A Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker yesterday joined opposition parties in demanding the resignations of Minister of Economic Affairs Ho Mei-yueh (何美玥) and Water Resources Agency Director-General Chen Shen-hsien (陳伸賢) for what he called negligence in fixing the nation's flooding problems.
DPP Legislator Tu Wen-ching (
Chen said that some officials would have to step down to shoulder responsibility for the unsolved water-supply problems plaguing Taoyuan County.
Tu made the remark yesterday morning before listening to briefings by Ho and Chen Shen-hsien, who were invited by the DPP caucus to speak about the government's proposed eight-year, NT$80 billion flood-control project.
The DPP hopes to call a special legislative session to pass the flood-control bill, as well as five other bills the party deems to be urgent.
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
Tu said that Ho and Chen Shen-hsien have showed little concern for the flooding problem in his constituency of Miaoli County.
"One segment of the embankment along Ta-an River collapsed last year, and it has not yet been fixed. I have no idea what you have been doing," Tu said.
While residents of Taoyuan Countyintermittently do not have water, Tu said that many people in his constituency do not have any tap water whatsoever.
Before Ho and Chen Shen-hsien could respond or start their briefings, Tu stormed out of the room.
Taoyuan prosecutors have launched an investigation into whether corruption was involved in the construction of the pumping station and the cleaning of the reservoir.
The NT$100 million (US$3.14 million) pumping station was built last September to ensure normal water supplies during post-typhoon periods. Construction was completed in May.
Prosecutors have said that pumping machines breaking down led directly to the current water-supply problems in southern Taoyuan County.
Opposition legislative caucuses yesterday reiterated their calls for Ho's resignation.
Saying that "a wrongheaded government policy is worse than corruption," Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus whip Tsai Chin-lung (
Sun Ta-chien (
Considering that most countries issue more than five denominations of banknotes, the central bank has decided to redesign all five denominations, the bank said as it prepares for the first major overhaul of the banknotes in more than 24 years. Central bank Governor Yang Chin-lung (楊金龍) is expected to report to the Legislative Yuan today on the bank’s operations and the redesign’s progress. The bank in a report sent to the legislature ahead of today’s meeting said it had commissioned a survey on the public’s preferences. Survey results showed that NT$100 and NT$1,000 banknotes are the most commonly used, while NT$200 and NT$2,000
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday reported the first case of a new COVID-19 subvariant — BA.3.2 — in a 10-year-old Singaporean girl who had a fever upon arrival in Taiwan and tested positive for the disease. The girl left Taiwan on March 20 and the case did not have a direct impact on the local community, it said. The WHO added the BA.3.2 strain to its list of Variants Under Monitoring in December last year, but this was the first imported case of the COVID-19 variant in Taiwan, CDC Deputy Director-General Lin Ming-cheng (林明誠) said. The girl arrived in Taiwan on
ANNUAL EVENT: Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in Daan Park, with an event zone operating from 10am to 6pm This year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park today and tomorrow, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a themed food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said yesterday. Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm, it said. Participants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs, it added. People could also try the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area, the department said. Three PokeStops are
This year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park this weekend, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a theme food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances. Pokemon Go Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as photo attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm. Participants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs. Pokemon trainers could also experience the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area. Three PokeStops are to be set up in the park. Trainers are invited to take
RSS