Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) Director-General Chou Yung-hui (周永暉) will start his new job as head of the Tourism Bureau after the Mid-Autumn Festival next month, instead of on Monday as planned, because of the threat of a train drivers’ strike during the long holiday weekend, Minister of Transportation and Communications Hochen Tan (賀陳旦) said yesterday.
The TRA has been asked to organize a backup plan in case the drivers follow through with the strike threat, he said.
“The train drivers’ plan to strike during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday could disrupt the ministry’s plan to provide transport for homebound passengers,” Hochen said. “He [Chou] volunteered to stay behind and lead the TRA staff through the crisis.”
Hochen said he had high expectations for TRA acting director-
general Lu Chieh-shen (鹿潔身), adding that the railway agency could use this opportunity to prove to the public that it can find ways to reform.
The ministry would consider promoting Lu to director-general if he proves he is able to handle the job, Hochen said.
Hochen announced a reshuffle of top jobs at ministry agencies earlier this month, which was criticized by industry experts because some officials were given posts outside their area of expertise.
Tourism Bureau Director-General David Hsieh (謝謂君) is being transferred to head the Marine Port Bureau; ministry Chief Secretary Lin Kuo-hsieh (林國顯), whose expertise is railway and highway transport, is to become head of the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA).
They are to take up their new posts on Monday.
Hochen said Chou has largely earned praise for his marketing of the TRA and its services, not necessarily his expertise in railway engineering, so Chou would be able use his marketing talents with the Tourism Bureau.
“The Marine Port Bureau acts as an overseer of the Taiwan International Port Corp, which is in charge of operating the international seaports and attracting investment. It should focus on transforming some of the smaller domestic ports into ports for leisure or tourism purposes,” the minister said, adding that Hsieh could be counted on to work with local governments to make this a reality.
Lin’s transfer was not an eccentric move, because “he is one of the rare officials who look at things from a broader perspective,” Hochen said. “The CAA needs someone who not only knows how to manage airport terminals and oversee their daily operation, but also to promote interaction with the airlines.”
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
There are 77 incidents of Taiwanese travelers going missing in China between January last year and last month, the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) said. More than 40 remain unreachable, SEF Secretary-General Luo Wen-jia (羅文嘉) said on Friday. Most of the reachable people in the more than 30 other incidents were allegedly involved in fraud, while some had disappeared for personal reasons, Luo said. One of these people is Kuo Yu-hsuan (郭宇軒), a 22-year-old Taiwanese man from Kaohsiung who went missing while visiting China in August. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office last month said in a news statement that he was under investigation
PRO-CHINA SLOGANS: Two DPP members criticized police officers’ lack of action at the scene, saying that law enforcement authorities should investigate the incident Chinese tourists allegedly interrupted a protest in Taipei on Tuesday held by Hong Kongers, knocked down several flags and shouted: “Taiwan and Hong Kong belong to China.” Hong Kong democracy activists were holding a demonstration as Tuesday was China’s National Day. A video posted online by civic group Hong Kong Outlanders shows a couple, who are allegedly Chinese, during the demonstration. “Today is China’s National Day, and I won’t allow the displaying of these flags,” the male yells in the video before pushing some demonstrators and knocking down a few flagpoles. Radio Free Asia reported that some of the demonstrators
An aviation jacket patch showing a Formosan black bear punching Winnie the Pooh has become popular overseas, including at an aviation festival held by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force at the Ashiya Airbase yesterday. The patch was designed last year by Taiwanese designer Hsu Fu-yu (徐福佑), who said that it was inspired by Taiwan’s countermeasures against frequent Chinese military aircraft incursions. The badge shows a Formosan black bear holding a Republic of China flag as it punches Winnie the Pooh — a reference to Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) — who is dressed in red and is holding a honey pot with
RSS