The Ministry of Finance and its subordinate, the Directorate General of Customs, both received a brace of official censures yesterday as the Control Yuan dished out six in one day.
The finance ministry was found at fault for failing to effectively repossess illegally-occupied state-owned land as well as its failure to properly allocate gauze masks during the SARS outbreak earlier this year.
Customs officials were also censured for their role in the mask mix-up that led to a shortage of protective equipment for medical workers on the front line of the fight against the contagion.
The second censure handed down to the Directorate General of Customs was linked to a Control Yuan investigation into the illegal export of stolen cars.
"The finance ministry was censured since it failed to oversee the allocation and management of gauze masks conducted by the Directorate General of Customs during the last SARS outbreak," the censure, proposed by Control Yuan members Hsieh Ching-huei (謝慶輝), Huang Wu-tzu (黃武次) and Lin Chu-liang (林鉅鋃), stated.
Hsieh and his colleagues found that customs officials delayed the delivery of up to 20 million masks to hospitals in April and May.
"The Directorate General of Customs' failure to make a timely response to the market deserves a review of its procedures and that of its superior," the censure stated.
The Control Yuan's investigation into the finance ministry's seizure of state-owned government residences, initiated by Lin Chiang-tsai (
"The finance ministry failed to perform its role of coordinating subordinates and other government agencies to execute the retrieval plan. The failure produced limited results and the occupancy problem remains serious," the censure stated.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
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