TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The government is set to decide next week whether to issue the “Quintuple Stimulus Vouchers” for free instead of for NT$1,000 (US$35.93) per person, even though the change might cost the government an extra NT$20 billion, reports said Saturday (Aug. 14).
Debate has been raging between proponents of a cash handout without vouchers and supporters of NT$5,000 worth of vouchers in return for a NT$1,000 payment to help businesses recover from the impact of COVID-19. Last year, Triple Stimulus Vouchers worth NT$3,000 were available for NT$1,000 per person.
In a major concession, the Cabinet may stick with the vouchers idea but drop the NT$1,000 fee, instead handing out the coupons free of charge, CNA reported. The extra cost of NT$20 billion caused by the change would be taken from a special budget of NT$160 billion, which includes NT$110 billion that was originally devoted to the voucher project.
As a result, the special budget planned for COVID-related prevention and relief issues would have to be scaled down, government officials said. Dropping the NT$1,000 fee will also require changes in the program for digital vouchers, as it was designed to pay back NT$800 for each NT$1,000 spent by the consumer.
Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) will meet lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on Monday (Aug. 16) before deciding on the final shape of the voucher program, CNA reported. The coupons are expected to be launched in early October.
