Mayor’s Remarks
1. Recognizing the hard work of the Tainan City Government’s staff members during the Chinese New Year Holiday
(1) This year’s Chinese New Year Holiday was comparatively short, with only six days off. However, the good weather and exciting events attracted a substantial number of tourists and returning residents to Tainan City. I would like to thank all departments for proposing plans in advance for accommodating a greater crowd at scenic areas, historic sites, and business districts, as well as your quick responses to handling large crowds in these areas. All departments in the Tainan City Government have demonstrated excellent performance this year regarding public safety, road safety, school safety, food safety, and labor safety, thus ensuring a safe and joyous Chinese New Year Holiday for all. I would like to extend a special thanks to all staff members of the Tainan City Government for sacrificing their Chinese New Year Holiday for the public, including staff members from the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Public Works Bureau, Tourism Bureau, Bureau of Transportation, Police Department, Fire Bureau, Agriculture Bureau, Economic Development Bureau, Public Health Bureau, Environmental Protection Bureau, Bureau of Social Affairs, Department of Information and International Relations, the 1999 Citizen Hotline of the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission, and district offices. Your devotion and hard work during the Chinese New Year holiday are what safeguarded Tainan City. Popular opinion on Facebook indicates that Anpig’s traffic during the Chinese New Year Holiday was smoother compared to previous years. Therefore, I would also like to thank the Bureau of Transportation and the Tainan City Police Department for their assistance in maintaining smooth traffic.
2. Tainan’s disaster relief professionals were among the ranks of rescue workers for the Hualien earthquake
(1) At 11:50 P.M. on February 6, a ten kilometer-deep earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale struck off the coast of Hualien. As a result, four apartment complexes collapsed, three bridges were closed, and a number of roads were damaged. Tainan City took its experience in disaster relief that it had gained during the 2016 Southern Taiwan earthquake and offered full assistance in the rescue efforts for the Hualien earthquake. The first search and rescue team, assembled by the Tainan City Government Fire Bureau, departed for Hualien during the early hours of February 7. The second search and rescue team, which left for Hualien on February 8, was dispatched by Deputy Mayor Wu and comprised of staff members of the Public Works Bureau, Water Resources Bureau, and Environmental Protection Bureau. The members of the second team had expertise in engineering, and the team was equipped with heavy machinery needed for rescues. Having also suffered a major earthquake not long ago, Tainan deeply empathized with Hualien and endeavored to offer complete assistance based on its experience in disaster relief.
(2) Tainan City dispatched a total of 55 engineering professionals to assist in disaster relief. During the five-day-long rescue effort, a total of 183 personnel and 83 car trips carrying heavy machinery were involved, supporting road repairs in 16 locations, covering a surface area of roughly 7,000 m2. Furthermore, Tainan’s disaster relief professionals removed 47.39 tons of waste and rubble in downtown Hualien City and decontaminated 600 meters of road surrounding the Yunmen Cuiti Building (a partially collapsed apartment complex). In addition to simply fulfilling their duties, Tainan’s disaster relief professionals also offered their assistance out of care and empathy for their fellow Taiwanese citizens and affected tourists. In short, Tainan’s disaster relief professionals demonstrated the executive efficiency of the Tainan City Government and Tainan’s spirit of always fulfilling the task at hand. I would like to commend Deputy Mayor Wu for his efforts in leading the search and rescue teams. I would also like to thank Director-General Su of Public Works Bureau, Director-General Peng of the Water Resources Bureau, Director-General Lin of the Environmental Protection Bureau, and all search and rescue and disaster relief staff members for offering their full support to helping affected residents get back on track as soon as possible.
(3) A major earthquake struck Tainan on February 6, 2016, resulting in severe damage while traumatizing many residents. Search and rescue teams from around Taiwan came to Tainan’s aid immediately after the earthquake. Tainan has shown its gratitude for the unconditional support of other counties/cities in Taiwan by assisting Hualien in disaster relief. To us, everyone on Taiwan soil is family. Premier Lai has also expressed his gratitude for Tainan’s disaster relief teams in repairing the damaged roads in Hualien. Many Hualien residents have also expressed their gratefulness for Tainan’s teams in repaving the damaged roads with excellent quality and remarkable efficiency. Again, I would like to thank all frontline workers dispatched to Hualien by the Tainan City Government. I would like to ask the Secretary-General to award merits accordingly.
Announcements
1. The Agriculture Bureau’s report on the progress of avian flu prevention (refer to written sources for details)
Decision: Approved for reference filing.
Mayor’s Remarks:
(1) To prevent avian flu, epidemic prevention mechanisms were enhanced throughout Tainan City last year. With the joint efforts of poultry farmers and the Tainan City Government, no cases of avian flu have occurred in Tainan City over the past seven months. During this period, scattered cases have been reported in other regions across Taiwan. Two confirmed cases of avian flu in Tainan were reported during the Chinese New Year Holiday; however, decontamination work has been completed in accordance with standard operating procedures. I would like to thank our colleagues from the Agriculture Bureau, Animal Health Inspection and Protection Office, concerned departments, and district offices for their assistance in this matter. With your collaborative efforts, citizen health was safeguarded and agricultural loss minimized.
(2) The Animal Health Inspection and Protection Office has continued to conduct sampling while monitoring this year’s avian flu cases. Pre-market screening for ducks was especially stringent. Ducks suspected of carrying the avian flu were terminated as a means to prevent the avian flu from spreading. Furthermore, poultry farmers were requested to comply with regulations on constructing roofed-in poultry farms (to prevent contamination from the droppings of wild birds) and enhance biosafety measures. By improving decontamination efforts and tightening the management of personnel and vehicle access to poultry farms, the health of the poultry and the stability of the industry are maintained.
(3) Taiwan is located midway on the path for many migratory birds that fly south during the winter. Recently, cases of the H5N6 avian flu have been reported in Japan and South Korea, which marks a risk for the spread of the disease. Thus, I would like to ask the Agriculture Bureau, Animal Health Inspection and Protection Office, and concerned departments to prevent avian flu with the utmost caution and take preventative measures by requesting all poultry farmers to employ needed measures. I would also like to ask all poultry farmers for your collaboration with the government in this matter. We must remain attentive to this issue, even if no outbreaks have been reported to date. Acts to promote biosafety must be practiced on a daily basis, and the strictest preventative measures are critical for preventing avian flu outbreaks and lowering or eliminating losses.
Announcements
2. The Cultural Affairs Bureau’s report on the 2018 Tainan Arts Festival (refer to written sources for details)
Decision: Approved for reference filing.
Mayor’s Remarks:
(1) Beginning in 2012, the annual Tainan Arts Festival (TNAF) has introduced the beauty of performing arts into the lives of Tainan’s citizens through three series of events, “International Classics,” “City Stage,” and “Taiwan Glamour,” thereby presenting another side of Tainan in addition to its renowned culinary culture and heritage sites. The series of events centered on the theme “City Stage” is particularly worth mentioning, as it encourages performing arts groups to utilize unique venues, such as heritage sites and temples, to give performances. This series of events cast the entirety of Tainan City in an artistic atmosphere, thereby establishing a positive and prominent reputation for the TNAF. This year marks the seventh year of the TNAF. A series of events surrounding the Performing Lab will be held during this year’s festival, highlighting the TNAF’s mission of encouraging diverse and interdisciplinary artistic creations. I would like to thank Director-General Yeh for his report and the Cultural Affairs Bureau’s team for their hard work.
(2) The curtains for the 2018 TNAF will be drawn with La La Land in Concert at Tainan Municipal Baseball Stadium on March 8, and events will be held until May 27. The theme of this year’s TNAF is “Way.” Events include drama, dance, and music. A total of 45 local and external productions are expected to give more than 106 performances across 41 events. These diverse and exciting events present unique ways of life of people from all around the world and from every corner of Tainan City. The 2018 TNAF welcomes visitors to follow its footsteps and shape their own Tainan “way,” and embrace their personal styles through art.
(3) According to the report, over 100 performances are scheduled to take place during the 2018 TNAF, all of them top quality performances. There has been a notable increase in local productions that involve international collaborations. Thus, the TNAF offers a rare chance for local creators to work with international artists in launching exquisite performances. With all of these artistic events taking place in Tainan City, citizens are gifted with a cultural feast. I would like to recognize the devotion of the Cultural Affairs Bureau for planning and executing the TNAF over the years and for launching new and creative content for each year’s TNAF.
(4) The Tainan Municipal Baseball Stadium and Xinying Sinying Stadium will each host one large-scale outdoor performance during the 2018 TNAF. I would like to ask the Cultural Affairs Bureau to continue to refine backup plans for rainy weather, contingency measures for emergencies, services for spectators, and marketing and promotion efforts, thereby offering citizens optimal quality performances while using art to diversify Tainan.
(5) Concerning events that are scheduled to be held at the Eternal Golden Castle, I would like to ask the Environmental Protection Bureau to assist in decontaminating and cleaning the area to prevent mosquito infestations from affecting spectators.