Premier Tang Fei (
Speaking at the two day "Conference on National Financial Policy Issues" held in Nantou over the weekend, Tang rejected criticism that because the Executive Yuan is designed to provide a framework for ministers without portfolio (
Defending his plan, Tang said that because most ministers without portfolio in the new government lack administrative experience, he saw fit to set up the task force to coordinate ministries and thereby raise the efficiency of economic policy making.
"It's different from the previous administration," Tang said. "Most ministers without portfolio in the previous administration had previously headed one or even two ministries."
Tang said the lack of experience on economic issues by the current group of ministers without portfolio was behind his decision to form the new task force, and it was why he choose to "stand out in front." But government watchers believe that the establishment of the task force was a clear attempt by the new administration to dispel media speculation of an imminent Cabinet reshuffle and instead offer a unified front on one of the most important issues facing the new administration -- economic stability.
In fact, the public sector has expressed its lack of confidence in the new administration's uncoordinated and contradictory economic policies by ranking the nation's economic and finance heads at the bottom of several public opinion polls recently.
Meanwhile, in response to questions on why he choose to act as leader of the task force instead of appointing ministers without portfolio, Tang said, "No matter who acts as the leader of the economic task force, I am the one to take final responsibility ... that is why I named myself as the team leader. If I nominated someone lacking in experience and reputation, the significance of the economic task force would be minimized."
Tang went on to explain his choice of the Central Bank Governor as second in command.
"The reason I appointed the Central Bank Governor as executive secretary [of the task force] is simply because [the independent] status of the Central Bank Governor will make him more objective ... I think this is a better way," Tang said.
Tang also told his critics to hold their opinions for now and judge the new economic configuration by its "future performance."
During the previous administration, it was the Council for Economic Planning Development (CEPD) that was charged with most inter-ministry coordination. When questioned why the CEPD was not put in charge this time around, Tang said the CEPD would focus on future economic planning, and that the task force [made up of economic and financial heads] would be better suited to the role of coordinating current economic issues.
The economic task force -- established late last week by the premier to develop concrete solutions to the nation's economic problems -- includes Central Bank Governor Perng Fai-nan (彭淮南), Minister of Finance Shea Jia-dong (許嘉棟) and Minister of Economic Affairs Lin Hsin-yi (林信義).
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