The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is expected to take over a key position at the National Fishermen’s Association (NFA) from the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), a source said yesterday.
DPP-nominated Hsu Te-hsiang (許德祥), a former president of the Taiwan Provincial Fishermen’s Association (TPFA) — now the NFA — is expected to be elected NFA president tomorrow, an unnamed source from the DPP said.
Local-level elections were held on March 18 and April 14 to choose the presidents and general managers of the nation’s 39 fishermen’s associations as well as 86 national representatives.
The DPP failed to gain control of farmers’ associations in February’s elections, but the party might gain some ground at the NFA tomorrow, when the association’s national assembly elects 19 directors and five managers, with 25 director candidates and six manager candidates, including Hsu, standing for election.
NFA president Huang Yi-cheng (黃一成) of the KMT is to step down after completing his term and the DPP has negotiated with former Yunlin County commissioner Chang Jung-wei (張榮味) to have Hsu elected as NFA president, while NFA general manager Lin Chi-tsang (林啟滄), a close aide to Chang, would serve another term, the source said.
While Hsu’s election would see a coalition of the KMT and the DPP ruling the NFA, the “Chang system” would ensure the KMT’s control of the NFA, because although the NFA president represents the association, convenes meetings of directors and appoints the general manager, the general manager has the authority to appoint NFA staff and runs the association, the source said.
Hsu was named a legislator-at-large by the DPP in 2006 to fill the vacancy left by former DPP legislator-at-large Lin Choi-shui (林濁水).
Hsu has close ties with the fishery industry, as he has served as director and president of the Donggang District Fishermen’s Association in Pingtung; director of the Overseas Fisheries Development Council; director of Taiwan Fisheries and Marine Technology Consultants; director of the Taiwan Fisheries Association; and is a member of the Marine Disaster Relief Fund Committee.
Hsu ran for TPFA president during former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) term, marking the first competition between the KMT and the DPP at the association.
Hsu was elected twice, serving as TPFA president for eight years.
Compared with farmers’ associations elections, fishermen’s associations elections are less complex, and except for the fishermen’s associations of Chiayi, Jhongli, Hualien and Hengchun, where competition is fierce, this year’s local-level elections went smoothly, with most officials being re-elected.
The KMT enjoys greater support at fishermen’s associations, but the fishery industry “has prioritized general interests over ideology” and is only concerned with electing people capable of developing and representing the industry, the source said.
NUMBERS IMBALANCE: More than 4 million Taiwanese have visited China this year, while only about half a million Chinese have visited here Beijing has yet to respond to Taiwan’s requests for negotiation over matters related to the recovery of cross-strait tourism, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. Taiwan’s tourism authority issued the statement after Chinese-language daily the China Times reported yesterday that the government’s policy of banning group tours to China does not stop Taiwanese from visiting the country. As of October, more than 4.2 million had traveled to China this year, exceeding last year. Beijing estimated the number of Taiwanese tourists in China could reach 4.5 million this year. By contrast, only 500,000 Chinese tourists are expected in Taiwan, the report said. The report
SHIPS, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES: The ministry has announced changes to varied transportation industries taking effect soon, with a number of effects for passengers Beginning next month, the post office is canceling signature upon delivery and written inquiry services for international registered small packets in accordance with the new policy of the Universal Postal Union, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. The new policy does not apply to packets that are to be delivered to China, the ministry said. Senders of international registered small packets would receive a NT$10 rebate on postage if the packets are sent from Jan. 1 to March 31, it added. The ministry said that three other policies are also scheduled to take effect next month. International cruise ship operators
Temperatures are forecast to drop steadily as a continental cold air mass moves across Taiwan, with some areas also likely to see heavy rainfall, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. From today through early tomorrow, a cold air mass would keep temperatures low across central and northern Taiwan, and the eastern half of Taiwan proper, with isolated brief showers forecast along Keelung’s north coast, Taipei and New Taipei City’s mountainous areas and eastern Taiwan, it said. Lows of 11°C to 15°C are forecast in central and northern Taiwan, Yilan County, and the outlying Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties, and 14°C to 17°C
STEERING FAILURE: The first boat of its class is experiencing teething issues as it readies for acceptance by the navy, according to a recent story about rudder failure The Hai Kun (海鯤), the nation’s first locally built submarine, allegedly suffered a total failure of stern hydraulic systems during the second round of sea acceptance trials on June 26, and sailors were forced to manually operate the X-rudder to turn the submarine and return to port, news Web site Mirror Daily reported yesterday. The report said that tugboats following the Hai Kun assisted the submarine in avoiding collisions with other ships due to the X-rudder malfunctioning. At the time of the report, the submarine had completed its trials and was scheduled to begin diving and surfacing tests in shallow areas. The X-rudder,
RSS