Are the Chickens Coming Home to Roost in Jason Hu's Taichung?

Monday March 07, by Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.

Taichung was once again in the news in Taiwan. This time for a pub fire where nine died and 12 were injured. Good old Jason Hu was there also--yes the same mayor that after nine and a half years said it was time for action, time to clean up crime in his city. This time, Hu said that they must find an answer. No one would disagree with that but where?

So where may it be? Hu went on that the club had passed 21 safety inspections in the past five years and the most recent was last month. Interesting. How then could a performer set fire to the ceiling with his torch during a performance; walls and ceilings are included in inspections right? Yet the ceiling of a building that had passed 21 safety inspections and one last month still caught fire. Could it possibly be that police were not the only ones involved with gangsters? Could inspectors also get a little money under the table? In a city where the police play mahjong with the gangsters--usually in off hours--and citizens whip out their illegal guns and open fire when they hear insults uttered on the street and feel they may be intended for them, anything is possible.

After 9 and a half years is Jason Hu up to the task? I guess we will have to wait till the next time Taichung is in the news.