Despite horror stories being spread about potential Y2K-related computer problems, officials from the Executive Yuan said yesterday that the government already has strategies in place to prevent islandwide havoc due to computer system problems.
According to Minister without Portfolio Yang Shih-chien (
The Cabinet has already initiated a media blitz, advertising panic-prevention pointers that include collecting receipts and financial records, preparing power generators, flashlights and medicines and backing up data stored in computers.
Officials also said yesterday that Premier Vincent Siew (
At a Y2K crisis seminar held by the Cabinet-level Research, Development and Evaluation Commission (RDEC,
"We have relied on the outcomes of several previous simulations in many fields, including the government, industry and other areas, all of which indicate that there won't be any problems," said the commission's chairman, Wea Chi-lin (
Officials from the Ministry of Economic Affairs said that the electricity supply on New Year's eve should not be a problem either, because the transmission system has been strengthened so as to cope with the potentially destructive effects of the Y2K bug.
"We will have more than 2,000 staffers working on Dec. 31 to ensure people have power," said Lin Pei-chien (
Lin added that the ministry has completed over 200 projects to ensure water supply, while asking fuel suppliers to prepare supplies for at least an additional three months.
Lin said that as much as NT$500 million had been spent on manufacturing facilities, including steel plants, oil refineries and power plants, to ensure that Y2K-related problems would not interrupt production.
Officials from the Department of Health also stressed that all hospitals on the island, including medical centers and local clinics, had been checked to see if they were able to deal with the Y2K crisis.
"According to health department data, about 4,000 patients staying in intensive care units (ICUs) might be at risk from Y2K-related problems.
"To prevent loss of life resulting from the unexpected shutdown of equipment, the department has informed 25 major hospitals to maintain a real-time situation report on the condition of ICUs," said health official Kuo Shu-sung (
Kuo stressed that people would not have to worry about incorrect prescriptions and other health related problems, saying that all data related to the National Health Insurance Program would be backed up in advance.
Officials from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications also said yesterday that a total of 10 airports in Taiwan had completed Y2K crisis prevention work early this year and that transport officials would take a flight from Taipei to Kaohsiung on the morning of Jan. 1 to boost people's confidence in aviation facilities.
"We've learned that most countries in Southeast Asia have completed Y2K prevention work, but we will still be prepared for emergency landings, if airports in other countries run into any trouble," said a transport ministry official, Fan Yu-lin (
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