The government yesterday backpedaled on a plan to suspend breath alcohol tests due to fears about the spread of COVID-19, reiterating its “zero tolerance” stance on drunk driving and saying that testing would continue nationwide.
Minister of the Interior Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) on Thursday told a legislative meeting that to avoid COVID-19 contagion and prevent excessive strain on personnel of the National Police Agency’s Special Police, breath alcohol testing, conducted twice per month, would be suspended.
However, local governments would still conduct “regional” testing at their discretion, he said.
Photo: CNA
Hsu’s remarks at the legislature sparked controversy, as they came less than a week after Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) told the public that stiffened penalties for drunk driving were taking effect.
Prior to a question-and-answer session at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday, Su was asked by reporters whether the government would go through with the contentious policy.
There would be no suspension of breath alcohol testing conducted by the central or local governments, which have a “zero tolerance” stance on drunk driving, Su said.
Breath tests would continue, despite the COVID-19 situation, he said, urging people not to add to the government’s already heavy workload by driving under the influence of alcohol during the crisis.
Su later said on Facebook that new regulations targeting drunk drivers went into effect at the beginning of this month.
People whose driver’s license is revoked for drunk driving and obtain a new one would be required to pay for an ignition interlock device to be installed in their vehicle for a year, he said.
Repeat offenders must undergo rehabilitation and 15 hours of courses before they can take another driver’s test, he added, urging people not to try their luck.
At yesterday’s question-and-answer session, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lin Yi-hua (林奕華) said that Hsu’s remarks had angered many people, because 149 people died last year due to drunk driving, while another 293 died within a month of injuries sustained in an incident.
Hsu said that what he had meant was that breath alcohol testing would not be conducted “simultaneously” across the nation.
The Ministry of the Interior would follow the Executive Yuan’s instructions and ensure that there are no loopholes in efforts by the central and local governments to crack down on drunk driving, he added.
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
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
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency yesterday launched a gift box to market honey “certified by a Formosan black bear” in appreciation of a beekeeper’s amicable interaction with a honey-thieving bear. Beekeeper Chih Ming-chen (池明鎮) in January inspected his bee farm in Hualien County’s Jhuosi Township (卓溪) and found that more than 20 beehives had been destroyed and many hives were eaten, with bear droppings and paw prints near the destroyed hives, the agency said. Chih returned to the farm to move the remaining beehives away that evening when he encountered a Formosan black bear only 20m away, the agency said. The bear
Chinese embassy staffers attempted to interrupt an award ceremony of an international tea competition in France when the organizer introduced Taiwan and displayed the Republic of China flag, a Taiwanese tea farmer said in an interview published today. Hsieh Chung-lin (謝忠霖), chief executive of Juxin Tea Factory from Taichung's Lishan (梨山) area, on Dec. 2 attended the Teas of the World International Contest held at the Peruvian embassy in Paris. Hsieh was awarded a special prize for his Huagang Snow Source Tea by the nonprofit Agency for the Valorization of Agricultural Products (AVPA). During the ceremony, two Chinese embassy staffers in attendance
RSS