Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) and two former mayors of the city yesterday again called on the Sports Affairs Council (SAC) to give financial support to the Kaohsiung Organizing Committee (KOC) of the World Games.
Former Kaohsiung mayor Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) urged the central government to grant the committee the remaining NT$231 million (US$7 million) budget as soon as possible and not discriminate against the city for political reasons.
“[The Games] should transcend divisions between the Democratic Progressive Party [DPP] and the Chinese Nationalist Party [KMT]. This should be a joyful event for all Taiwanese,” Hsieh said.
PHOTO: CNA
The city government has repeatedly accused the central government of being unwilling to support the city in hosting the event since the council froze most of the KOC’s budget request in late February.
Chen said on June 18 that although the Legislative Yuan earlier this year approved NT$845 million in funding for the Games, the SAC was only willing to grant the city government NT$614 million.
The shortfall of NT$231 million has seriously affected the city government’s preparations for the Games with the event fast approaching, she said.
The SAC had argued that it had provided the Kaohsiung City Government with NT$610 million in subsidies to host the Games, but the city had only used about NT$300 million as of June 18.
The SAC said it had no idea what the NT$231 million shortfall in the budget was related to.
“I told [former] premier Hsieh there had indeed been a huge difference between the support we received before and after the DPP lost office,” Chen said yesterday.
Another former mayor, Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁), criticized the central government, saying it should not withdraw support for the Games just because “a different political party is now in power.”
Meanwhile, DPP City Councilor Chen Hsin-yu (陳信瑜) said that spectators attending the Games should wear clothing that bears the national flag to promote Taiwan’s global visibility during the games.
“We also hope that President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) will follow suit,” Chen Hsin-yu said.
A day earlier, Chen Chu swore in some 5,000 volunteers for the international sports extravaganza.
Chen led volunteers from 36 universities and 16 civic groups from around the country in chanting “We Are Ready” at the swearing-in ceremony to signal their determination to offer a good service.
Following the ceremony, Chen and the volunteers scrubbed the seats in the main stadium where the Games will take place to mark the start of the volunteer training camp ahead of the opening of the event on July 16.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY CNA
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
RSS