Taipei to end subsidies for neighborhood cleanup

Taipei to end subsidies for neighborhood cleanup

2023-09-05

Taipei City has decided to end its subsidy program for neighborhood cleanup, starting next year. The program is currently supported by a NT$30 million annual budget. That money goes to borough wardens who organize crews for community cleanup. A group of borough wardens held a press event on Tuesday, to urge the mayor to continue the popular initiative.

Borough wardens take a stand, chanting slogans in protest. Taipei has decided to terminate a popular recycling program. Starting next year, its NT$4,400 recycling subsidies will come to an end.

Hung Tien-hua
Borough warden
They’re going to discontinue it, and I’m very unhappy about that. How should I put this? At the time, I didn’t want a recycling station here, but the government kept encouraging us borough wardens to get onboard. Now that we’ve got the program up and running, they want to end it.

Huang Tsung-chih
Borough warden
It shouldn’t be that the central government says, “Jump!” and the rest of us immediately say, “How high?” Policies should be adapted for local conditions. The central government initiated this program in 2017, and so hasn’t it achieved results? Some borough wardens think they’ve done really well and they want to continue and keep it going. The government should accept this. Or at least retain part of the budget for people who feel they’re doing a good job.

The recycling program was launched to clean up communities. Borough wardens were asked to rally volunteers for street cleanup. Across Taipei’s 170 boroughs, some 1,000 volunteers are currently involved. Borough wardens say the program is important for environmental cleanliness and awareness. Its termination raises questions about the city’s commitment to the environment, they say.

Yang Wei-hsiu
Taipei Environmental Protection Bureau official
Taipei City’s Environmental Protection Bureau offers 188 night-time collection routes and 4,035 recycling points. If residents are unable to utilize them, there are another 32 time-restricted collection points. We collect five days a week, accepting garbage, recyclables, and kitchen scraps. Garbage goes into designated garbage bags, whereas kitchen waste and recyclables are transported away for free. So we’re continuing on with operations to preserve the rights and interests of our residents. We are not regressing on our commitment to environmental protection.

According to the city’s environmental authority, its decision to terminate was made to align with national policy. But borough wardens are urging the mayor to rethink the move and to retain what they see as an effective policy.

北市"資收大軍"補助將喊卡里長籲延續好政策

2023-09-05

環保署自2017年開始推動"資收大軍計畫"，台北市每年也編列3千萬預算，請里長組資收大軍，維持環境整潔，不過北市府宣布這項計畫將在明年喊卡，讓里長們相當錯愕，喊話蔣萬安市長拿出魄力，讓好的政策延續下去。

里長們高喊口號抗議，表達強烈不滿，因為北市資源回收大軍，行之有年，北市府卻突然宣布，回收大軍的4400元補助將廢除，明年正式解散。

[[和德里里長洪天化]]
“現在要收起來，我是非常不高興，怎麼說呢，當時回收站我是不想做，但是你政府一直鼓勵我們里長要出來做，現在我們剛開始做，才要我們收起來。”

[[玉成里里長黃聰智]]
“不要中央一條鞭，然後底下就要上行下效，應該因地制宜，既然106年(2017年)推動，也是中央來推動，推動難道都沒有成效嗎？有些里長他覺得做得不錯，他想繼續，好好的再把它傳承下去，那應該去接受，至少把預算再留一些下來，還是要照顧這些他們覺得做得不錯的。”

里長憂心當初政府要求維持區域整潔，才找里民組成資收大軍，穿梭在巷弄撿回收，台北市有170里，約一千名志工參與這項計畫，對於環境整潔，及環保教育都別具意義，如今突然喊卡，質疑北市環保倒退嚕。

[[台北市環保局主秘楊維修]]
“台北市環保局，在夜間有188條清運路線、4035個回收點，那假如不能配合這個時間的話，有32個限時收受點，一個禮拜週收5日資源回收，收運垃圾、回收物、廚餘，垃圾放入專用垃圾袋，廚餘跟資源回收物都是免費收運的，那這個部分，攸關市民權益都很正常的運作，都絕對沒有所謂環保倒退嚕。”

環保局強調是為了配合全國一致性，才會宣布停止資收大軍，不過里長就怕回收找不到人，喊話蔣萬安市長應該讓好的政策延續下去。

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Tsai Ing-wen
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I will lead a delegation to once again visit our diplomatic ally Eswatini.

At Taoyuan International Airport, President Tsai Ing-wen speaks ahead of her second trip to Eswatini, Taiwan’s only remaining African ally. She’ll be there on a four-day state visit.

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Over the past few years, amid global challenges such as the pandemic and the expansion of authoritarianism, Eswatini has stood steadfastly by Taiwan’s side. This year marks the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties between our two countries, as well as the 55th anniversary of Eswatini’s independence. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I will convey my most sincere congratulations.

Tsai touted the two nations’ 55-year friendship, stressing that Eswatini has long spoken up for Taiwan on the global stage. Since ascending to the Eswatini throne in 1986, King Mswati III has visited Taiwan 18 times, reflecting the friendship between the two sides.

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The president is embarking on a four-day trip. The main purpose is to attend a celebration honoring the 55th anniversary of Eswatini’s founding, which also marks 55 years of the Taiwan-Eswatini friendship. What’s notable about this trip is that Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai is accompanying Tsai, as Kaohsiung is about to formalize a sister-city relationship with Eswatini’s capital.

Taiwan’s foreign ministry said that ahead of Tsai’s visit, a statement was issued by more than 80 lawmakers from 11 African countries, including South Africa, the Republic of Malawi, and Botswana. On behalf of each country’s Formosa Club branch, the statement welcomed President Tsai to Eswatini. It also commended Tsai for her “Africa plan,” which has achieved tangible results since it was initiated shortly after her 2018 visit to Eswatini.

Before departing, Tsai made clear that Taiwan’s storm recovery and other domestic affairs were still top of mind.

Tsai Ing-wen
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I have instructed my administrative team to keep in close contact with local governments and to provide assistance with disaster recovery.

Even during state visits, domestic issues remain a priority, as Tsai aims to close out her tenure on a strong note.

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Using all the data from the cloud, sent to our control room, is a big help in investigations.

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Changhua County Police Department
For example, apart from identifying license plates, we can also do real-time tracking, and that can be a great help in pursuing a case.

As the saying goes, “A craftsman needs good tools.” Since 2019, Changhua County Police Department has allocated NT$380 million toward a net of more than 10,000 surveillance cameras across the county. A further NT$243 million was in the 2023 budget for another 1,400 cameras, which will bring the total to 12,190 countywide.

Wang Hui-mei
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This system has a 98% success rate in helping us solve cases.

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I’ve been studying on my phone for less than six months. I just started picking up the camera with the guidance of my teacher, and gradually going around different locations and learning the skills. And then I’ve jumped into lots of projects for the association.

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A cute animation accompanies an all-too-lifelike plot that could speak for many viewers. Illustrator Mark Lee has been on the side of the average office worker with his workplace manga for 15 years. He’s inspired by real life, of course.

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