Controversial Taipei Dome project resumes construction amid criticism from Taipei city councilors

Описание: Construction work has resumed on the controversial Taipei Dome project, which had been idle for more than five years, with work suspended over corruption allegations and questions about the safety of the facilities. Some furious Taipei City Councilors are threatening to take Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je and his administration to court, arguing that restarting construction is in violation of government regulations. But Ko does not appear to be worried.

Chen Hsin-wei
FTV reporter
The Department of Urban Development today, on Father’s Day, just a little after 6.00a.m. gave a surprise announcement that work on the Taipei Dome, which had been suspended for five years and three months, will resume.

Just a day after the announcement, construction work on the dome resumed. However, some city councilors are threatening to sue Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je for doing this to give special benefits to the dome’s contractor, Farglory.

Chien Shu-pei
DPP Taipei Councilor
We have repeatedly requested that the Taipei City Government pay attention to these regulations, but the City Government and Ko have turned a deaf ear to this. We will formally file both criminal and administrative lawsuits against Ko.

Ko Wen-je
Taipei Mayor
Whoever is looking for an excuse to make trouble, you can sue if you want to. That’s it.

Councilors were not the only ones to question why the city government was letting Farglory off so lightly. Even Lin Jou-min, a former urban development chief under Ko, was dissatisfied. He noted the dome’s construction still violated building regulations 97 and 127 and added it was regular practice to wait for the Taipei Architect’s Association to conclude random inspections, in this case before August 11, before applying for the resumption of construction work. However the Department of Urban Redevelopment made the announcement on August 7.

Lin Liang-chun
Independent Taipei Councilor
Is there any license in Taipei that’s issued like the one originally issued to Farglory? Why does the Taipei City Government show such favoritism to Farglory and give them this opportunity?

Ko Wen-je
Taipei Mayor
The Taipei Dome project was suspended back then for not following the original blueprint. Frankly speaking, that’s just too ridiculous. How could anything be under construction for four years and not follow the original blueprint? We won’t criticize the previous administration. That’s how things turned out. I’m just dealing with the aftermath. That’s it.

Ko even compared the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant with the Taipei Dome.

Ko Wen-je
Taipei Mayor
The Taipei Dome won’t become the Taipei City Government’ Fourth Nuclear Power Plant. The Fourth Nuclear Power Plant is a problem. Look at how much money has been spent on it – NT$300 billion. Up until now, its construction hasn’t been completed, and there’s no decision to tear it down either. It’s just sitting there. At least we are very sincere in solving the problem of the Taipei Dome.

Taipei City Councilors angrily criticized Ko for dragging all kinds of irrelevant topics into the debate to divert people’s attention. They are threatening to expose all the evidence of the city government’s violations of the law and discipline at a press conference on Monday.