The Executive Yuan on Thursday last week appointed National Communications Commission (NCC) Secretary-General Wen Chun-yu (溫俊瑜) as the agency’s representative to maintain the commission’s basic operations after the terms of the last three commissioners expired on July 31, leaving all seven posts vacant, the NCC said yesterday.
The move was intended to protect the public interest and people’s rights by ensuring the regulator can continue performing essential functions, the commission said.
The NCC said it would handle matters in accordance with the rules governing issues that can be handled by internal units under delegated authority.
Photo: Tsai Ssu-pei, Taipei Times
Under the arrangement, the NCC would prioritize cases affecting people’s daily lives and issues of major public interest, including import approvals for telecommunications-controlled radio-frequency control equipment.
The commission would compile a weekly list of cases handled during the leadership vacuum and submit them for review once a new group of commissioners takes office.
The lack of an authorized agency representative had prevented the NCC from formally issuing documents, including import approvals for radio-frequency equipment and licenses, the commission said.
As a result, 280 official documents and 269 equipment approval and licensing cases were left pending, it said.
Contractual payments could not be made either, affecting people’s rights, it added.
Wen said the agency would expedite the issuance of licenses and fulfill outstanding contractual obligations.
The NCC said that a sizable cut to its administrative budget could further undermine its ability to operate normally.
The legislature cut NT$57.823 million, or 56 percent, from the NCC’s budget for basic administrative operations from this month through December. The funding covers essential expenses such as electricity and water, telecommunications, rent, building security, cleaning and equipment maintenance.
The NCC said it faced a similar situation last year, when NT$37.589 million, or 50 percent, of its operating budget was cut.
The shortfall was later covered through a supplementary budget.
With its administrative funding again substantially reduced while all commissioner posts remain vacant, the NCC warned that its normal operations could be seriously affected.
Staff would remain at their posts and maintain operations despite the unprecedented challenges, the commission said, adding that it hopes the legislature would complete its review of seven commissioner nominees as soon as possible so the agency can return to normal operations.
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