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Yu trumpets economic stimulus

Premier Yu Shyi-kun said yesterday that his New Year's resolution is to bring about early passage by the Legislative Yuan of a special bill and special budget for an economy-invigorating five-year, NT$500 billion public construction package.

"With the implementation of the five-year plan, the economic growth rate is expected to increase from last year's 3.15 percent to 5 percent and the jobless rate to drop from last year's 5 percent to 4.5 percent this year," Yu told guests visiting the Cabinet complex yesterday morning.

As for a more personal New Year's resolution, Yu said that he would like to remain healthy so he can continue to offer service to the country.

During his welcoming speech, Yu told members of the public that his Cabinet colleagues had worked hard over the past four years to put into practice President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) campaign pledges and that they had outperformed their Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) counterparts.

"Looking ahead, I believe we'll reach our goal of boosting the economic growth rate to 5 percent this year if we all work together," Yu said.

Yu yesterday also invited the public into his office. He apologized for its modest look, which he attributed to a limited budget.

He also encouraged the public to exercise and travel so that the percentage of the nation's population involved in sporting activities and tourism would substantially increase.

The Cabinet also hopes to double the annual number of overseas tourists from the current 2.6 million to 5 million by 2008. The tourism industry was one of the sectors hardest hit by the SARS outbreak last year.

The Cabinet complex was open to the public from 9am to 4pm yesterday. No reservations were required.

On ordinary days, visitors must make reservations at least one week in advance to tour the complex. The maximum number of visitors allowed per day is 1,000. Visitors must also pass through a metal detector at the entrance.

Unlike the Presidential Office, which is open to the public five days a week, the Executive Yuan is open only on Fridays between 9am and 4pm as well as New Year's Day and Double Ten Day.

The complex was first opened to the public on Jan. 1, 2003, in accordance with the Cultural Heritage Preservation Law (文化資產保護法), which stipulates that historic sites must be open to the public. The main building in the complex, a three-story, 63-year-old structure, was declared a national historic site in 1998.

Although the complex saw some 4,000 people visit on the first day it was declared open, the number has since dwindled to between 200 and 300 each day. More than 10,000 people have visited the complex in total.

The building is bordered by offices belonging to the Government Information Office on the east, west and north.

Since the building became home to the offices of the Executive Yuan in 1957, 12 premiers have served their terms there.

The main building is currently undergoing a face-lift.

The three-year, NT$20 million project is slated to be completed by the end of March.

The project focuses on the removal of paint on the exterior walls and replacing some of the tiles.
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