To minimize unexpected incidents during the distribution of the consumer vouchers on Jan. 18, the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) yesterday staged a mock distribution. Judging from the results, it was clear that some technical problems had yet to be resolved.
More than 100 ministry employees lined up, waiting to enter the mock consumer voucher distribution station set up on the first-floor lobby of the ministry yesterday.
“In January, we’ll be issuing consumer vouchers for the first time in history,” Minister of the Interior Liao Liou-yi (廖了以) told reporters as he entered the mock consumer voucher station. “As the process could be a little complicated and because we’ve never had this before, we want to run a rehearsal to see what problems we may run into.”
Anyone eligible to receive a consumer voucher will receive a notice by mail before Jan. 18.
Recipients will be asked to bring the notice, personal seal and national ID card to the distribution station designated on the notice.
The consumer voucher station was set up in a way similar to a polling station: two tables, with three officials sitting at each.
After a staff member at the entrance verifies the individual has the three required items, persons will be asked to walk to a table to have their identity checked.
“Here are five vouchers in the amount of NT$500 [US$14] each, and three in the amount of NT$200 [US$6] each. Please count them,” a staff member said to each person as she handed out the vouchers.
Situations in which people tried to get other people’s vouchers without authorization, came to the wrong station or forgot one of the three required items were also simulated.
“If you’re trying to get other people’s vouchers without their authorization, you’ll be taken away by police. If you go to the wrong station, you’ll be asked to go to the correct one and if you forget any of the three required items, you’ll be asked to come at a later time when you have everything,” Liao said. “Remember to bring the notice, your seal and your national ID card.”
“If you ask someone else to get your voucher for you, you must fill the authorization form enclosed with the notice, sign it and hand your national ID card to the person who will go in your stead,” he said.
Although people under 20 are eligible to receive the vouchers, they must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians and bring their notices, household registration records and national ID card.
Measures for foreigners married to a Taiwanese had yet to be determined.
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