Lai Feng-Wei rallied for NT$10 billion in supporting the construction from President Tsai Ing-Wen with the promise of full support
Penghu County Government
2019-08-26
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Penghu County Lai Feng-Wei rallied for tens of billion financing from President Tsai Ing-Wen in her trip to Penghu on the 26th. The fund will be used in the construction of 7 projects at Penghu Defense Command, Chu Kuang West Camp, the relocation of the Logistics Command. President Tsai Ing-Wen promised full support for the cause and agreed that the central government will be responsible for the amount of NT$2.6 billion for the construction of the site for the relocation of the Penghu Defense Command. After the relocation of the Logistics Command, the previously occupied land will be jointly developed by the central and local government.
President Tsai Ing-Wen conducted an inspection on the local construction of Penghu on the 26th in the company of Minister of Interior Hsu Kuo-Yung, Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-Lung, and Minister without portfolio Chang Ching-Sen. They were also debriefed on the renovation of the sea-crossing bridge at Tungliang, paid their worship at Tongliang Paoan Temple and Guanyin Temple at Tongliang, and the lantern exhibition of the “International Bay Lantern Festival.” They returned to the office of Penghu County Government to debrief the progress of local construction.
In the meeting, Lai Feng-Wei proposed 7 projects of “The relocation of Penghu Defense Command, Chu Kuang West Camp, and Logistics Command,” “Transformation of vacant premises at Zhi Mian Village as community residence,” “Funding of NT$50 million per annum for forestry and conservation at Penghu,” “Subsidy of NT$160 million per annum for the maritime industry,” “Intensification of law enforcement in raiding illegal sand pump dredgers from Mainland China,” “Replacement of obsolete vessels of Tai Hwa” and “NT$500 million for the construction of the civic stadium of Penghu.”
President Tsai gave instructions to include the projects of the relocation of Penghu Defense Command, Chu Kuang West Camp as an integral part of the national construction plan where the central government will be responsible for the expenses incurred. She asked Chang Ching-Sen to coordinate with the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of National Defense and refer to reference filing. The land left behind after the relocation will be jointly planned by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Ministry of Culture, and Penghu County Government.
President Tsai mentioned that Penghu County Government, Penghu County Council, Legislator Yang Yao have expressed their concerns for the relocation of the Logistics Command for a long time. A solution has long been sought by several terms of county mayors. This is now a good time for a solution, as the relocation will be echoed with the renovation program of the military personnel under the “Hsing An Project.” She instructed Chang Ching-Sen to follow up the case, coordinate with related ministries and agencies for the joint development and urban renewal with the county government.
The Taiwan-Penghu line is a blue national route and is a strategic route administered by the central government, said Lai Feng-Wei. This route was opened to service in 1959 with the participation of passenger liners Penghu, Tai Peng and Tai Hwa, which were built and operated by the central government. Tai Hwa is a sea vessel of 30 years of age, which is old and dangerous. He recommended the central government should revert the operations of this line, or subsidize the country government with a fund of NT$2.315 billion for reconstruction and an additional NT$50 million of annual subsidy to cover the loss.
In reply, President Tsai mentioned that she preferred the nationalization of Tai Hwa for building and operation by the central government and integrate all offshore islands, Taitung, and the Blue Highway of Hualien in planning. Under such design, there will be higher flexibility in the dispatch of passenger liners and the overall operation will be more efficient and effective.
For the renovation of the Zhongzheng Bridge, Yongan Bridge, and sea-crossing bridge, Director Tsai Yu-Chung of the Department of Public Work, Penghu County Government, suggested that the sewage system at the embankment of Zhongzheng Bridge and Yongan Bridge cannot perform its proper functions and will easily turn the interior sea zone of Penghu into a concealed sea zone. It has caused damage to the maritime ecology incrementally and hampered the catch year after year. This is indeed an ecological crisis. The renovation of these bridges not only could help to improve the exchange rate of sea water but could also improve the production value of fishery by 5%, vitalize amount 235 hectares of marshland along the coastline for the creation of economic value of approximately NT$100 million.
According to President Tsai, the renovation of the Zhongzheng Bridge and Yongan Bridge will be critical for the transportation, tourism and ecological sustainability of Penghu, she asked the county government to conduct a thorough assessment on the funding of the project for renovation and coordinate the local communities for support, and design for the construction of a proper transportation system linking all living circles. The central government will give full support.
President Tsai holds that the sea-cross bridge will affect the ecology of the interior sea zone of Penghu that the Ministry of Transportation and Communications has budgeted NT$20 million for preliminary assessment. If the assessment result was accepted, Penghu will have a better modernized sea-cross bridge in the future, which will be favorable for the development of the interior sea zone.
Lai Feng-Wei expressed his gratitude to President Tsai Ing-Wen for her consent to the requests of the county government, and also to Yang Yao for his mediation and coordination. President Tsai has presented more than NT$10 billion of lucky money to Penghu County in this trip, particularly the relocation of the Chu Kuang West Camp. This proposal has been brought up by County Mayor Wang Chien-Tung, and is finally approved after 5 terms of mayors. Once the relocation is launched, Penghu Defense Command will be relocated to Kongbei Camp. This is indeed a great step forward in affecting the construction of Penghu.
