Vice President Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) yesterday morning said reconstruction in areas ravaged by Typhoon Morakot would probably take at least three years.
Siew made the remarks while meeting the new director of the American Institute in Taiwan, William Stanton, at the Presidential Office.
The legislature passed the Post-Typhoon Morakot Reconstruction Special Act (莫拉克颱風災後重建特別條例) on Aug. 27 and has approved the Cabinet’s budget request of NT$120 billion (US$3.6 billion) for the reconstruction.
Siew told Stanton he would visit Kaohsiung next week as his doctors are satisfied with his recovery from surgery in May.
The government will hold a national memorial service in Kaohsiung on Monday to commemorate those who died during and after Typhoon Morakot. As of yesterday, confirmed fatalities had reached 613, with another 71 listed as missing.
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), Siew and the heads of the five branches of government have been invited to the service.
Siew, 70, had two cancerous tumors removed from his lung in May and has been undergoing target therapy since the operation.
His doctor had advised him to get rest by cutting back on the number of meetings and outdoor activities he participates in.
Siew said he had been participating in outdoor activities again since late last month but would take it slowly.
Before meeting Siew yesterday, Stanton was advised by a Presidential Office staffer not to shake his hand but to use the traditional Chinese greeting of clasped hands, taking into consideration Siew’s weakened health and the risk of contracting swine flu.
Stanton hesitated when Siew reached out to shake his hand when he arrived. He then laughed and shook Siew’s hand.
Stanton offered condolences to Morakot’s victims on behalf of his government and himself and said he was glad that the US had been able to assist Taiwan, adding that this was one way to show their friendship and support.
In related news, the Taipei-based American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) called on the government to improve its management of water resources to prevent a repeat of Morakot’s deadly floods and landslides.
The trade group said in an editorial in the latest edition of its monthly publication Topics that beyond the immediate tasks of reconstruction and caring for Morakot survivors, the authorities must tackle chronic water problems.
“One of those issues is the question of how Taiwan manages its water resources to break the cycle of the constant alternation of periods of drought and flooding, and in the process to better protect vulnerable areas from soil erosion and landslides,” the editorial said.
A solution might require both an increase in government investment and higher water prices, the editorial said, adding that effective steps must be taken lest the situation worsen as global warming changes weather patterns.
The editorial said the government must take steps to regain public confidence considering the widespread disappointment over its response to Morakot.
“On an even more basic level, it is clear that the government needs to thoroughly revamp its decision-making and coordination process for responding to emergency situations,” the editorial said.
Poor administrative efficiency and inter-agency coordination are listed in AmCham’s 2009 Taiwan White Paper as one of “the executive branch’s frequent shortcomings — no matter which political party is in power” the editorial said, adding that Morakot “brought the failings into even sharper focus.”
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