Fighting accusations that she violated a provisional decree by ordering the demolition of temporary housing units for victims of the 921 Earthquake, Executive Director of the Cabinet Kuo Yao-chi (郭瑤琪), yesterday unveiled a relocation plan for quake victims.
The plan offers benefit packages to underprivileged families who live in quake-relief prefabricated houses. The packages are aimed at helping the victims to procure housing.
"While I respect their wish to press charges against me, I feel obligated to explain to the public how we've been handling the matter," Kuo told a press conference held at the Executive Yuan yesterday afternoon.
Kuo also dismissed accusations that she has ordered the demolition of prefabricated houses to show the government's reconstruction efforts.
"We demolish only those housing units which have already been vacated for reasons of public security and hygiene," she said.
On Thursday, opposition legislators pressed charges with the Taipei District Prosecutors' Office against Kuo for violating the Temporary Statute for Post-Earthquake Reconstruction (
They also asked the Control Yuan to impeach Kuo and her predecessor, Huang Jong-tsun (
They argued that the commission pressed the residents of prefabricated housing units to move out in what they said was an attempt to show that the government's reconstruction efforts were making progress.
Seeking to quell opposition and public uproar over the issue, Premier Yu Shyi-kun requested the commission to hammer out a comprehensive relocation plan within 15 days when he toured the disaster areas on Friday.
According to Kuo, there are about 700 underprivileged families living in prefabricated housing units in quake-hit areas who qualify for the relocation program.
Underprivileged families are categorized as families with a monthly household income of less than the national minimum-income level of NT$8,433 per person.
Those families whose household incomes don't exceed 1.5 times the nation's minimum income and whose real estate is worth less than NT$3.9 million, are also qualified for the program.
The commission will also offer discount packages to those who can afford to purchase public housing.
For those who can afford to buy a public housing unit after renting it for three years, the commission will allow the family to offset part of the price with the rent that they have paid over the preceding three years.
Those who can afford to buy the housing unit within six years after leasing the unit will be entitled to 50 percent off -- in exchange for the rent they've already paid for the property -- and 80 percent off for those who want to buy the housing unit after renting it for 12 years.
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