At a meeting of the new Cabinet after its inauguration today, Premier Jiang Yi-huah said he expected the team to strengthen their planning, execution and communication abilities. He thanked them for taking on the weighty task of governance at such a challenging time.
The new premier encouraged members of the Cabinet to think more broadly about how their work will benefit the country in 20 or 50 years, as it will give them greater conviction when answering to legislators and the public.
Every cabinet is formed at a different point in time with its own challenges and goals, noted Jiang. Today, the economic outlook is not as worrisome as last year when former Premier Sean Chen named his Cabinet, and many experts predict the economy will pick up steam. Nevertheless, the administrative team should not be overly optimistic as the European sovereign debt crisis has yet to be resolved and global economic momentum remains weak, Jiang added.
And despite encouraging numbers in economic growth, unemployment rate, the consumer price index as well as world rankings—Taiwan placed seventh in global competitiveness and fifth in government efficiency in the International Institute for Management and Development's World Competitiveness Yearbook—media reports and public opinion indicate citizens are still dissatisfied with the government's performance, the premier said.
Premier Jiang said this gap can be explained by the fact that salaries in Taiwan have been low for a long time. And though unemployment is moderate, students worry about finding work after graduation and middle-aged workers are anxious about losing their jobs.
People's concerns touch on all aspects of daily life, from road traffic and gas prices to recreational facilities, Jiang noted. Some issues are structural in nature and the government does not expect to be able to resolve them all, but if the administration fails to consider gender, age and ethnicity when addressing problems, the public will grow dissatisfied and conclude the administration is incapable of leading the country, he added.
Citizens expect the government to possess the foresight to resolve these problems, Jiang said, and they have the right to be critical because their hard-earned tax money pays for the salaries of all government workers. Public servants must keep this in mind and put every tax dollar to the best use possible.
To regain people's trust, the government must take on greater responsibility and demonstrate stronger leadership, Jiang stressed. He encouraged his administrative team to sharpen their planning, implementation and communication skills.
Regarding planning ability, Jiang said the government must examine its overall policies and visions, adding that President Ma Ying-jeou's i-Taiwan 12 projects and Golden Decade National Vision plan have already laid out good directions. He instructed the new Cabinet ministers to formulate forward-looking, comprehensive and practical policies, and to listen to the public as well as to specific groups. Policies should also be prioritized to make the best use of limited time and resources.
As for policy execution, Jiang reminded his team that once a policy has been decided on, it must be implemented efficiently and not changed lightly. Any differences in opinion should have been resolved beforehand.
Premier Jiang asked the ministers to take inventory of how many important bills they proposed are still sitting in the Legislative Yuan, unable to move forward. Executive Yuan agencies are responsible for understanding those obstacles and clearing the way for approval.
Government agencies must work as a team to implement policies, just as a basketball team can only score points if it has five players on the court, the premier said. Good teamwork is always preferable to individual effort.
In terms of communication, Jiang said, one must be sincere, clear and meticulous. Good communication allows legislators, the media, key special interest groups and the general public to better understand government policies. The difference between democratic and non-democratic rule is that people can participate in the process and judge whether policies are good. In a democracy, it is the patron and not the chef who decides if a dish is palatable. Hence the government must serve up a good policy and convince the people of its merits.
Separately, Premier Jiang plans to meet with each minister to discuss three to five policies to be implemented over the coming year. The new Cabinet will also meet on February 23 to brainstorm on national issues and Executive Yuan policies.
Premier Jiang said the Kuomintang will hold a meeting at its headquarters on February 25 in preparation for the Legislative session scheduled for February 26; he expects all ministry heads to be well-prepared. Lastly, the premier wished all Cabinet members a happy and auspicious Lunar New Year.