Sat, Jul 02, 2005 page3

• Taiwan Quick Take

  • AGENCIES
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  ■ Environment

  Coolness monitors wanted

  Environmentalists from the Homemaker's Union and Foundation yesterday urged the public to take a thermometer with them whenever they visit a government agency and report any office with air-conditioners set below 26?C. They said the public could report to the foundation at 02-236-86211 and it would publicize the energy-wasting government agencies, which they said are supposed to set a good example. A Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker said 300 million units of electricity could be saved over the summer if consumers set their air-conditioners just 1?C higher.

  ■ Society

  Anniversary celebrations set

  The Ministry of National Defense will hold a series of activities before and after the Anti-Japanese Aggression Victory Day next Thursday to commemorate the 60th anniversary of that day, ministry officials said yesterday. On Wednesday, a military band parade will be held at the courtyard of Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in the afternoon, and a concert will be held at the hall at night. A historical play titled A Heart of Steel will be staged at a Taipei cultural center on the nights of July 8 and 9. It is hoped that the activities will help the public remember the days when all the people united around the nation to fight the invading Japanese army during the eight-year anti-aggression period, the officials said. With the changing times, "the cause of the war may be forgiven, but the lesson of history must never be forgotten," they said.

  ■ Diplomacy

  Nicaraguan official to visit

  Nicaraguan Vice Minister of Health Israel Kontorovsky is due to arrive on Monday for a five-day visit, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. The aim of Kontorovsky's visit is to gain an understanding of Taiwan's success in stamping out malaria and its measures to prevent enterovirus and the spread of dengue fever, the spokesman said. While here, Kontorovsky will meet with Minister of Foreign Affairs Mark Chen (陳唐山) as well as officials from the Department of Health and Academia Sinica members. Kontorovsky, who assumed the post last December, is considered to be very friendly toward Taiwan.

  ■ Trade

  Tainan chief pushing fruit

  Tainan County Commissioner Su Huan-chih (蘇煥智) is scheduled to leave for Japan on Monday to promote fruit exports. Su will visit Tokyo and Osaka. He will preside over a Taiwanese fruit sampling activity in Osaka on July 7. At a news conference at Tainan County Hall, Su said Tainan's mango exports to Japan are expected to grow substantially this year, following the inauguration of two fruit-disinfecting facilities. In the near future, oranges, tangerines, pomelos and star fruit are also expected to be exported to Japan as long as they go through quarantine before shipment, he said. He said Taiwan's fruit exports are now on the right path. "It was a wrong choice to only export fruit to China," he said. He said the government should also try to open markets in Europe.

  ■ Society

  Wheelchairs to be donated

  The Japanese social welfare group Kousaikai will donate 90 wheelchairs to nine of its counterparts in Taiwan next week. About 600 members of the group will travel to Taipei, where a ceremony to present the wheelchairs will be held on Wednesday. Taiwan has received 78 wheelchairs so far.
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