Fri, Mar 05, 2004 page3

• Taiwan Quick Take

  • STAFF WRITER WITH AGENCIES
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  ■ Health
  DOH plans new bureaus

  The Department of Health yesterday proposed amend-ments to its organizational statute in order to establish two new bureaus, one for international cooperation and one for medical research and development. Director General Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) said last year's SARS outbreak proved the necessity of international communication in disease prevention. He said an international cooperation bureau would also help further the nation's bid to join the World Health Organization. The depart-ment also wants to convert its central Taiwan office into a medical research and development bureau focusing on special issues such as aborigine health and psychiatric treatment. The proposed amendments to the Organic Law of the Department of Health (衛生署組織法) must first be reviewed by the legislature's Organic Laws and Statutes Committee before they can be placed on the legislative agenda.

  ■ Water

  Limits may be lifted

  If as much rain falls this month as has fallen in previous Marches, the government will consider lifting the first-phase water restrictions in the north, Water Resources Agency Director Chen Shen-hsien (陳伸賢) said yesterday. Thanks to three straight days of rain, the Feitsui Reservoir -- the major source of water for the greater Taipei area -- has received 72mm of rainfall this month, while the Shihmen Reservoir, the main source for the Taoyuan area -- has received 45mm, Chen said. He said that the rainfall received by the two reservoirs has reached one-third of the average level for the same period in previous years.

  ■ Cross-strait ties

  Chinese repatriated

  Sixteen Chinese who were seized earlier this year for illegally entering Kinmen, smuggling contraband or poaching were repatriated yesterday on two Chinese fishing boats. Most of the nine men and seven women are from Xiamen. Kinmen coast guard authorities said they hope the Immigration Bureau will set up a special detention center on the island as soon as possible to accommodate illegal Chinese immigrants and handle repatriation work. "Overcrowding has become a major headache as we have only limited space to accommodate detained illegal immigrants," a coast guard official said, adding that 22 detainees are being held at Kinmen coast guard headquarters awaiting repatriation.

  ■ Environment

  Full recycling the goal

  Cabinet Secretary-General Liu Shih-fang (劉世芳) yesterday said the govern-ment hopes that with more recycling some of the nation's cities can make it onto the list of the top five cleanest cities in the world. Liu made the remarks when she presided over a seminar in Taichung. Liu said Premier Yu Shyi-kun hoped that all government agencies will work toward the Environ-mental Protection Admin-istration's goal of making this year a "full recycling and zero waste-dumping year." Liu said that in the 1960s and 1970s it was fairly common to see large amounts of garbage dumped along rivers. But recycling efforts have reduced such dumping. She said the focus now must be on reducing the amount of garbage generated and that partial recycling will be expanded to help create cleaner cities. Liu said if everyone helped there would be a chance for some cities to make it onto the clean-city list.

  ■ Government
  Chen touts achievements

  President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) touted the economic achievements of his administration yesterday and vowed in his online newspaper to turn the island into the most advanced country in Asia. Describing himself "a gardener entrusted with the task of taking care of the garden four years ago, " Chen said his administration has forced the country's loss-making banking industry to shed bad loans. Over the last four years, Chen said, the banking industry has gotten rid of NT$1.2 trillion in non-performing loans and has brought the average bad-loan ratio down to a healthier 4.33 percent.

  ■ Trade

  24 trade fairs scheduled

  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will commission the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) to take part in 24 international trade fairs this year, and there will be two such events this month, Colvin Liu (劉榮座), director of the ministry's Department of Economic and Trade Affairs, said yesterday.Liu said that to promote trade through diplomacy, and cement diplomacy through trade, the ministry has commissioned TAITRA to sponsor or take part in international trade fairs every year. He said that the participation will strengthen the diplomatic and trade relations between Taiwan and its allies, and will help Taiwanese businesspeople seeking trade opportunities overseas. Liu said that TAITRA is attending a trade fair in Panama this week and that a Republic of China Trade Fair 2004 is being held in Honduras from March 11-14. He said that 30,000 people attended the trade fair in Panama last year and Taiwanese businesspeople secured business worth US$16.91 million. At the trade fair in Honduras last year, 6,000 people attended and transactions amounted to US$6.83 million, Liu said.
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