil servants under the constitutional reforms.
Lee Jo-i (李若一), deputy secretary general of the Central Personnel Administration, stressed yesterday that proposals such as offering generous retirement packages, privatizing state-owned enterprises and not replacing departing staff are not tantamount to lay-offs.
Two weeks ago, the president of the Examination Yuan, Hsu Shui-teh (
To ease such concerns, Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (
President Chen Shui-bian (
The proposal envisions an Executive Yuan with just 21 ministries and four "special administrative" organizations, compared with its current 36 ministries.
Alice King criticizes DPP policy changes
Tokyo-based National Policy Advisor Alice King (
"It is regrettable that the DPP recently elevated the status of its document -- the Resolution on Taiwan's Future -- above its platform," the outspoken King told a news conference in Taipei. "The move, intended to placate the opposition, has harmed the crusade for Taiwan independence."
The resolution, adopted in 1999, in essence upholds Taiwan's political status quo and recognizes the Republic of China as the nation's formal name.
Further the document argues that any change in the status quo must be approved by the people through democratic procedures.
Last month, the DPP national congress raised the document's status to put it on par with its declared platform, which states the party was founded with the goal of making Taiwan an independent country.
"Anxious to placate the opposition, the DPP has made too many concessions," King said. "The practice has lent credence to the pro-unification cause and is contrary to mainstream opinion."
To help reverse this tide, King and pro-independence groups plan to organize a mass rally for Nov. 15 at the Peace Memorial Park in downtown Taipei.
Ng Chiautong (
He noted that the lack of de jure statehood accounted for Taiwan's predicament at the APEC leaders' summit in Shanghai last month where Beijing refused to receive President Chen Shui-bian's (
In a show of discontent, King said she would not stump for DPP candidates unless asked to do so. Rather, she said she would campaign for candidates of the newly formed Taiwan Solidarity Union.
DPP takes slogans to offshore islands
The ruling DPP yesterday took the campaign trail to the country's offshore islands as the party's chairman Frank Hsieh (
Chen reiterated the importance of winning a majority in the legislature so that funding earmarked for local governments will not be blocked due an opposition boycott.
Chen said that the government had slated NT$16.8 billion this year to be used for benefits for the elderly, but the proposal was blocked by the opposition.
Chen called upon Penghu residents -- one of the country's lowest-income regions where the majority of the population is elderly -- to support DPP candidates to ensure that infrastructure and educational and cultural projects of local governments will be carried out smoothly.
Speaking to crowds gathered in Liuchiu in Pingtung County, Hsieh stressed that people residing in the southern tip of the country have been the DPP's most loyal supporters.
County candidate Su lays out plans
Taipei County Commissioner Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) yesterday unveiled a blueprint for his second term to highlight his administrative credentials and his rival's lack of experience.
"This volume details what we plan to do over the next four years," Su told a morning news conference.
"It encompasses a wide range of policy areas including traffic, environmental protection, education, economic development, flood prevention and so forth," he said.
With an approval rating of 70 percent, the Su campaign has sought to downplay partisan issues and focus the campaign on policy.
The commissioner said that if elected, his team would seek to add more classrooms to schools at all levels, widen county roads, hold more cultural activities and further enhance government efficiency.
The county government, Su added, would continue the effort to help rein in rising unemployment by opening vocational training programs for job-seekers and provide incentives for investment projects.
"The people can count on us to honor our new pledges, as we have fulfilled 80 percent of the campaign promises we made four years ago," Su said.
Alliance candidate scorns commission
Taipei County commissioner candidate Wang Chien-shien (
Wang, a New Party member, said the decision was politically motivated.
"There is no law that bars different parties from fielding a joint candidate," Wang complained to the commission's chairman, Huang Shih-cheng (
"And no rule bars a candidate from representing more than one party."
Wang accused the commission of bowing to pressure from the DPP government when deciding his case.
"By denying me the mantle of the `opposition alliance,' the commission aims to sap my campaign, as opposition supporters constitute a majority of Taipei County residents," Wang said.
But Huang said that Wang can choose only one party when filing his campaign papers, on the grounds he has not formally joined the KMT or PFP.
Wang, a founder of the tiny New Party, said he would rather leave the space empty to avoid misleading his constituents.
He also threatened to sue the government if he loses the race as a result of what he called "discrimination" by the Central Election Commission.
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