Taiwan Today

Premier Liu Chao-shiuan vowed to review the Cabinet’s handling of Typhoon Morakot and apologized for negative public perceptions surrounding his team’s efforts during post-disaster relief work. “We devoted ourselves wholeheartedly to disaster relief and reconstruction, but the public perceived what we did negatively,” Liu said Aug. 19. “I care about this and feel sorry, guilty and sad. I will not ignore this and pledge to conduct an overall review.” Liu said he and President Ma Ying-jeou reached consensus on a possible Cabinet reshuffle in early September to hold those responsible for failing in their jobs, including himself. But the premier stressed that now is the time to focus on rescue and reconstruction efforts, rather than going into details of any reshuffle. Stung by public criticism over their actions in the wake of the typhoon, Cabinet Secretary-General Hsueh Hsiang-chuan and Minister of National Defense Chen Chao-min offered to quit Aug. 19. Liu said he will make a decision on whether to accept the pair’s resignations following the review. According to the Minister of Economic Affairs Yiin Chii-ming, Water Resources Agency Director-General Chen Shen-hsien also asked to resign. “It is still too early to talk about such changes before responsibilities have been accounted for,” he said. In response to concerns that Liu’s team will become a “caretaker Cabinet” if the premier steps down, Government Information Office minister and Cabinet spokesman Su Jun-pin said this is impossible, as not all ministers would be affected by a reshuffle. Separately, Liu announced the line up for the Cabinet’s Post-Disaster Reconstruction Commission. Vice Premier Chiu Cheng-hsiung is deputy convener, Minister without Portfolio Tsai Hsung-hsiung, chief executive officer, and Veterans Affairs Commission Minister Kao Hua-chu—who will oversee the commission’s disaster area offices—chief deputy executive officer. The other two deputies are Vice Minister of the Interior Lin Join-sane and Deputy Minister of the Public Construction Commission Chern Jenn-chuan. The national-level reconstruction commission is made up of 12 departments and will oversee four major projects: industrial revitalization, infrastructure development, national land conservation, and rebuilding. All related agencies must draft their reconstruction proposals in accordance with the national land conservation plan. To help foster industrial development in typhoon-devastated areas, submissions must support the government’s six “star industries,” which are biotechnology, cultural and creative, high-end agriculture, medical care, renewable energy and tourism.(LC-JSM)