The government failed to learn from previous disasters and failed to improve inadequate flood prevention measures, Control Yuan President Wang Chien-shien (王建煊) said yesterday as he ordered Control Yuan members to launch an investigation into government accountability in the wake of Typhoon Morakot.
Wang said the Control Yuan would hold off on subpoenaing government officials for the moment to avoid obstructing disaster relief efforts.
He said the government failed to address problems and learn from the suggestions on disaster prevention measures that the Control Yuan had presented several times in the past.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Wang said he was deeply saddened by the tragedy.
“I was so angry that I wanted to scold and kill people, but I didn’t know who to blame. I believe Taiwanese are also feeling disheartened and indignant,” he said.
The Control Yuan last week issued corrective measures to 14 government agencies for their handling of Typhoon Kalmaegi last year, while similar warnings had been issued to government agencies in each of the previous three Control Yuan terms.
Wang said that a significant amount of heartache could have been prevented if the government had paid more attention.
“We will not allow the power of the Control Yuan to be disregarded. The Control Yuan will impeach the heads of government institutions who failed to improve the problems highlighted by the Control Yuan’s corrective measures,” Wang said.
He said government agencies’ defiance of corrective measures issued by the Control Yuan was more serious than corruption.
“The Control Yuan is entitled to impeach heads of government agencies repeatedly until they step down, and to keep impeaching their successors until problems are resolved,” Wang added.
Control Yuan Vice President Chen Jinn-lih (陳進利) will work with the heads of the four sitting Control Yuan committees to decide how to examine the government’s responsibility for losses suffered as a result of inadequate disaster prevention measures.
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