The standard of service from the civil/government services

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#34
No sound, no peekture.

Forum: Quality service manager's role seems to be downplayed

26 FEB 2021

Quality service managers (QSMs) were introduced years ago by various ministries and statutory boards to get direct feedback from the public on their services.

Then, the phone lines were answered by the QSMs themselves or by experienced senior officers.

Lately, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, when officers may be working from home, some QSM lines have been diverted to the organisations' hotlines and are manned by inexperienced junior officers. Calls are not answered promptly or not answered at all.

Some public organisations and statutory boards even divert their QSM lines to an answering machine, asking callers to use their website for feedback or complaints.

What is the purpose of setting up a QSM line when the line is answered by answering machines or by junior officers and not the quality service manager himself?

Can the authorities clarify the main purpose of having a QSM line for ministries and statutory boards and who should be manning this important line?


David Kwok

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#35

Forum: Safe distancing ambassador could have behaved more professionally

3 MAR 2021

I am writing to express my displeasure at how some safe distancing ambassadors (SDAs) conduct themselves in the course of their work.

I understand the gravity of the Covid-19 pandemic and acknowledge that these enforcement officers play a role in keeping Singaporeans safe, but some of them behave in an uncalled-for manner.

I was at a nail salon in Bugis Street one Saturday, when an SDA barged in and asked everyone loudly to halt all activity.

Without seeking consent, he used his smartphone to record a video of him asking us if we knew one another.

He then measured the distance between patrons and demanded that we produce our identity cards so that investigating officers could contact us should they require any statements from us.

First, he could have been more civil in his approach. He said enforcement officers were checking if businesses were adhering to safe distancing rules - in that case, he should have spoken to the salon operator instead of frightening the patrons.

Second, being questioned on camera without consent felt like an invasion of privacy, and it felt like I was a criminal being investigated.

Third, he could have asked for my cooperation if needed, instead of demanding that I produce my NRIC.

When I suggested that he record my particulars without taking a photo of my NRIC, he threatened to call the police if we did not cooperate. Eventually, another SDA stepped in and agreed to my suggestion.

This experience has left me distrustful of strangers calling themselves SDAs, knowing that all my particulars can be so forcefully and easily obtained.

As representatives of the Government, SDAs should conduct themselves in a professional manner to create an environment where people feel safe and willing to comply with their requests.

Vanessa Wah Yi Fang

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#36

Some readers had told ST that they had to wait for two hours or more to get their jabs, and that some had been repeatedly asked the same questions by healthcare workers.

MOH tweaks processes to cut waiting times for Covid-19 jabs

Measures have been put in place to regulate the flow of individuals throughout the vaccination process at Changi Airport Terminal 4.
PHOTO: ST FILE

Timothy Goh

8 MAR 2021

SINGAPORE - Processes are being streamlined to reduce waiting times and people encouraged to book afternoon slots for Covid-19 jabs, as Singapore looks to dose 1.25 million people by the end of April.

More people tend to get vaccinated on weekday mornings and at polyclinics, the Health Ministry told The Straits Times.

“Those who want shorter waiting times should book appointments in the afternoons and at any of the 14 vaccination centres here,” a spokesman said.

Some readers had told ST that they had to wait for two hours or more to get their jabs, and that some had been repeatedly asked the same questions by healthcare workers.

MOH said on Sunday (March 7) that in the past, those getting their Covid-19 shots would have had to verify their personal information and medical history four times to ensure they were eligible, and that the vaccine was given to the right individual.

This has now been cut to just twice – once at registration and again before getting vaccinated.

MOH stressed, though, that the safety of those receiving the vaccination remains the top priority.

People are also encouraged to come at their scheduled appointment time, the spokesman said.

For vaccination centres like Changi Airport Terminal 4, MOH works with agencies to coordinate the arrival time of different groups.

Measures including a sticker system have also been put in place to regulate the flow of individuals throughout the vaccination process there, making for a smoother experience.

MOH said that the maximum queue time before registration at Changi Airport Terminal 4 is about 30 minutes during peak periods.
At other centres, people can expect to wait for an hour or less, it said.

Medical student Crystal Lee said her vaccination experience at Toa Payoh Polyclinic had been "fast and efficient".

The 25-year-old got her first shot in the afternoon of Feb 19, having booked a slot beforehand.

Ms Lee said she had to wait only around 15 minutes to get the jab. "There were about five people ahead of me but the wait wasn't too bad," she said.

Meanwhile, an 82-year-old retiree who only wanted to be known as Mr Koh said he encountered a queue of about 35 people when he arrived at 8.25am for his 8.30 appointment at Outram Polyclinic.

Despite this, he said the process was "very orderly".

Speaking in Mandarin, he said: "It was well organised, every step was very clear." Bottled water was also provided for free during his half hour wait to see a nurse.

However, he said he was later advised to not get vaccinated due to a pre-existing medical condition.

Mr Koh said he did not recall being asked to declare this while registering online, although he was unsure whether this was due to a technical fault or his own error as he was not familiar with the online booking system.

"It can be a bit difficult for seniors to use the computer system. They should make it a little more straightforward," he said.

Adding that the polyclinic staff were polite and professional while explaining the situation to him, he said: "I'm not upset. I feel that healthcare workers are just being thorough, and it's good that they ensure those who are not suitable for the jab don't get it."

On Saturday, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, who is also an MP for East Coast GRC, posted on Facebook that the Bedok CC Covid-19 vaccination centre will be starting operations from Monday (March 8).

He wrote: "Do help our seniors get vaccinated, and I encourage you to do so when you are offered. By getting vaccinated, you are protecting not only yourself, but also your loved ones."

An additional 16 vaccination centres will be opened progressively over the next few weeks, bringing the total of such centres here to 31 by the end of the month.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#37

Ever since Ministry of Education started,
Classroom size has not been reduced (except for elite schools).
Schools have been undermanned in teaching staff.
Teachers have been overworked.
A teacher's pay is low.
Turnover rate is high.


Forum: Reduce class sizes instead of closing schools

9 MAR 2021

Ms Dadina Wong Mee Ching hit the nail on the head on the issue of class sizes (Yes, invest more money to reduce class sizes in schools, March 4).

Instead of closing down schools, reduce class sizes - especially at the primary and lower secondary levels.
Before the Normal stream was introduced in secondary school, teachers who went for a training session were told that there would be a maximum number of 30 to 35 students in a class.
I know of schools that had the luxury of 25 in a classroom, but in the two schools I taught in, there were 40 and even 41 students in a class.

These were students with very short attention spans, were academically weak in most subjects and, in some cases, had a poor learning attitude because of a chip on the shoulder after being labelled Normal stream students.

Yet they were students who, with the right encouragement, managed to do better than expected and were caring and unselfish, though mischievous at times. They could independently organise outings and would participate enthusiastically in classroom activities that were crafted to capture their attention.

One Secondary 1 student could barely read simple sentences aloud and would stutter and stammer. But once individual attention was paid to him, he persevered, made progress, carried on to Sec 4 in the Normal stream and passed the Normal (Academic) level examination.

If Normal (Academic) stream teachers had been given the 30 to 35 students they were initially told they would get, I wonder how many more students would have made progress of this kind?

It is not just the class size that will discourage young men and women from becoming teachers, but also the workload. This includes marking exercises, a myriad of administrative tasks and other activities which leave little time for rest.

I remember a lecturer reminding us that the holidays were for resting. Now, even the holidays are used up in school with extra lessons, meetings and other activities.

My memories of the last 10 years before I retired are of daily marking till late at night on school days and weekends. It seemed to be the norm for teachers of English and the humanities.

So don't tear down schools with low enrolments, but make full use of the space for the sake of the younger generation.

Patricia Maria de Souza

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#38

Your picture: Still no shelter or seats at bus stop after more than a year

COURTESY OF DAVID KWOK

MAR 8, 2021

I applaud the decision to install a bus stop in Hoe Chiang Road in front of Tower Fifteen and opposite Keppel Towers.

But it has been more than a year since the bus stop was installed and, to date, no shelter or seats have been built.

Commuters are exposed to the rain and sun while waiting for the buses.

David Kwok Ng Kan

 

[Loofydralb]

WOW!!! So much infodrivel. Let's dice it up!

#1
"The two have been suspended, and will have to undergo re-training and re-certification before they can resume their duties, said Mr Neo at a media briefing."

This is euphemism for putting the whole blame on these 2 scapegoats. They will be endlessly retrained, but they will never be re-certified ever again (remember, scapegoats?). They just want them to quietly resign.

#2
When a power fault first struck the North-South and East-West lines on Oct 14, SMRT's first focus was to avoid having to evacuate passengers on stalled trains, said its chief executive Neo Kian Hong

After the scapegoating, the hero comes forward to take credit.

#3
But two of its employees - a supervisor and a staff member - misread equipment at the substation and thought that the power fault in Tuas had been isolated when it had not.
The failure to isolate the fault before drawing power caused a voltage dip at the substation, which powers the Circle Line (CCL). This caused a power trip and affected service on the CCL.

It wasn't their job to isolate the fault.

#4
Investigations conducted later that night found that power cables located around 500m from Tuas Link station along the Tuas West Extension were burnt through.
There were short circuits between three cables on the upper layer of the two-layer power cable network, which led to a high fault current burning through the cables.
SMRT checked all trip coils along the Tuas West Extension as a precaution, and found two other trip coils that "exhibited inconsistent performance that could result in a similar failure".

Cables overheating takes place over a period of time. It does not suddenly fail. Where are the managers? Why have they not instituted a monitoring programme on their equipment and cables? Managers sleeping?
"exhibited inconsistent performance" means that, that coil and a few others have failed before but did not cause serious consequences. Why was that not investigated earlier or this incident would not have happened.

 

[mojito]

#38

Your picture: Still no shelter or seats at bus stop after more than a year

COURTESY OF DAVID KWOK

MAR 8, 2021

I applaud the decision to install a bus stop in Hoe Chiang Road in front of Tower Fifteen and opposite Keppel Towers.

But it has been more than a year since the bus stop was installed and, to date, no shelter or seats have been built.

Commuters are exposed to the rain and sun while waiting for the buses.

David Kwok Ng Kan

U should be driving instead David! You can well afford it! Stop leeching on public services!

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#39

Forum: Submitting feedback: Sorry, no selfie of me being chased by dogs

11 MAR 2021

The public portals through which members of the public can report offences leave a lot to be desired.

The National Environment Agency's (NEA) website, which I have used several times to report littering and smoky vehicles, is poorly suited for this purpose.

My latest report involved a smoker who threw her cigarette butt out of a car window. NEA's website requires a video or image no larger than 3MB to be submitted. In many instances, an image is insufficient as it does not tell the full story, but how is one to get a video under 3MB in size?

As for the Traffic Police, raising an issue will lead to further correspondence by e-mail, and video evidence to be submitted in some instances via Google Drive.

Users submitting feedback on the Traffic Police website can check a box indicating that they are willing to testify in court. For submissions to NEA, however, I have been asked to submit a separate witness statement. When I asked an NEA investigating officer if NEA could follow the Traffic Police's example, he said it was a good idea, but nothing has changed since then.

In one instance that was not at all amusing, I was chased by a pack of five dogs while cycling near Lorong Halus. But to complete my report to the NEA, I had to submit photo evidence. Was I supposed to take a selfie while I was being chased and was cycling frantically for my life? I had to cancel my submission as I had no image to load.

Both the Traffic Police and NEA need to relook their portal submission requirements as well as do away with the need for numerous e-mails and phone calls just to close an issue. The current process of submitting reports is a totally frustrating and time-consuming experience that requires determination to see through.

Suresh Menon

 

[kaninabuchaojibye]

#38

Your picture: Still no shelter or seats at bus stop after more than a year

COURTESY OF DAVID KWOK

MAR 8, 2021

I applaud the decision to install a bus stop in Hoe Chiang Road in front of Tower Fifteen and opposite Keppel Towers.

But it has been more than a year since the bus stop was installed and, to date, no shelter or seats have been built.

Commuters are exposed to the rain and sun while waiting for the buses.

David Kwok Ng Kan

fucking useless sinkies
bus stop must have shelter meh?
u go hk or japan see whether their low volume load busstops got shelter or not
self entitled puborkia

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#40
How the government is spending your money hiring Safe Distancing Ambassadors.
2 ambassadors watch over 1 Sinkie and pretend not to see the group of >8 cyclists (likely to have foreign talents).

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#41

Forum: More than an hour's wait from time of appointment

MAR 20, 2021

I recently went to Changi General Hospital for an appointment at the dermatology clinic.

I arrived at 10.03am for a 10.10am appointment. I ended up seeing a doctor around 11.20am and overheard a doctor saying that I was the last patient, despite my early arrival.

My mother, who went to the hospital for physiotherapy on another day, saw the doctor around 11.45am. Her appointment was for 10am.

I know this issue of patients having to wait has been brought up before.

But I feel the appointment system used by the hospital should better space patients out, instead of squeezing too many patients into the first few hours and making them wait.

In my case, I could have arrived an hour later instead.


Chen Zaiwei

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#42
Corporate bookings take up less than 2% of facilities?
The questions then are:
Are corporates given priority for prime time slots?
What % of facilities do corporate bookings take up during the prime time: 20%, 40%, 60%?

Forum: Corporate bookings take up less than 2% of facilities

MAR 26, 2021


We thank Ms Poonam Ishwar Dadlani for her feedback (Don't allow private firms to block book slots for badminton courts, March 22).

ActiveSG facilities cater to all members of the community and are also meant for the use of group activities such as corporate bookings and athletes' training sessions.

As Ms Dadlani has accurately pointed out, corporates take up only one or two courts and we ensure that enough courts are available for members of the public to use.
In 2014, ActiveSG introduced the ActiveSG corporate membership scheme to encourage companies to use sport to promote employees' health and well-being, and for team cohesion. On a monthly basis, corporate bookings take up less than 2 per cent of available ActiveSG facilities.

In addition to companies, other community groups, sport associations and schools also book our facilities for their needs. Collectively, group bookings take up 16 per cent of available slots.

We seek everyone's understanding of how sport can be used to meet the needs of different client groups, with a fair proportion of facilities still provided for the public.



S. Parameswaran
Deputy Director, Public Relations
Sport Singapore

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#43
"Who is in charge here?"
CCC chairman does not know what is going on at the ground level.

Forum: Why restrict entry to previously public space?

MAR 30, 2021

I thank the Punggol Shore Citizens Consultative Committee chairman Choo Swee Cher for his reply to my letter (Residents can visit rooftop farm if they want to, March 20).

I took the whole of last week to visit and observe the community urban farm multiple times, and to speak to any volunteer farmers that were present.

Mr Choo's reply that "residents can visit the urban farm if they are interested to do so" is not entirely true.

According to the volunteer farmers I have spoken to, only volunteers may enter the premises, and visitors must be accompanied by a volunteer farmer.

If no volunteer farmer is present or is free to accompany visitors, then no visitors may enter the locked rooftop farm.

Although there is currently some space at the rooftop garden, residents are not allowed to sit at the benches there or perhaps do some exercise, even if a volunteer is present, I was told.

Next, Mr Choo wrote that residents who would like to participate in the urban farming project can sign up at go.gov.sg/urbanfarmvolunteer

The online registration form states that participation is applicable to Punggol Shore residents only.

Prior to the urban farm, the rooftop garden was accessible to the public, regardless of residence, 24/7. Any resident who had used the rooftop garden previously for rest and recreation must now find someplace else.

I do not understand why a previously public space has now become a gated, restricted area.

Next, I was told by a volunteer that there are plans to convert more rooftop gardens into urban farms. I understand that National Parks Board sent some officers down the other day to study this project.

Rooftop gardens are green oases for residents, who use the place throughout the day for rest and recreation.

Heartland residential areas are already so densely populated, and neighbourhood parks are few and often crowded.

If more rooftop gardens are converted into community urban farms, there will only be so many other places for residents to relax.

I welcome this creative initiative to increase local agricultural produce, whether through commercial or community efforts.

However, I am still clueless as to whether there are any standard guidelines for selecting a space for agricultural use and how the rooftops will be converted, especially if a rooftop urban farm is non-commercial. And if in the process, residents will be deprived of a space to relax.

Alex Yeo

 

[Byebye Penis]

The role of quality service departments in ministries and stat boards are not to improve their internal system, but to pacify or silent the critics so that they don't reach PMO office.

 

[batman1]

Where got service ? most of the time can be talking to a robot. press 1 for ? press 2 for ? press 0 for wait for CSO ?

 

[Byebye Penis]

Where got service ? most of the time can be talking to a robot. press 1 for ? press 2 for ? press 0 for wait for CSO ?

QSM's role has transformed into the silencing of public complaints by clocking some form of investigation which does not improve matters or rectify issues.

QSM department ranks lower these days. So they will never embarrass a particular director or head not doing their job. This is why the whole bloody forest can be destroyed in woodlands-krangji area without anyone resigning or getting sacked. It simply meant that nobody from the whole JTC ever visited the site when the contractor started work, all blowing aircon in office. hahaha

 

[Hypocrite-The]

QSM's role has transformed into the silencing of public complaints by clocking some form of investigation which does not improve matters or rectify issues.

QSM department ranks lower these days. So they will never embarrass a particular director or head not doing their job. This is why the whole bloody forest can be destroyed in woodlands-krangji area without anyone resigning or getting sacked. It simply meant that nobody from the whole JTC ever visited the site when the contractor started work, all blowing aircon in office. hahaha

So it's like those NS complaint hotlines?

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#44
What else did the government fail to account for properly?
The billions in covid-19 rescue packages?

$370 million in wage support wrongly paid out to companies; Government to recover monies

The mistakes occurred in applications submitted by companies in the construction, marine and process sectors.
ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG

Tham Yuen-C
Senior Political Correspondent

APR 8, 2021

SINGAPORE - An excess of $370 million in wage support was erroneously paid out last year after the Government used the wrong dates to determine the amount that 5,400 companies should get.

The same error also resulted in an excess of $1.2 million being paid out in foreign worker levy waivers and rebates to 360 companies.

Announcing the erroneous Jobs Support Scheme (JSS) and levy waiver and rebate payments on Thursday (April 8), the ministries of trade and industry, finance, and manpower said the mistake was discovered in November last year when the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (Iras) found anomalies in its regular processing checks on the JSS.

At the same time, Iras had also received calls from several businesses which had received extra JSS payouts.

This sparked an investigation, which eventually traced the overpayments to an error in the compilation and processing of the reopening dates used to calculate how much JSS payouts a company should get.

The JSS, first introduced in February, provides subsidies for wage costs based on which sector a company is in.

During the circuit breaker period from April to June, all companies were given the highest tier of subsidies.

How long they were paid this enhanced subsidy depended on how long they had to remain shut.

The mistakes occurred in applications submitted by companies in the construction, marine and process sectors. These companies had to get permission to restart projects, and would include its subcontractors, clients and other partners in its applications.

Due to the compilation error, the dates for the restarting of the projects were taken as the reopening dates for all the companies linked to the applications.

As a result, some companies were deemed to have been closed longer than they actually were, and received higher wage subsidies.

In explaining this, the ministries said in a statement: "Government agencies received and reviewed more than 1.8 million applications from businesses to resume their operations. These were then consolidated by MTI.

"As the processes for the resumption of business activities had to be implemented at short notice MTI used existing systems and manual processes to grant approvals for businesses to reopen. Unfortunately, in so doing, mistakes were made with the reopening dates and concomitantly the JSS payouts and foreign worker levy waiver and rebates payable."

The ministries added that they expect to recover all the overpaid monies within the year.

About $140 million of the JSS overpayment will be offset against future payments, and another $200 million will be returned by companies that have promised to do so after being contacted by MTI.

The remaining $30 million is spread out over 1,000 companies, and the Government will work with the companies on repayment, said the ministries.

Meanwhile, the foreign worker levy waiver will be automatically offset from the future levy bill of businesses.

The mistake had also resulted in some companies being underpaid for JSS and foreign worker levy waivers, the ministries said.

Some 1,000 businesses were found to be eligible for additional JSS payouts, amounting to $5.5 million, and the sums due will be credited by the end of April.

About 1,200 businesses are also entitled to additional foreign worker levy waivers, totalling $6 million, which will be credited to the businesses directly.

To prevent future mistakes, MTI has worked with MOF, MOM and IRAS to fix the processes and put in additional checks to detect possible errors, the ministries said.

An external auditor has also been hired to conduct a thorough check on the reopening dates used in the computation of JSS payouts, they added.

The ministries said affected companies were not required to take any action for now, and will be notified via letters and e-mails. They will also be contacted by MTI and MOM of any actions required by May.

Companies can log in here using their CorpPass to check if they are affected from Saturday onwards.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#45
Civil servants sitting in their aircon office and typing out a reply using a standard template.
Do they think by reminding everyone and saying everyone has a part to play will actually address the issue of cyclists racing along the rail corridor?
Do they expect all cyclists to read their reply to the Forum and for all cyclists to comply with what they say?

Forum: Cyclists reminded to ride safely and look out for others at Rail Corridor

Apr 10, 2021

We thank Ms Ng Suan Eng for her letter (Cyclists at Rail Corridor racing across bridges instead of dismounting, April 1).

The enhancements to the Rail Corridor, including the former railway bridges, aim to make the space more inclusive and accessible for all visitors.

Visitors can now use the trail for different recreational activities like jogging, cycling or to simply take a stroll to appreciate the greenery and heritage structures.

Everyone has a role to play in ensuring that the Rail Corridor remains inclusive and safe as a shared space for all.

We remind all visitors to adhere to safety guidelines and advisories when visiting the Rail Corridor, and to be gracious to fellow users.

Cyclists are reminded to ride safely and look out for other users along the trail.

They should slow down and give way to others, especially at crowded areas, and dismount and push their bikes when approaching narrow stretches, such as along the old railway bridges.

Other users can also play their part, such as being attentive to their surroundings and giving way to faster-moving users.

Sharon Chan
Director, Central Nature Reserve
National Parks Board
Teo Chong Yean
Director (Projects)
Urban Redevelopment Authority

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#46
No accountability?

Forum: Public agencies need to learn from past mistakes

Apr 12, 2021

Year after year, the Auditor-General's Office (AGO), in its annual audit of government finances, has flagged several government ministries and agencies for lapses over issues like contract management processes and weaknesses in information technology and financial controls.

Based on the published reports of the Auditor-General, it appears that certain lapses occur each year, although the lapses may involve different entities.

The question is whether the flagged agencies took notice and learnt from other agencies that made the same or similar mistakes in previous years.

In the AGO report for financial year 2019/2020, it was highlighted that the lapses discovered were related to the poor handling of business grants and weaknesses in IT controls, among other things (Auditor-General flags gaps in IT controls at several govt agencies, Sept 8, 2020).

Most recently, it was reported that an excess of $370 million in government payouts under the Jobs Support Scheme was erroneously paid out to 5,400 companies, and the mistakes were attributed to errors in the compiling and processing of information ($370m in wage support wrongly paid out to firms, April 9).

This latest development is of real concern as there seems to be a lack of knowledge management and organisational learning within the public service, and this in turn could affect whether current efforts in public service transformation will be successful.

As part of this transformation, digitalisation and robotic process automation are supposed to revolutionise public administration. However, the outcome will depend on how the government ministries and agencies leverage the technologies.

The outcome rests on humans, not robots or the technologies that are being deployed.

The question is whether the right people (both leaders and front-line personnel) with the right skill sets and competencies have been deployed to make the right decisions and get the job done.

The results are expected to be an increase in productivity and improved service delivery. But it seems this is not the case right now.

Sattar Bawany