Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chen Ming-wen (陳明文) yesterday said he plans to propose an amendment to the Management of Fireworks Act (爆竹煙火管理條例) that would see illegal firework manufacturers face stiffer penalties and set minimum jail terms in the event of fatalities from improperly produced fireworks.
Current regulations state that manufacturers of illegal fireworks can be sentenced to a maximum of three years in prison and fined NT$3 million (US$95,300).
However, four of the six operators of illegal firework factories arrested in police stings over the past three years were only sentenced to three months in prison, according to Chiayi County fire chief Lu Ching-hai (呂清海). Additionally, the courts only imposed fines of about NT$100,000.
As a result, many illegal manufacturers are “not afraid of the law,” Chen said yesterday.
His proposed amendment aims to set a minimum fine of NT$300,000 for those found guilty of breaking the Management of Fireworks Act.
The proposed amendment suggests illegal manufacturers should serve three to ten years behind bars and pay fines ranging from NT$2 million to NT$10 million in the event of fatalities.
Those found guilty of causing serious injury would have to serve between one and seven years in jail and pay a fine from NT$1 million to NT$5 million.
The safety of illegal fireworks manufacturers came under scrutiny last month after 21 people died in a massive explosion in Guangdong Province.
According to Taiwanese government statistics, 40 people died in firework manufacturing related explosions from 1994 to 2004, the most recent period for which figures are available.
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