Chapter 472

Hearing everyone's calls, Lu Fan stood up, smiling, and said: "Dear parents, hello everyone, I am Lu Fan, Mayor of Nanyuan City People's Government. I first apologize to everyone! The students' collective food poisoning incident is the government's responsibility; it is definitely due to inadequate government supervision! Here, I, on behalf of the Municipal Party Committee and the City Government, declare that I am here to solve the problem, and I will not leave until everyone is satisfied; otherwise, today's meeting will not adjourn!"

His words were spotless, his attitude worlds apart from that trashy deputy bureau chief just now, and the parents spontaneously burst into applause!

Seeing someone taking out a phone to record video, Public Security Bureau Director Tian Xuan said: "Dear parents, the mayor has come in sincerity to solve the problem; please do not film, to avoid unnecessary trouble!"

Hearing this, Lu Fan waved his hand and said: "Nothing cannot be said to others; government work needs to strengthen democratic oversight, ensure openness and transparency, and safeguard the people's right to know, participate, express, and supervise. Parents, if you have any demands, please raise them now; I will handle affairs on the spot!"

One parent said: "Mayor Lu, the school cafeteria's food safety management has serious problems; the meat is rotten, causing the students' food poisoning!"

Lu Fan replied: "After the incident, the City Government swiftly activated the emergency response mechanism; the Public Security Bureau, Market Supervision Bureau, and Health Department have sealed off all food in the student cafeteria and taken samples for testing and tracing. The students' treatment and observation are proceeding scientifically and orderly. I am here waiting with you; I have urged the relevant departments to speed up monitoring, so the results should come out soon. At the same time, we have filed a case against the implicated company; Director Tian, please have the Public Security Bureau execute immediately! Rest assured, the City Government will shield no lawbreaker, insisting on investigating every case, correcting every investigated case, enforcing the law strictly, pursuing every violation, and punishing every guilty party!"

"Good, Mayor Lu, with this attitude we believe you!"

"Mayor, this incident was discovered by parents, not by school leaders! The school has a meal‑accompanying system where leaders eat with students from the same pot and table; why didn't they notice the rotten pork? Is it mere carelessness, or has the meal‑accompanying system become mere formalism?"

Lu Fan scanned the venue and asked: "Where is the principal? Come up and explain this issue!"

Soon, the pot‑bellied principal hurried onto the stage and said to Lu Fan: "Mayor, I am the principal of No. 5 Middle School."

Lu Fan solemnly said: "You are the principal? Now please answer the parents' questions: Has No. 5 Middle School's meal‑accompanying system become mere formalism? Also, where is your supervision of the student cafeteria? How did such a vicious incident occur?"

"Mayor, this… we have been implementing the meal‑accompanying system, but perhaps… we were negligent today!"

Seeing the principal hem and haw, Lu Fan flew into a rage and shouted: "Regarding the children's health, you dare to be so negligent, treating the students' meals as a joke—this is serious dereliction of duty and malfeasance!"

The Provincial Education Department and Provincial Market Supervision Administration's notice "On Comprehensively Strengthening School Cafeteria Food Safety Work" clearly stipulates that schools must strictly implement the food safety responsibility and accountability systems, increase administrative accountability, and for those whose negligence, dereliction, or malfeasance leads to food safety accidents and serious consequences, the relevant leaders and personnel must be strictly investigated for administrative and legal liability.

"As principal, you are the primary person responsible for food safety; your responsibility must be investigated! Secretary Fang, immediately file a case against the relevant responsible parties!"

Municipal Discipline Inspection Committee Secretary Fang Yang immediately stood up and replied: "Okay, Mayor, the Municipal Discipline Inspection Committee will promptly fulfill its duties!" After saying that, he glanced aside, and two discipline inspection officials came over and carried the completely limp principal away.

At the moment he was dragged off the stage, the principal suddenly cried out loudly: "Mayor, I am innocent! The contractor was selected by the Education Bureau's tender; I also wanted the students to eat well, but I am powerless!"

Lu Fan stood on the stage, fuming, and said: "Education Bureau, who is in charge of this work!"

Municipal Education Bureau Director Chang Zhi Chao immediately stood up and replied: "Mayor, this is our oversight; on behalf of the Education Bureau I apologize to all parents! The school cafeteria is overseen by Deputy Director Liu Hao Jie!"

Lu Fan then asked: "Is Liu Hao Jie here?"

Hearing the mayor's "summons," Liu Hao Jie steeled himself and went on stage, apologetically saying: "Mayor, I am Liu Hao Jie; I failed to do my job well, please give me a stern criticism!"

Lu Fan stared at Liu Hao Jie, his eyes sharp as a knife, and solemnly said: "With such poor service quality, how could such a company win the bid? Could there be irregular fund usage, kickbacks, exploitation, power‑for‑profit, or benefit‑transfer corruption?"

Facing the mayor's questioning, Liu Hao Jie broke out in a light sweat and immediately responded: "Mayor, in our bidding process we adhered to the principles of fairness, justice, and transparency; all procedures were legal and compliant. We never imagined that a bad apple would appear among the contractor team! I will certainly conduct a thorough self‑examination, reflect on my mistakes, learn lessons, and take immediate corrective action."

Lu Fan coldly looked at Liu Hao Jie and said: "You will reform? The public won't feel assured! Secretary Fang, the Discipline Inspection Committee shall immediately launch a special rectification campaign targeting corruption and work‑style issues in the student cafeteria sector, focusing on cafeteria bidding, food procurement, and contract supervision, aiming for full coverage, no blind spots, zero tolerance! We will dig deep into benefit‑transfer and embezzlement corruption, and strictly deal with deteriorated vendors and corrupt officials."

As soon as the words fell, Discipline Inspection Committee Secretary Fang Yang waved at the audience below, and two discipline inspection cadres immediately went up onto the stage.

Fang Yang solemnly said to Liu Haojie, "Please cooperate with the Municipal Discipline Inspection Committee's investigation!"

"Ah?" Liu Haojie exclaimed anxiously, "Mayor Lu, Secretary Fang, I only neglected my duties, I didn't commit any mistake! This can't be!"

Fang Yang waved his hand and directly ordered, "Take them away!"

The atmosphere in the venue became unusually tense, instantly falling into dead silence. In just a few minutes, two leaders were successively taken away by the Discipline Inspection Committee, like a grand spectacle, leaving the parents present dumbfounded! Such a scene had only appeared in movies or TV dramas before, but now it truly unfolded before their eyes, truly eye-opening!

No one expected the mayor's crackdown on corruption to be so resolute and decisive! Today truly broadened our horizons, shocking to the heart! Parents began to reassess this mayor, unconsciously developing admiration!

At this moment, a parent asked again, "Mayor, how will the children's meal problem be solved in the future?"

Lu Fan looked at everyone, speaking with firm gaze: "Your voices are the direction of the City Government's work; there are problems in cafeteria management, loss of control over food quality, clearly indicating serious loopholes in supervision. I will now outline the solution; if there are any oversights, please offer your valuable suggestions, parents."

First, the Municipal Party Committee and the City Government will adopt a Zero Tolerance attitude, thoroughly investigating those responsible for this food poisoning incident, regardless of who or what position, leaving no stone unturned, showing no leniency!

Second, school cafeterias must adhere to the principles of public welfare and non-profit, not outsourcing or contracting operations. Given the current special circumstances, the overhaul of student cafeterias will be taken over by the City Government, which will pilot the program at No. 5 Middle School, implementing zero-profit operation for student cafeterias, and after summarizing mature experience, promote it citywide.

Third, to the greatest extent improve cafeteria quality, we will bring the 'green food' card into school cafeterias, eliminating all pre-made meals, so children can eat happily, safely, and scientifically, setting a uniform price for meals: a daily standard of 15 yuan per student—3 yuan for breakfast, 8 yuan for lunch, 4 yuan for afternoon snack, with any shortfall covered by finance, thoroughly locking power and corruption in a cage!

Fourth, we will build open kitchens and bright stoves, ensuring every step of cafeteria operations runs under sunlight, using video monitoring to make things open and transparent, placing them under society's magnifying glass for oversight, allowing parents to participate in safeguarding students' 'safety on the tip of the tongue'!

"What the people call for, the government undertakes." The City Government will always take realizing, safeguarding, and developing the fundamental interests of the masses as the starting point and foothold for thinking and working. Whatever the people expect, we do in service of the people; wherever public opinion gathers, government work must head there, serving as the people's 'attendants' and 'assistants'. Believe that with our joint efforts, all problems can be readily solved; please trust the City Government's determination!

As soon as his words fell, everyone shouted approval in unison, and thunderous applause erupted in the venue.

Every parent's face beamed with satisfied smiles; to them, children are everything, and everyone is willing to believe the mayor's promise.

"Mayor Lu, we believe you!"

"Mayor Lu, you are a true good official!"

"Mayor, the children's meal issue is truly important!"

As praise rose and fell, a parent loudly said, "Mayor Lu, what about the children's meals tomorrow?"

Lu Fan pondered briefly and said, "Tonight, the City Government's logistics organ will fully take over the student cafeteria of No. 5 Middle School, purchasing ingredients overnight to guarantee that students can eat tasty meals on time tomorrow, following the standard of 15 yuan per person per day!"

"With that, we can rest easy!" The parents again shouted approval in unison!

Such a formidable crisis was thus smoothly resolved, which can be said to have pleased everyone!

After the parents left, Lu Fan and several leaders worked on-site at the school, personally setting tomorrow's breakfast standards: congee, soy milk, spicy soup, buns, steamed bread, fried dough sticks, eggs, and two side dishes.

City Government Secretary-General Dou Zhengyang coordinated uniformly, overnight dispatching chefs, preparing ingredients, and carefully preparing tomorrow's breakfast for the students of No. 5 Middle School.

Leadership's attention is no empty talk! No matter how difficult the matter, with leadership's attention, problems and difficulties can be readily solved; many unreasonable things become natural and logical, and procedures become optional.