The Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program draft bill review should be held again, the legislature’s Economics Committee convenor said yesterday, adding that there were flaws in her chairing of Wednesday’s review, which passed the bill amid chaos.
The convenor, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩), said she would reschedule the review for Monday, Wednesday and Thursday next week to allow for detailed, clause-by-clause deliberation.
“I am willing to take responsibility and rearrange the review. Can lawmakers of the opposition party give up hatred, restart conversations, keep their promise to not disrupt the procedure and make efforts to improve the nation’s infrastructure?” Chiu asked, calling on the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) not to boycott the draft bill.
Photo: Peter Lo, Taipei Times
She said the DPP did not boycott a four-year NT$500 billion (US$16.6 billion) economic stimulus project proposed by then-president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) in 2008, which allowed the project to be approved within a month.
KMT caucus convener Sufin Siluko (廖國棟) said the new review is “acceptable, as it is precisely our call,” but demanded a formal decision be announced by the legislative speaker or by a cross-caucus meeting, rather than on Facebook.
The New Power Party caucus yesterday morning had already asked Legislative Speaker Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) to call a cross-caucus negotiation meeting and restart substantive review, and later said it “welcomes” the DPP caucus’ decision.
Su said Chiu’s proposal is “highly commendable” and he expects there would be no boycott or physical altercations during the new review.
Premier Lin Chuan (林全) sought to assuage concerns and drum up support for the infrastructure plan, calling on all parties to put aside preconceived ideas and treat the program in a practical and reasonable manner.
No part of the plan is to be implemented until environmental impact assessments have been carried out, Lin said in response to concerns expressed by environmental groups over some of the proposed transportation projects.
There would also be no major relocation of people or land requisitions, he added.
He made the comments when speaking at a weekly Cabinet meeting, Executive Yuan spokesman Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) said.
Lin addressed these criticisms a day after President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said the Cabinet was not doing enough to help the public understand the plan.
Lawmakers of the ruling and opposition parties on Wednesday pushed and shoved each other during a joint committee session before the bill passed its preliminary review.
The statute would allow the Cabinet to spend NT$882.49 billion over eight years to build infrastructure projects across the nation, including new light railways and several rail extension or improvement projects.
There will be no question of leaving future generations in debt as a result of the plan, Lin said.
When announcing the plan last month, Lin said that government spending is expected to lead to NT$1.77 trillion in private-sector investment and add 0.7 percent to the nation’s GDP growth each year over the eight-year period.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RSS