A columbarium space is worth NT$20,000 (about US$650), and half price means volunteers can save up to NT$10,000 when they need it
Taiwan News
Date: 2019/03/21
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
(By Central News Agency)
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A township in Taiwan’s eastern county of Taitung is offering a bizarre and ghastly way to reward its citizens who volunteer their time and services in the township: public columbarium spaces for their burial at half-price, Central News Agency (CNA ) reported on Wednesday.
Chihshang Township Council (池上鄉) on Wednesday passed an ordinance to offer rewards to citizens who volunteer to help with public services in the township. The ordinance is designed not only to reward volunteers, but also to encourage citizens, especially retirees, to participate in volunteering, CNA reported.
The ordinance provides that volunteers with 1,000 accumulated hours of service will be given a “Chihshang honorable volunteer card,” with which they are eligible to receive 50% discounts on commodities sold by the township office, including public columbarium spaces, as well as township-organized activities.
Township council chairman Jiang Xin-gui (江鑫貴) said that the township really needs volunteers to help with assisting government agencies, cleaning the environment, helping run activities, participating in rescue efforts, and assisting in traffic control, to make the township administration more efficient. [FULL STORY]
