With the experience of turning the small town of Jiji (集集) in Nantou County into a nationally recognized tourist hotspot, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator and county commissioner candidate Lin Ming-chen (林明溱) said that he is certain that if the county were to develop its hostel, restaurant and cultural creativity industries, it would benefit economically and ease the burden of lacking a significant industrial sector.
Lin, who had been Jiji mayor and Nantou County councilor, said in a recent interview with the Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) that innovation is a core value in his campaign to bring better service to the public, adding that only through innovation would Nantou have a brighter future.
With Sun Moon Lake (日月潭), Sitou Township (溪頭), Cingjing (清境), Jhushan Township’s (竹山) Ladder Scenic Park and the Skyway Bridge, Nantou’s many tourist destinations have plenty of businesses that fills the county’s coffers, he said.
To complement such an advantage, the county needs to improve its hostels, eateries and cultural creative industries, Lin said, adding that if he were elected county commissioner, he would seek to make all 13 of Nantou County’s townships into tourist hotspots.
Lin said that would further local development and increase county revenue, adding that the county would also seek to promote refined agriculture to benefit area farmers.
Lin said that government policies need to be friendly to common people, adding that under his guidance, the county government would help businesses invest in the area and hopefully encourage Nantou residents working in other townships to return.
In terms of finance, Lin said the county government must make a thorough review of its spending and carefully superintend the county’s resources.
Faced with the low popularity of President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration and a corruption lawsuit involving KMT member and incumbent County Commissioner Lee Chao-ching (李朝卿), Lin acknowledged the KMT’s morale in the area is almost at rock-bottom.
Lee was indicted by the Nantou District Prosecutors’ Office on corruption charges last year. The Control Yuan had also voted 11-to-1 in favor of impeaching Lee.
However, the Executive Yuan has repealed the Ministry of the Interior’s decision to relieve Lee of his office and called on the ministry to determine new punitive measures in the next two months.
“Many actions, although well-intended, are being disparaged by the Democratic Progressive Party [DPP] and have seen little to no effect,” Lin said. “The voter base is extremely tired of the usual war of words between candidates and are hoping to hear about concrete plans and practical policies.”
Lin said his recent surge in popularity shows that the voter base in the county identifies with the policies he has offered.
Lin added that his many years of hard work at building trust among area residents is paying off, adding that he was certain that their trust in him would offset any unfavorable aspects brought on by the Ma administration’s low popularity.
Lee’s wife, Chien Su-tuan (簡素端), recently announced her bid to run in the election as an independent candidate. Asked if the development would hurt his chances, Lin said that everyone has the right to participate in the election.
“It is my belief that the voters of the pan-blue bloc possess great wisdom and will stand united,” Lin said, adding that he also believed the voters would not waste their votes, and would support him by voting for a brighter future.
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