The four winners of the legislative by-elections were sworn in yesterday by Grand Justice Huang Hung-hsia (黃虹霞), with Legislative Speaker Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) and the caucus whips from the two main political parties attending.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Yu Tian (余天), representing Taipei’s Sanchong District (三重), is to have a seat on the Internal Administration Committee, while DPP Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文), representing Tainan’s second electoral district, is to have a seat on the Economic Committee, the Legislative Yuan said.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Ko Cheng-fang (柯呈枋) is to sit on the Transportation Committee, while independent Legislator Chen Yu-chen (陳玉珍) is to join the Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee, it said.
Photo: Huang Yao-cheng, Taipei Times
DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said that the party welcomed two experienced members whose efforts would no doubt help immensely to push its policies.
Yu had served as a legislator and was on the Internal Administration Committee, while Kuo is equally experienced, having previously served as deputy minister of labor, Ker said.
Yu said that he promised during his campaign to be attentive to and to satisfy the public will, adding that he would prioritize matters that members of the public bring to his attention.
Yu cited as an example complaints by borough wardens about maintenance of closed-circuit television systems (CCTV).
CCTV maintenance used to be the borough warden’s responsibility, but it has been transferred to local police stations, but requests for repairs often go unheeded, Yu said, adding that he would prioritize resolving this issue, as it concerns public safety.
Kuo said that he would still need to get accustomed to a role reversal, with him asking questions now of government officials instead of being the one answering them.
His primary mission is to better serve his constituents though policy interpellation, project backing and funding allocation, Kuo said.
Ko said he hoped to amend legislation that would benefit the nation and the public, and that he would work with the KMT caucus and help provide oversight of the government.
As the first female legislator representing Kinmen County, Chen said she would make the “affairs of Kinmen residents, whether great or small, my affairs,” and would staunchly relay to the government their needs.
Kenting National Park service technician Yang Jien-fon (楊政峰) won a silver award in World Grand Prix Photography Awards Spring Season for his photograph of two male rat snakes intertwined in combat. Yang’s colleagues at Kenting National Park said he is a master of nature photography who has been held back by his job in civil service. The awards accept entries in all four seasons across six categories: architectural and urban photography, black-and-white and fine art photography, commercial and fashion photography, documentary and people photography, nature and experimental photography, and mobile photography. Awards are ranked according to scores and divided into platinum, gold and
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday said it opposes the introduction of migrant workers from India until a mechanism is in place to prevent workers from absconding. Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) on Thursday told the Legislative Yuan that the first group of migrant workers from India could be introduced as early as this year, as part of a government program. The caucus’ opposition to the policy is based on the assessment that “the risk is too high,” KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥) said. Taiwan has a serious and long-standing problem of migrant workers absconding from their contracts, indicating that
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
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