MEANINGFUL:DPP Legislator Liu Shih-fang said that the Cabinet needs to ensure the weekly meetings are forums for policy discussions and not ‘public relations exercises’

Taipei Times
Date: Jun 13, 2016
By: Lu Yi-hsuan and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Lunch meetings between Cabinet officials and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators are to be held on a weekly basis in a bid to improve communication between the Executive Yuan and the Legislative Yuan on major policy decisions, Premier Lin Chuan (林全) said.

The move is perceived to be Lin’s response to allegations over the past few weeks that he had failed to coordinate with DPP lawmakers on a several issues, ranging from the future of nuclear power to traffic management on freeways during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday weekend.

There has been substantial backlash against the party caucus over its perceived failure to deliver on President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) promise for her administration to establish better teamwork between the Cabinet and the legislature, with DPP legislators quoted by sources as telling Lin that caucus members were tired of “learning about policy decisions from newspaper reports.”

Lin yesterday promised to convene informal “lunch box meetings” at least once per week or when the need arises, which are to be attended by Cabinet officials and DPP lawmakers on relevant legislative committees, a proposal that has so far met with the approval of DPP legislators.     [FULL  STORY]