Amid media reports of Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) having set a deadline for the completion of the Taipei Dome, Taipei Deputy Mayor Chen Chin-jun (陳景峻) yesterday confirmed that contractor Farglory Corp had completed seven safety reviews by the Taiwan Architecture and Building Center, adding that he expected the review process to be completed within four months.
Citing one of the mayor’s close aides who spoke on condition of anonymity, the Chinese-language Mirror Media weekly on Monday reported that Farglory had recently completed the seven reviews.
It also quoted Chen, who heads the city’s negotiations with Farglory over the complex, as saying that the city government would not be “difficult” with Farglory over an environmental impact assessment and urban planning review the corporation is required to pass before it can resume construction, and that he expected both reviews to be finished within three months.
Chinese-language online outlet Up Media yesterday reported that Ko had set the deadline for the Taipei Dome’s completion at August next year, citing anonymous sources in the mayor’s office.
When asked about the reports, Chen confirmed that Farglory had passed the seven reviews, saying that two city government reviews would likely take three to four months to complete if the developer promptly delivers revised construction blueprints.
Asked about the purported deadline and whether Ko aims to finish construction before next year’s mayoral election in a bid to boost his chances of re-election, Chen said that the Taipei City Government could not provide an estimate for the duration of construction, which would depend on Farglory’s attitude toward completing the project.
He urged the media not to associate the construction project with Ko’s re-election bid.
Asked if minutes had been taken during his meetings with Farglory representatives and whether they would be published, Chen responded in the affirmative, saying that all remarks he made on behalf of the city government during review meetings had been recorded.
All meeting minutes would be made available for review if necessary, he added.
When asked if he had persuaded Farglory chairman Chao Teng-hsiung (趙藤雄) to soften his stance and avoid conflicts with the city government over the project, Chen said he told Chao that both sides should not have a falling out over minutiae or irrational remarks, as they had after previous incidents.
Chen said that he had made Chao’s acquaintance a long time ago, so he knows that Chao is serious about finishing the Taipei Dome — which has been designated by the Executive Yuan as a major national development project — in a “meticulous” manner.
He said that he “respected” Chao for his resolve to complete major infrastructure projects in a way that would ensure users’ safety and live up to the public’s high expectations.
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