More than 1,000 people representing a number of civic and religious organizations, joined a “backwards march” in Taipei yesterday to show their opposition to the construction of casino resorts on off-shore islands.
Lining up behind a big red banner that read: “Save Taiwan from casinos,” the activists began their demonstration in Liberty Square and marched toward the Presidential Office.
When they reached Jingfu Gate (景福門) at the head of Ketagalan Boulevard, they turned around and marched backwards.
Taking part were members of groups representing women, Penghu residents, environmentalists, Christians, Taoists and Buddhists.
“This is the first time in history that so many people have walked backwards at the same time — because we’re worried that casinos would drag the country backwards in terms of the economy, public security, the environment, politics and morals,” said Ho Tsung-hsun (何宗勳), spokesman of the Alliance against the Legalization of Gambling.
He pointed out that Nevada, the US state where Las Vegas is located, ranks first in suicide and gambling addiction, third in bankruptcy and abortion, fourth in rape cases and alcohol-related deaths and last in voter turnout in presidential elections.
The Legislative Yuan passed an amendment to the Off-Shore Island Development Act (離島建設條例) in January that allows off-shore islands to build casinos after obtaining consent from a majority of residents in a simplified referendum.
Many local governments have shown an interest in building casino resorts, with Penghu County being the most active.
While the Penghu County Government estimates that casino resorts could attract more than 5 million visitors per year to Penghu and bring in more than NT$2.2 billion (US$63 million) in annual tax revenue, Buddhist Master Shih Chao-hui (釋昭慧) said that Taiwan would pay a much higher price.
“According to US studies, 17 percent of gamblers would become addicted and it takes US$18,000 to treat each of them,” Shih said. “Based on the figures, if 4.5 million gamblers in Penghu are from Taiwan, then we will need to spend NT$45 billion — plus other welfare spending and costs — to treat them.”
Huang Chi-hsiang (黃啟翔), a 28-year-old from Penghu, said only a handful of people — such as big corporations and politicians — would benefit from casinos.
“What would really benefit everyone in Penghu is to develop resort tourism modeled on Hawaii, Bali or the Great Barrier Reef,” he said.
As a casino referendum may be held in Penghu at the end of the year, Huang is worried.
“I know that most people my age are against casinos, but many older people are for them,” he said. “I’m a bit worried because most young people are either working or studying away from home.”
The march ended with a concert on Ketagalan Boulevard.
Hong Kong singer Andy Lau’s (劉德華) concert in Taipei tonight has been cancelled due to Typhoon Kong-rei and is to be held at noon on Saturday instead, the concert organizer SuperDome said in a statement this afternoon. Tonight’s concert at Taipei Arena was to be the first of four consecutive nightly performances by Lau in Taipei, but it was called off at the request of Taipei Metro, the operator of the venue, due to the weather, said the organizer. Taipei Metro said the concert was cancelled out of consideration for the audience’s safety. The decision disappointed a number of Lau’s fans who had
A tropical depression east of the Philippines became a tropical storm early yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, less than a week after a typhoon barreled across the nation. The agency issued an advisory at 3:30am stating that the 22nd tropical storm, named Yinxing, of the Pacific typhoon season formed at 2am. As of 8am, the storm was 1,730km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, with a 100km radius. It was moving west-northwest at 32kph, with maximum sustained winds of 83kph and gusts of up to 108kph. Based on its current path, the storm is not expected to hit Taiwan, CWA
Commuters in Taipei picked their way through debris and navigated disrupted transit schedules this morning on their way to work and school, as the city was still working to clear the streets in the aftermath of Typhoon Kong-rey. By 11pm yesterday, there were estimated 2,000 trees down in the city, as well as 390 reports of infrastructure damage, 318 reports of building damage and 307 reports of fallen signs, the Taipei Public Works Department said. Workers were mobilized late last night to clear the debris as soon as possible, the department said. However, as of this morning, many people were leaving messages
A Canadian dental assistant was recently indicted by prosecutors after she was caught in August trying to smuggle 32kg of marijuana into Taiwan, the Aviation Police Bureau said on Wednesday. The 30-year-old was arrested on Aug. 4 after arriving on a flight to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Chang Tsung-lung (張驄瀧), a squad chief in the Aviation Police Bureau’s Criminal Investigation Division, told reporters. Customs officials noticed irregularities when the woman’s two suitcases passed through X-ray baggage scanners, Chang said. Upon searching them, officers discovered 32.61kg of marijuana, which local media outlets estimated to have a market value of more than NT$50 million (US$1.56
RSS