Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/10/12
By: Tai Ya-chen and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, Oct. 12 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who is also chairwoman of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), reiterated on Wednesday the party’s opposition to the opening of casinos in Penghu County, with the outlying island set to vote on Oct. 15 on whether to permit casino development.

The party’s position on the matter has not changed, Tsai said at a DPP Central Standing Committee meeting, adding that Penghu should focus on developing tourism rather than rely on gambling for local development, according to DPP spokesman Wang Min-sheng (王閔生).

This will be the second time Penghu residents have voted on the casino issue. The county held its first referendum on gaming in September 2009, after the government lifted a ban on gambling on the islands of Kinmen, Matsu and Penghu.

However, a total of 17,369 votes or about 56.44 percent of total valid ballots were cast against a plan to build a casino in Penghu.     [FULL  STORY]