PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) yesterday questioned the government for shelving its plans to reform the farmers' and fishermen's associations.
"The DPP administration is disappointing," Soong said about the government's postponement of a plan to implement grass roots financial sector reform.
The government made the announcement on Sunday.
Soong said although former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) had promised to establish an NT$100 billion "agricultural development fund" to help local farmers cope with the impact of Taiwan's accession to the WTO, the DPP has yet to implement the policy.
"It [DPP administration] only pays lip service but nothing ever gets done," Soong said.
"The DPP administration is incompetent and inefficient," Soong said. "The government doesn't get stuff done despite organizing meetings such as Economic Development Advisory Conference (EDAC) and Agricultural Development Conference."
EDAC was held in August last year to discuss ways to revive the nation's economy.
"President Chen [Shui-bian (陳水扁)] just waits until the farmers and fishermen decide to take the issue to the streets before he realizes the seriousness of the problem," Soong said referring to a demonstration scheduled for Saturday where farmers and fishermen intend to show their opposition to any measures that might shut down their associations.
The DPP continues to eat its own words, despite advice from the opposition to be attentive to the impact of Taiwan's WTO accession on the nation's farming and fishing industries, Soong said.
The KMT also criticized the DPP's handling of agricultural reformyesterday saying it had lost its credibility.
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"The KMT, no matter what, will continue to stand beside the farmers and fishermen," KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) said yesterday while calling on the DPP administration to review and evaluate itself and not to continue taking advantage of the underprivileged farmers and fishermen.
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