Expose City Hall, But Do Not Destroy the Flora Expo

Expose City Hall, But Do Not Destroy the Flora ExpoUnited Daily News editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
September 3, 2010

The DPP has turned the Taipei International Flora Exposition into a campaign issue. Their move has left members of the Hao Lung-ping city government on tenterhooks. It has also turned the Flora Expo into headline news, well in advance of its official opening. But when the smoke surrounding the flower growers cleared, many people learned for the first time that the Flora Expo was never a "one man show" for the Taipei City Government. Rather it is an international flower show important to Taiwan as a whole. Taiwan flower growers have high expectations. They hope the Flora Expo will establish Taiwan as a "Kingdom of Flower" on the international stage.

The general public's superficial impression is that the Flora Expo is merely the Hao city government's attempt at self-aggrandizement. It is evidence of budget abuses in the nation's capital. Therefore some think that nearly 10 billion NT for a Flora exhibit of flowers which will eventually wither and die, is simply a waste of money. In fact, the Flora Expo was organized in 2006 by the Ma city government and the flower growing industry on Taiwan. Together they applied to the organizers of the International Horticultural Exposition, and won the right to hold the Flora Expo. It was no mean feat. In other words, the Flora Expo is a stage for everyone on Taiwan. It is not a one man show for Hao Lung-ping. It is not a solo performance by the Taipei City Government.

More importantly, it is different from sporting events such as the Kaohsiung World Games and the Deaflympics in Taipei. The purpose of the Flora Expo is to showcase to the world the diversity, productive capacity, and creativity of Taiwan's flower growing industry. The Flora Expo will promote the manufacturing industry and tourism. It will run for six months. Its planning, implementation, and maintenance will all require the close involvement and cooperation of the local flower industry. Only then will it be able to maintain the quality of the expo and its attractions. The project is vaster, more complicated and more difficult than one can imagine. This is precisely why the Flora Expo requires close coordination between all parties involved. Even more importantly, this grand event will require goodwill and support by outsiders.

The Flora Expo will open in November. It will coincide with the five cities elections. It was inevitable that the Flora Expo would become a campaign issue. The DPP has played the Xinsheng Highway Overpass construction scandal card. Now it is playing the Flora Expo card. Naturally its strategy is to play it by ear. Inattention and carelessnes on the part of Mayor Hau's city government handed the DPP a pretext. The Hau city government has only itself to blame, no one else. We would also like to remind the DPP however, that it cannot equate opposition to the Flora Expo with "whistleblowing." If it lashes out indiscriminately at the Flora Expo in an effort to hit Hao Lung-ping where it hurts, the DPP may fall into its own trap.

One. As mentioned above, the Flora Expo is a stage on which Taiwan flower growers can market themselves to the world, and establish an international image. It represents the common interests of flower growers and the public. Hau Lung-pin is merely the individual charged with the construction of this stage. The public has no desire to see this stage for the entire nation discredited, and even destroyed. Two. The public supports whistleblowing. But it does not support the sowing of confusion and the villification of hard-working individuals. The Green Camp is attempting to equate the Xinsheng Highway Overpass scandal with the Flora Expo. The fact is, among 3000 species of flowers, only four kinds involved excessively high price quotes. The DPP went after a sparrow with anti-aircraft artillery. It seriously undermined the image of the Flora Expo. Its methods were disproportionate to its ends. Three. The flower growing industry has invested four years of hard work in the Flora Expo. The Flora Expo has purchased 20 billion NT worth of flowers from from local flower growers. The Flora Expo is also expected to attract eight million tourists. It will create 14 billion NT in indirect benefits. Four. The Flora Expo, like the Kaohsiung World Games and the Deaflympics in Taipei, are efforts to allow Taiwan to shine. Who can tolerate anyone wantonly discrediting it? It may not be difficult for the DPP to resort to political means to destroy its targets. But is it prepared to assume responsibility for the consequences?

We urge the DPP to be careful. The Flora Expo is a stage that many members of the public value and have invested their dreams for a better future. The Green Camp is beginning to engage in indiscriminate artillery fire. For example, 90% of the merchandise sold on the perirphery of the Flora Expo is made in Taiwan. Yet Green Camp elected officials listen only to handful of people who complain that the souvenirs "are all made in [Mainland] China." Such rhetoric is irresponsible. Perhaps it is the by-product of blasting Hao for becoming too full of himself. But why should the Flora Expo be the one to suffer? Flower growers complained that city officials were too finicky when selecting the flowers they wanted. But what is that, except evidence that the Hao city government was taking great pains to do its job properly?

The Flora Expo is getting closer with each passing day. It is continually creating new miracles in planting and cultivation technology. Its annual output has reached 120 billion NT. This shows how far Taiwan's green industries have come. The Taipei Flora Expo is our first step in challenging Holland's status as the "Kingdom of Flowers." In any event, the Flora Expo must not be aborted by internal bickering. The Flora Expo is a stage to be shared by everyone on Taiwan. Whether Blue or Green, everyone must share this consensus.

A Western proverb says, "Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater." By the same token, a problem arose with the pricing for a handful of flowers. The proper response is to investigate the matter, demand accountability, and determine whether corruption was involved. The proper response is not to tar everyone with the same broad brush. The proper response is not to malign the Flora Expo as a hotbed of corruption, and utterly worthless. If a tree becomes infested with a few insects, should we get eliminate the pests, or cut down the entire tree?

可以揭市府黑幕，不能拆花博舞台
【聯合報╱社論】
2010.09.03

民進黨大打「花系列」議題，除讓郝市府團隊繃緊神經，也讓花博提前成為媒體頭條新聞。當花農從硝煙中現身，許多民眾方才了解，花博並不是台北市政府專屬的聲光秀，而是台灣一次重要的國際花卉盛會，它包含了台灣花農以「花卉王國」之姿行銷國際的大期待。

一般民眾的浮面印象，會以為花卉博覽會只是郝市府好大喜功之作，是首都預算浮濫的證明。因此，有人覺得花費近百億辦終究會凋謝的花卉展覽，根本是無謂浪費。事實上，舉辦花博，是二○○六年馬市府和全體台灣花卉業者連手向世界園藝博覽會主辦單位爭取到的主辦權，得之不易。亦即，花博是台灣人民共同的舞台，不是郝龍斌的個人秀，更不是台北市的獨舞。

更重要的是，和高雄世運及台北聽奧等運動賽事不同，花博舉辦的目的，在向世界展示台灣花卉的多樣化，以及台灣花卉業者的生產能力及規劃創意，兼具有產業經濟及帶動觀光的價值。花博展出時間長達半年，從規劃到執行、到維護，無一不需要本土花卉產業的密切參與和配合，才能維持展覽的品質和特色；其工程之浩大、繁瑣及艱難，遠遠超乎想像。正因為如此，花博不僅需要參與各方的同心協調、磨合，更需要外界善意的精神支持，共襄盛事。

花博十一月開幕時，正逢五都選舉，淪為選戰議題自是難免；而民進黨從打新生高工程弊案，一路扯上花博，當然也有其見機行事的戰略考量。郝市長因團隊行事粗疏被抓到小辮子，也只能深自檢討，怨不得別人。但是，我們也要提醒民進黨：不能把「揭弊」和「打花博」混為一談，若以為全力打花博就能擊中郝龍斌要害，最後民進黨可能掉入自己設下的陷阱也未可知。

第一，如上所述，花博是台灣向世界行銷花卉及國際形象的舞台，它代表花農和全民的共同利益，郝龍斌只是統籌布置此一舞台的工作團隊負責人罷了。民眾不會希望看到這個國家舞台被抹黑，甚至被搗毀。第二，民眾支持揭弊，卻不贊成濫用「烏賊戰術」，惡意醜化辛勤工作的人。綠營用新生高來牽扯花博，實際上，在三千多花種中，僅發現四種報價偏高，如此用大砲打小鳥，重創花博形象，其手段與目的似乎不成比例。第三，花卉業者已為花博投入四年心血，除展覽作品有廿一億元是採購自本土花農，展期預計吸引八百萬觀光人潮，可為各業創造一百四十億的間接收益。第四，花博與高雄世運及台北聽奧一樣，所想追求的是台灣的光榮感，誰能忍受對其恣意抹黑？民進黨要用政治手段摧毀這些目標或許不難，但後果它能承擔嗎？

我們之所以提醒民進黨下手要小心，除了希望這個承載許多民眾美好願景的舞台受到珍惜，也因看到了綠營砲火有逐漸濫射的傾向。舉例說，花博發行的周邊紀念商品，九成以上均是台灣製造；但綠營民代隨便根據一二民眾的抱怨，就信口開河痛批紀念品「全是中國製造」。如此不負責任的說詞，或許是批郝批到得意忘形所致，但花博又何辜？包括花農埋怨市府官員驗收時的百般挑剔，不也恰反證郝團隊的行事並不苟且？

台灣花卉產業近年日新月異，在種植及栽培技術上不斷創造驚奇，年產值達一百廿多億元，這是台灣綠色產業進步的表徵。這次的台北花博，是我們向荷蘭挑戰「花卉王國」王冠的第一步，無論如何，不能還沒開展，就先淹沒在自己內部的鬥爭口水中。花博是台灣共同的舞台，無論藍綠，都必須有這樣的共識。

西方有句諺語說：「倒洗澡水的時候，別把嬰兒一起倒掉了。」同樣的道理，幾種花卉價格有問題，應該就此追查其因果及責任歸屬，看看是否涉及舞弊；而不是一味擴大渲染，把花博說成弊端重重、一文不值。一棵樹木長了蟲子，我們是要把害蟲除掉，而不是把整棵樹都給砍掉吧？