The Taipei City Government is a team in which ideas can be negotiated, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said yesterday amid rumors that decisionmaking power in his administration is too centralized.
On Monday, Lo Wang-zhe (羅旺哲) resigned as the city government’s spokesman due to “health reasons” after being in the role for less than two months.
Chinese-language media reported that city government insiders said the main reason for Lo’s resignation was frustration at decisions being in the hands of only a few people.
Photo: CNA
The reports said that Chen Kuo-jun (陳國君), a consultant, was among the top decisionmakers and was instructing — even at times scolding — government officials, so much so that a source described him as an “undercover mayor.”
Taipei Department of Civil Affairs Commissioner Chen Yung-te (陳永德) on Monday also hinted in a Facebook post that he intended to retire.
Asked about the post on Tuesday, he said that he feels tired, but has not spoken with Chiang about the issue nor made a decision about his job.
Even if Chiang wanted to talk to him about his job, the mayor might feel uncomfortable with it being so soon after Lo’s departure and due to his own friendship with Chiang, Chen Yung-te said.
Given the situation, he would not raise the issue with Chiang, but he does feel more tired than he did when he was a city councilor, he added.
Chiang yesterday said that he has spoken with Chen Yung-te and visited a temple with him on Tuesday, so their communication is smooth, while Chen Yung-te has been working hard to push forward department policies since he took office.
The city government is a team and all of its members are playing according to their roles, and its departments are working together, he said.
Asked about decisionmaking power and whether Chen Kuo-jun was an “undercover mayor,” Chiang reiterated that the city government is a team in which every member shares their ideas to be thoroughly discussed to reach the best decisions.
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