Taipei City sends official letter to the Presidential Office

The Taipei City Government sent an official letter to the Presidential Office yesterday afternoon to verify arrangements for the presidential inauguration on May 20, city government spokesman Wu Yu-sheng (吳育昇) said yesterday.

Since the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has decided to downsize the scale of the inauguration of President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and other celebrations from about 500,000 people to 230,000 people, the city government will have to adopt different measures and strategies to handle traffic, environmental concerns and public order, Wu said yesterday after the weekly municipal meeting.

"The presidential inauguration day is not a holiday, and people still need to go to work or school, so it will inevitably have an impact on citizens' daily lives," Wu said. "The city government will try its best to diminish the influence and ensure the national ceremony runs smoothly."

"But the inauguration's impact on citizens' lives will be the same, no matter if it is a 500,000-people or 230,000-people ceremony," Wu added.

Some have been made to accomodate the inauguration and the ensuing celebration that will take place in the area in and around the Presidential Office from May 18 to May 22, according to Wu.

The competency test for junior high school graduates will be held on May 22 and the examination scheduled to take place at the Taipei First Girls' Senior High School will be moved to Chen-yuan Junior High School, because Taipei First Girls' Senior High School is situated close to the Presidential Office and the Ministry of Education. The city government is concerned that the noise and traffic will affect the examinees. Moreover, many bus lines will be altered during the celebration period.

Wu that the city government sent the official letter to the Presidential Office to confirm the arrangements and assistance that the Presidential Office requires, after Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) reviewed the content of the letter yesterday afternoon.

But Wu declined to reveal if the city government suggested the Presidential Office arrange barricades or anything that would prevent people from storming the building.