Mayor’s remarks:
I. Obtaining the approval for the development of “Cigu Technology Industrial Park” after 10 years of requisition
1. Cigu Technology Industrial Park will be the next industrial park developed by the Tainan City Government, following in the footsteps of Tree Valley Park, Liou-Ying Technology and Environmental Industrial Park, Yong Kang Technical Industrial Park, and Sin Ji Industrial Park. After 10 years of hard fought requisition, Tainan City Government finally obtained the approval for development from the Regional Planning Committee of MOI on April 20 this year. The project is expected to propel a balanced development at the coastal regions of the city while offering close to 10,000 employment opportunities.
2. Occupying an area of 141 hectares, the site of Cigu Technology Industrial Park had been a site that Tainan City Government submitted the requisition to register in as early as 2008. However, the process encountered many difficulties, including flooding caused by Typhoon Morakot, farmland restrictions, and so forth. Soil preparation of the entire site was done through gravity drainage, coupled with the main drainage to the north and south of the area along with the construction of two detention basins to resolve the issue of flooding. Residents have also been adequately briefed in order to gain their understanding and support for the project. At the same time, Tainan City Government also commissioned National Chung Hsing University to perform the soil survey and found that as much as three-quarter of the site was comprised of highly saline soils and is therefore not suited for agricultural purposes. Given the lack of a plan for soil amelioration from the Taiwan Sugar Company, I myself led Director-general Fang from the Bureau of Economic Development and other colleagues from Tainan City Government to meet with the Council of Agriculture and lobbied for the development of the park and managed to obtain permission from the Council of Agriculture to change the land rights for the site. Given what transpired during the Dapu Incident, it became necessary for the Department of Land Administration, MOI to scrutinize the public benefit and necessity for the expropriation. I have made every effort to clarify possible points of contention. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Director-general Fang and our colleagues from the Bureau of Economic Development for their due diligence and effort.
3. The solicitation of business after the development of Cigu Technology Industrial Park will focus primarily on businesses with low pollution, low energy consumption, and low generation of sewage. We are hoping to integrate the park with local specialty industries in order to provide a local space for rural industries to thrive. Coupled with the academic research institutions in the surrounding area, the spillover effect from the Southern Taiwan Science Park, and relevant support from the industrial chain, will hopefully create developmental benefits such as employment opportunities for Tainan residents. It is therefore essential that the Bureau of Economic Development stay up to speed with relevant planning by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and to submit relevant plans and latest progress on the project to the MOI.
II. Increasing the number of public kindergartens to offer quality environment for preschool education
1. In order to lighten the economic burden on parents, Tainan City Government will not only be increasing the amount of private nursery education voucher to NT$ 15,000 per semester and NT$ 30,000 per year for children between ages 2-4 starting from 2017, but will also be establishing newly affiliated kindergartens at 11 elementary schools including South District Sinsing Elementary School, North District Sianbei Elementary School, Anping District Yizai Elementary School, Yongkang District Yung Shin Elementary School, Rende District Chang Sing Elementary School and Wusian Elementary School, Anding District Nansing Elementary School, Jiali District Sinyi Elementary School, Cigu District Hougang Elementary School, Sinying District Sinciao Elementary School, Baihe District Siancao Elementary School as well as the three junior high schools: Jhongshan, Jhongsiao and Hai Dian, starting from the 2017 school year. In addition, the existing affiliated kindergartens at East District Dongguang Elementary School and Yongkang District Wuwang Elementary School will feature one additional class vacancy. These kindergartens will offer an additional admission quota for 450 students.
2. The enrollment registration for public kindergartens in Tainan City for the school year of 2017 begins today (April 26), with an admission quota of 11,781. Citizens with infants above the age of 3 (born prior to September 1, 2014) with household registered in Tainan City or of aborigine ethnicity may bring their household certificate and relevant documentation to their nearest public kindergarten or elementary school for inquiry and enrollment registration.
3. It is imperative that the Bureau of Education duly supervise the aforementioned elementary schools along with the newly established affiliated kindergartens so that classroom environment preparation can be completed on schedule with the required quality. This will allow us to provide the best learning environment for preschool children. In addition, care should be taken to ensure that the lot-drawing process is fair and open so that all children have an equal chance of being enrolled in public kindergartens.
4. I would like to ask Deputy Mayor Wu to continue with the supervision of the Bureau of Education to prioritize the use of idle classrooms in the city as educational space for kindergarten children. It is important that all kindergartens in Tainan City, be them public or private, to make optimal use of resources at hand and put idle classrooms to full use.
Reports
I. Report on the visit to Japan by long-term care staff (長期照顧業務日本參訪) by the Bureau of Social Affairs. (Refer to written sources for details)
Resolution: approved for reference filing.
Mayor’s remarks:
(1) Together with Japan, Taiwan ranked third in the world as the fastest aging country, trailing only South Korea and Singapore. As of the end of March this year (2017), Tainan City’s senior population has reached 262,968, constituting 13.94% of the city’s total population. It is estimated that Tainan City will fall into the category of “aged society” (with senior population over the age of 65 constituting 14% of the total population) later this year. And with the baby boomers gradually becoming senior citizens, it will take a mere 14 years for Tainan City to become a “hyper aged society” (defined by WHO as a society with 20 percent of the population being the age of 65 or over).
(2) And as such, Tainan City Government fully supports the Long-term Care 2.0 policy proposed by the Central Government and hopefully the Bureau of Social Affairs will respond to the initiative and stay ahead of the curve by being the first and the best. I am proud to say that Tainan City ranked first in Taiwan in the Long-term Care 1.0 policy with its score of 100 points, and I expect Tainan City to do just as well in Long-term Care 2.0.
(3) Director-general Liu from the Bureau of Social Affairs led his colleagues from the bureau to learn more about Japan’s system and methodologies in long-term care during the visit and I am looking forward to seeing better approaches and solutions in the promotion of long-term care to be implemented by the bureau.
II. Report on Tainan City Flood Prevention Preparation Construction for 2017 by the Water Resources Bureau (Refer to written sources for details)
Resolution: approved for reference filing.
Mayor’s remarks:
(1) I would like to thank Director-general Peng and his team from the Water Resources Bureau for the vigor and urgency they have demonstrated in the promotion of flood prevention preparation. It is imperative for the Water Resources Bureau to complete all flood prevention preparations before May 1st, which marks the beginning of the rainy season. In addition, relevant units such as the Public Works Bureau and Environmental Protection Bureau should complete related preparations before the same deadline so as to provide a safe environment for the citizens.
(2) Tainan City is the city with the largest flood potential area. After the merger of Tainan City and County, Tainan City has begun integrated flood management. This involves the construction of embankments, detention basins, floodways and dredges at suitable locations to achieve flood prevention. After the merger, Tainan City Government spent three years achieving a new flood control standard that aims to prevent floods with a 10-year recurrence interval based upon the current foundation, terrains, and features. It is truly a remarkable feat. From the presentation, I can see that many flood prevention projects have been carried out at full pace and hopefully we will make every dollar that Tainan City Government has spent count by continuing to raise the bar for flood prevention preparation in Tainan City, thereby offering citizens a safe environment to live.