While the formal opening of the southern section of the new Hsintien Line of Taipei's MRT system took center stage yesterday, subcontractors in charge of doing much of the work on the line staged a low-key protest outside the Hsintien Station of the line, asking the city to compensate them for overdue contract money.
"What we're doing today is not meant to cause trouble," said Lee Yuang-min (李2W民), assistant to the chairman of Talien Enterprise (1F聯企業), one of the subcontractors participating in the Hsintien and Nankan-Panchiao line projects.
"We're asking the city to give us the money they owe us," he said.
A group of 50 subcontractors -- 12 of whom were involved in the Hsintien Line project, and 38 others who are taking part in the Nankang-Panchiao Line project -- appealed to the city government yesterday at the Hsintien commencement ceremony, requesting money they said was owed to them. They said NT$30 million is due to them for the northern and southern sections of the Hsintien Line, and NT$48 million for the Nankang-Panchiao Line.
In response, Taipei City Deputy Mayor Ou Chin-der (
Things appeared to be working well until August this year, when Tseng Sheng-hsiung (
The subcontractors said they had nowhere to go but to take their case to the city's Department of Rapid Transit Systems (DORTS, 捷1B?u程局).
Fan Chen-bou (
"They're handling the matter in a reasonable and mature manner," Fan said. "We'll do our best to tackle the matter."
Talien Enterprise's Lee said that DORTS had asked the contractors to continue with the project to meet the deadline, saying that DORTS would handle the rest.
"Now the southern section of the Hsintien Line has already started running, but where is our money?" he asked.
Lee said that they have done their part and now it's time for the city to do its part.
"We just want to know when the city can solve the problem and how," he said.
Lee said that they have decided to cancel a Nov. 15 protest, but will still stage a strike on the Nankan-Panchiao project on that day.
"Otherwise they won't take us seriously," Lee said. "Nevertheless, once the matter is solved, we're willing to work around the clock to complete the final stage of the project, which may take us about two months."
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