Ten renovations planned for the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei have been postponed, as the Ministry of Culture has yet to propose an overall strategy for the monument’s transformation, the National Audit Office said in its budget report for the last fiscal year.
Aiming to increase the standard and competitiveness of the nation’s arts environment, the ministry has since 2015 funded a 13-year project to revitalize the complex, ministry documents showed.
The project has two main directions: renovating the space for diverse cultural purposes and restoring the hall’s historic buildings.
Photo: Chen Yu-fu, Taipei Times
From 2015 to 2027, the ministry plans to complete 24 work items with a total budget of NT$1.05 billion (US$37.73 million), the office said in a report published on July 29.
Until the end of last year, the ministry had budgeted more than NT$376.4 million for the project, it added.
However, 10 work items have been put on hold, as the ministry has not yet established a policy direction for future usage of the main hall, the report said.
The National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Management Office in July 2017 applied to the Executive Yuan to revise the project, which agreed in principle to extend the project another three years to 2027, but required that a clear plan be made for the hall’s transformation to avoid further delays.
As a plan has not yet been made, the audit office suggested that the ministry collect input with increased urgency and establish a policy direction as soon as possible so that the arts revitalization project could be realized.
The ministry in response said it would continue collecting opinions from concerned parties and communicating with the public, while accelerating the planning process to ensure that the projects are completed properly and on time.
The memorial management office has also revised plans for a “Taiwanese democracy memorial park,” the ministry said, adding that it would continue management and maintenance work according to this plan.
A Transitional Justice Commission official said the ministry and commission are still arranging a time to discuss the matter.
Many people are paying close attention to the hall’s transformation plan, the official said, adding that the commission has prioritized the matter and would continue to work on it with the ministry.
The commission plans to hold two consultation sessions this month for experts and civil groups to propose suggestions for the hall’s transformation, which would be used as a basis for any future policy direction, the official added.
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