Mayor’s Remarks:
1. I would like to offer my sincerest gratitude to all members of the municipal government for your hard work. In particular, I would like to thank Deputy Mayor Hsu for his dedication over the past two years, especially for his work in coordinating the location and other miscellaneous details for the National Day fireworks display. Deputy Mayor Hsu has spared no effort in serving the public, fulfilling his duties as a civil servant, and ensuring that the National Day fireworks display was a success. When he took on his current role, Deputy Mayor Hsu had to take a sabbatical from the university he teaches at. His sabbatical has now come to an end, and he will soon return to teaching. Again, thank you for your efforts and dedication, Deputy Mayor Hsu.
2. I would like to thank Director-general Yen of the Bureau of Civil Affairs for his excellent work. Director-general Yen was subject to substantial stress and responsibility when he transitioned from a civil servant to a political appointee. Be it coordinating meetings or managing the complex businesses of the civil affairs system, Director-general Yen has put in 100 per-cent of his effort. I appreciate his dedication and recognize his hard work. Director-general Yen will soon return to a civil post as a counselor while also holding a position in the Disaster Prevention and Relief Office. Thank you again, Director-general Yen, for your excellent work.
3. Thank you, Commissioner Yu, for assuming the position as Commissioner of the Indigenous Peoples Commission on such short notice. In addition to engaging in productive conversations during meetings, Commissioner Yu also established the Indigenous Peoples Commission and the Hakka Affairs Commission. Again, thank you for your hard work.
Announcements
1. The Bureau of Education’s report on postponing the start of the 2021 school year and campus disease prevention responses (refer to written sources for details)
Decision: Approved for reference filing
Mayor’s Remarks:
(1) In accordance with the central government’s guidelines, the reopening of schools has been postponed to February 22. I kindly ask the Bureau of Education to inform all schools to have necessary PPE prepared before this date and to also put measures in place to disinfect classrooms, other areas on campus, and school buses. Schools should also offer extra care for underprivileged students or returning dropouts and provide PPE in a timely manner.
(2) As the pandemic has eased in Taiwan, visitation limits on long-term care facilities and nursing homes are lifted as of today (February 9). Rolling reviewers are conducted on a regular basis. Schools are reminded to minimize group gatherings or events. Social distancing and disinfecting should also be implemented during sports competitions. Schools must ensure that they provide informative information on maintaining public health. Parents and vendors that work with schools must also strictly follow relevant rules to prevent any risks or outbreaks.
2. The Cultural Affairs Bureau’s report on crowd control at venues and events during the Lunar New Year holiday and relevant disease prevention measures (refer to written sources for details)
Decision: Approved for reference filing
Mayor’s Remarks:
(1) Crowd control must be implemented at all venues during the Lunar New Year holiday. It is imperative that we take no risks. Please also implement relevant measures by setting up signs outside of venues.
(2) The Yuejin Harbor Lantern Festival was canceled because of COVID-19. That being said, crowds may still flock to the harbor during the holiday because of its beautiful environment. Therefore, I would like to ask the Cultural Affairs Bureau to work with the Police Department, district offices, Environmental Protection Bureau, Public Health Bureau, and Bureau of Transportation to promote disease prevention measures by reminding the public to mask up and maintain their social distance. Should anyone refuse to follow these measures, please address the matter according to the corresponding regulations.
(3) Crime and disease prevention are round-the-clock work, even during the Lunar New Year holiday, which means that the municipal government must still do its job during this period of time. I would like to thank all departments and bureaus for performing our public duties during the Lunar New Year holiday.
3. The Tourism Bureau’s report on safe and pandemic-aware travel in Tainan during the Lunar New Year holiday (refer to written sources for details)
Decision: Approved for reference filing
Mayor’s Remarks:
(1) There is no such thing as holidays when it comes to disease prevention work. I would like to thank the Tourism Bureau for collaborating with concerned bureaus in carrying out disease prevention work at tourist attractions. Although there are still vacancies at self-quarantine hotels, the occupancy rate of general hotels in Tainan is quite high. To uphold our spotless tourism record, the Tourism Bureau must request hospitality providers to strictly follow disease prevention measures. Whenever domestic cases are reported, bookings plummet across all hotels, indicating that the public is highly aware of the pandemic. If any breaches occur, the public is unlikely to want to go on outings. To promote tourism, we must first safeguard public health.
(2) Crowd control and social distancing must be implemented in scenic areas as well. I would like to ask the Tourism Bureau, Cultural Affairs Bureau, and district offices to compile disease prevention information and share it with the public, thereby ensuring that the public can travel at ease.