Mayor’s Remarks:
A) A new milestone for the restoration of the identity of the Pingpu communities
1)The Executive Yuan announced last Friday that the Status Act for Indigenous Peoples would be amended to recognize the Pingpu tribe as Pingpu Indigenous People, restoring their indigenous status and relevant legal rights.
2) Despite continual campaign for over two decades and three party alternations, the Pingpu Indigenous People hadn’t received positive responses from the government. I would like to express gratitude to President Tsai Ing-wen and the central government for the policy that aims to "protect the status of the Pingpu Indigenous People and restore relevant rights."Not only does this amendment mean a new chapter for the Pingpu Indigenous People but also highlights the significance of cultural diversity and human rights.
3) Tainan is the birth place of the Siraya tribe. Some ten years ago, the government of former Tainan County had designated the Siraya tribe as the "aborigines of the county". The Siraya tribe has spared no effort in promoting a representative title for their tribe and in recovering their original culture. From now on, they are not simply known as the aborigines of Tainan City, but they are also the aborigines of Taiwan. We look forward to the Central Government’s prompt actions in scheduling for the inventory regarding the Pingpu Indigenous People’s basic resources with their rights and interests in mind. We also urge the Ethnic Affairs Commission to work closely and tirelessly with the policies of the central government for all the tribespeople to embrace the new era of the "Pingpu Indigenous People".
B) Promoting bilingual versions of the municipal administrative meeting minutes and the Council’s oral reports
1) Promoting English as the second official language of Tainan City is the focus of this policy. In the 245th municipal administrative meeting, I reminded everyone again of the significance of the English as the second official language policy and the necessity to implement the bilingual policy in official business. We governmental agencies have to set ourselves as a role model first.
2) Therefore, starting this month (October), we will have a trial run of making the municipal administrative meeting minutes bilingual. In addition, the meeting minutes of my oral reports at regular Tainan City Council conferences will also be available in both languages. The Secretariat and the Research, Development, and Evaluation Commission are put in charge of this process, supervised by Deputy Secretary General Liu.
C) The 4th session of the 2nd Tainan City Council Conference
1) The 4th session of the 2nd Tainan City Council Conference starts next Tuesday (October 18th). To deliver a complete explanation and discourse of policies and avoid misunderstandings or confusion, each bureau and department must be thoroughly prepared for the various topics that may be addressed. We need to be humble in attitude towards city councilors’ challenge and feedback and improve deficiencies if true.
2) The focus of this session is the examination of next year’s general budget proposal. To seek the council’s full support, directors of all departments and bureaus should have a clear and thorough understanding of their budget proposal. By doing so, our city can proceed smoothly with important constructions, benefiting all citizens of Tainan City.