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Kaohsiung chief promises unity

Acting Kaohsiung Mayor Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭) presided over her first municipal meeting yesterday morning, promising to lead a "united" team to improve the city government's reputation and solve municipal problems.

"Staff at the city government are demoralized after the Thai labor issue. We need to become united soon and work as a team to satisfy citizens' needs," she told chief officers at the meeting.

Last month, Thai laborers working on construction of the city's mass rapid transit (MRT) system rioted in protest of poor working and living conditions.

Yeh's predecessor stepped down to take responsibility for the riot.

In response to a recent poll by a Chinese-language media outlet that indicated that Kaohsiung citizens are less satisfied with the city government's performance than before, Yeh said that the public's dissatisfaction came from the Thai labor issue.

"The city government has great construction plans, and I am confident that we will regain the citizens' trust," she said.

She said that Kaohsiung's MRT construction would continue and that its quality would not be compromised, promising that some MRT lines would be inaugurated by October next year.

She also reiterated the three priorities of her administration: the setting up an MRT monitoring team, pulling out all the stops to prepare for the 2009 World Games and establishing a city of law and order.

Two days after taking over the post, Yeh will give her first municipal report to the city council today.

She said that after listening to several briefings over the past few days, she had gained a basic understanding on the direction of the city government's most important policies.

"I will attend the council with a humble and reasonable attitude," she said.

Meanwhile, asked whether if she will continue to be paid as a senior adviser to President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), Yeh said she had resigned from the post.

She will concentrate her efforts on municipal affairs and do her best as the acting mayor, she said.
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