As the last day of the year, the century and the millennium comes to an end tonight, thoughts are bound to turn to what effects the much-hyped Y2K bug will bring after the stroke of midnight.
Though billions of dollars have been spent by way of preparation by individuals, companies and governments the world over, uncertainy will no doubt remain as to whether enough has been done to avoid the bug's adverse impact on lives and livelihoods.
Taiwanese officials in both the private and public sectors have been sounding a confident, though cautious, note in the run-up to tonight. A number of local and international flights have been canceled, the Central Bank of China has NT$900 billion in cash at the ready to deal with any possible mass withdrawals from the banking system, the China Petroleum Company has 10 extra days' supply of fuel on hand, the defense ministry has completed examination and testing of all military equipment and the nation's 252 hospitals are required by the Department of Health to report on their situation 30 minutes after the calendar rolls over.
The Cabinet has set up a special task force headed by Ministers without Portfolio Yang Shih-chien (
Public complaint hotlines have been established and emergency response manuals have been made available to the public. A Y2K information and response center will officially start operating today, and will run through to Jan. 4.
"The Cabinet has already completed all preparatory work and we call on the public to be alert and well-prepared," said Wan Chen-ou (
Wan offered some last-minute tips yesterday on what individuals may want to do for themselves to prepare for the changeover.
For instance, he said, it is important to have sufficient cash available for basic necessities as ATM machines will be closed for 12 hours starting at 8pm, while it would be a good idea to take the time to get paper records from banks and other institutions for financial transactions conducted in the month of December.
For the home, Wan suggested preparing emergency lighting equipment, keeping handy battery-powered telephones and radios, as well as extra cell phone batteries and preparing a basic first aid kit.
Wan also recommended avoiding long-distance travel if possible. If absolutely necessary, however, he suggested travelers check whether their insurance covers damages caused by Y2K-related accidents.
DEFENSE: The first set of three NASAMS that were previously purchased is expected to be delivered by the end of this year and deployed near the capital, sources said Taiwan plans to procure 28 more sets of M-142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), as well as nine additional sets of National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), military sources said yesterday. Taiwan had previously purchased 29 HIMARS launchers from the US and received the first 11 last year. Once the planned purchases are completed and delivered, Taiwan would have 57 sets of HIMARS. The army has also increased the number of MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) purchased from 64 to 84, the sources added. Each HIMARS launch pod can carry six Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, capable of
TRAJECTORY: The severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday, and would influence the nation to varying degrees, a forecaster said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it would likely issue a sea warning for Tropical Storm Podul tomorrow morning and a land warning that evening at the earliest. CWA forecaster Lin Ting-yi (林定宜) said the severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving west at 21kph and packing sustained winds of 108kph and gusts of up to 136.8kph, the CWA said. Lin said that the tropical storm was about 1,710km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, with two possible trajectories over the next one
Tropical Storm Podul strengthened into a typhoon at 8pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, with a sea warning to be issued late last night or early this morning. As of 8pm, the typhoon was 1,020km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving west at 23kph. The storm carried maximum sustained winds of 119kph and gusts reaching 155kph, the CWA said. Based on the tropical storm’s trajectory, a land warning could be issued any time from midday today, it added. CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張竣堯) said Podul is a fast-moving storm that is forecast to bring its heaviest rainfall and strongest
CRITICISM: It is deeply regrettable that China, which is pursuing nuclear weapons, has suppressed Taiwan, which is pursuing peace, a government official said Representative to Japan Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋) yesterday accused Beijing of interference after Taiwan’s official delegation to the Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony in Japan was assigned seating in the “international non-governmental organizations [NGO]” area. “Taiwan is by no means an international NGO, but a sovereign nation that is active on the international stage,” Lee said. Lee and Chen Ming-chun (陳銘俊), head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Fukuoka, attended the ceremony in Nagasaki yesterday, which marked the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the city. That followed Lee’s attendance at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony on Wednesday
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