Please don’t laugh too hard or make a lot of snide comments, because this is just an open letter I would like to share with everyone. Given my past satisfactory experience in writing to President Chen and the resulting prompt and effective action his office took to respond to my concerns, I hope that more people choose to make the Office of the President aware of things which need addressing. After all, they do seem to listen, and if enough people take the time to talk to politicians here instead of gripe about the quality of life … hey, you never know! It’s okay to be naive and a dreamer, but don’t be apathetic. Best wishes for the holiday season, everyone!
Dear President Chen:
I am a concerned foreign resident who is wondering why, when I try to follow the letter of your laws and work honestly in my chosen profession, there are other foreign workers in Taiwan who are able to work illegally. Allow me to explain. I am an English teacher in Tainan City who, having worked to gain the proper teaching credentials back in my home country of Canada, chose to come to work here in Taiwan. I eventually married here and have decided to live here for the forseeable future, having bought a house and other such odds and ends. As such, I have gone through the processes for getting a special work permit, a special visa, etc., so as to work and live legally here in your country, and I try to follow the laws and regulations regarding where I can work and what I can do to the best of my abilities.
However, I have also noticed and know of many teachers who have not gone through the same processes as myself and who choose to work where they can regardless of if it is legal or illegal. Not only that, but many cram schools and even public schools are helping these teachers break the law. Given that I am sure this is happening not just in Tainan but around Taiwan, and given that I am getting more and more disgusted by this practice, I would like to ask you a few questions. First of all, why is the police not doing anything to stop this practice? When I went to complain to the police, I was asked to write down my complaint, but that's about it. I'm not even sure any action was taken. Second of all, how is it possible that schools which break the law know when the police are coming to do a raid ahead of time, and are thus able to tell their teachers to hide for a couple of hours until the police are gone, and then just go on breaking the law? This is a small example of the "black gold" you would like to stamp out, as the only explanation for this situation is that elected/bureaucratic officials are being bribed to give out warnings to businesses/schools (or, even worse, just plain "selling" such information) in advance of such raids in return for kickbacks/other services. Third of all, how can the foreign community in Taiwan take your government's regulations seriously if they are never applied in a just and responsible fashion? For instance, if a teacher can work illegally, what will stop them from driving illegally, too? Or opening an illegal business? Can you honestly tell me that this is not a problem?
Now, I know the probable answer to all of my preceding questions will be something like "we don't have the manpower, it takes time to implement new laws, etc," and those are indeed reasonable arguments. However, during the time that we wait for such measures to be properly implemented, or because of the lack of manpower, many foreigners here in Taiwan for a short period of time are giving long-term foreign residents a bad reputation with their irresponsible actions. In addition, your government is missing out on a chance to stamp out rampant corruption in the education industry at the local/municipal level, corruption which both debilitates the learning ability of Taiwanese children as well as makes Taiwanese parents and law-abiding foreign teachers angry.
May I make a suggestion? Is it possible to work with some select foreign residents in different cities who would, working with the police, go to school after school to root out such corruption? This arrangement would take care of the manpower issue for the police, and the resulting crackdown on illegal practices would bring in much needed revenue for your government (by way of fines) as well as show the world that the Taiwanese people are world leaders in the education industry. A successful program in the education industry could then be extended to other facets of the Taiwanese economy, thereby making Taiwan's economy more efficient and productive and the envy of many other countries, both developed and less developed.
Mr. President, I am just speaking out as a single voice, and I realize that I have no vote. I don't own a business with any interest in seeing this situation rectified, or have any other financial interest involved. But, this is my adopted country, I will be raising my family here, and I would like to raise my family in a country both they, and I, can be proud of. I was very happy to receive prompt action from you and your office in response to my previous letter regarding stolen motorcycles, and I hope that the same will happen once again. Thank you for your time and consideration, and best wishes for the holiday season to you and your family from both myself and my family.
Sincerely,
Patrick Kelaiditis
[pk.sbony@msa.hinet.net](mailto:pk.sbony@msa.hinet.net)
at the end of my last post. Where I come from, people like Patrick are called grasses and no-one is unhappy when they get pounded flat or worse, as they invariably do, eventually. Absolutely the scummiest lowest of the low.