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<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>Dec-10 7:01 pm </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>42110.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>___________Potong Pasir Town Council Press Release On the Results of the Second TCMR[/SIZE]
We believe that the TCMR is a political exercise and even before the results are out, we knew that the opposition wards will always be ranked at the bottom.
In the beginning, all housing estates were managed by the HDB. When the opposition team came in, they wanted us to manage, hoping that we would fail. We have not only managed it, but we did well and garnered the support of the residents for the last 26 years. Now, MND has come out with the TCMR and uses this as a tool to discredit the efforts of the opposition in managing their town council. It is nothing more than politicking for the coming General Election.
As mentioned during my earlier press release on TCMR, this exercise is a waste of time and resources. With no standard benchmarking guideline, how can it be appropriate to compare estates of different profile, size, infrastructure and age of the properties. It is definitely not a fair assessment on equal basis.
Strangely, the government did not mention that the TCMR cannot be used as a comparative basis across all the town councils due to their different conditions. Yet, they are still carrying out this futile exercise to rank the different towns, which I find absurd!
Although the Government can come out with any sort of report to blemish the opposition wards, in this case the TCMR is used but I believe that Singaporeans know better the reasons and intention behind such reports. They are now trying hard to stop the rising tide of the opposition.
In my opinion, it is not possible for HDB inspectors (being civil servants working for the government) to be fair and transparent in their evaluation, being in a biased position. The body assessing the town councils should be independent of the government setting out clear guidelines and principals in assessing the multiple facades of managing a town council and according to budget and other factors.
Having said this, I shall still try to clarify how the Potong Pasir Town Council addresses some specific questions which were raised by the pressas a response to the TCMR:
Cleanliness & Maintenance
As mentioned earlier, Potong Pasir is a mature estate with blocks of flats ranging from 25 to 35 years old which naturally would require more maintenance and care in comparison with the newer estates.
To start with, there were never an equal disbursement of funds granted between the PAP Town Councils and the oppositions’ even though our residents paid income tax similar to residents of other towns. Without transparency in fund allocation and the type and value of various improvement works to be initiated by the Government in different towns, it is difficult and takes a longer time to organize necessary improvement works for our estate. Furthermore, some of the problems are due to shortcomings in the initial design and planning of the flats and the construction method employed by the HDB when they were first built years ago. Now many years later, the town council and residents will have to fork out their own funds to overcome these lack of foresight like for example; lifts not stopping at every floor to cater to the old and disabled?
In managing Potong Pasir, it is our intention to balance between strict enforcement of guideline and trying to accommodate the interests of residents who have been living in our estate since 1974. (For example – permission to keep bulky items at the front of the owners’ units so long as safety is ensured)
Maintaining cleanliness is also a constant and continuous process. While we ensure our contractors carry out the job professionally and efficiently, we also educate residents to cooperate and be considerate to others.
Regarding graffiti- our policy is to ensure police clearance is obtained before carrying out any painting rectification works which would usually take around a week or more. Hence, it depends on the timing.
With the influx of foreign workers assimilating into our housing estate, many public areas and void decks has been used as their meeting and gathering points in our estate. With different cultural practices and backgrounds, conditional behavioural pattern like not littering and spitting had also partly contribute to more litter and dirt in our vicinity. Even with limited resources and funds as compared to the other Town Councils, our management team are vigilant in keeping these areas clean and will take action as and when is necessary.
ARREARS MANAGEMENT
We are confident that we have done better over the years in our arrears management. (Please refer to our annual report published in our website)
Again, we cannot compare the performance of the different Town Councils with different accounting policies. However, it is not our practice to write off arrears due without good and valid reasons just for the sake of making our report book look good and for fairness to our residents.
We would like to highlight that due to the ongoing unfavourable economic condition, we do come across residents who are going through financial hardship and where possible we would allow them to pay the arrears via instalments based on compassionate grounds.
Overall, we are satisfied and are doing well in our arrears management for all these years.
ARD & LIFT MAINTENANCE
It comes as no surprise that for the first TCMR we should have rightfully been ranked as Level 1 but if not for the ARD replacement being in progress during the reporting period.
We would like to assure all that we do not compromise on the safety of our residents.
Chiam See Tong
Chairman
Potong Pasir Town Council</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
We believe that the TCMR is a political exercise and even before the results are out, we knew that the opposition wards will always be ranked at the bottom.
In the beginning, all housing estates were managed by the HDB. When the opposition team came in, they wanted us to manage, hoping that we would fail. We have not only managed it, but we did well and garnered the support of the residents for the last 26 years. Now, MND has come out with the TCMR and uses this as a tool to discredit the efforts of the opposition in managing their town council. It is nothing more than politicking for the coming General Election.
As mentioned during my earlier press release on TCMR, this exercise is a waste of time and resources. With no standard benchmarking guideline, how can it be appropriate to compare estates of different profile, size, infrastructure and age of the properties. It is definitely not a fair assessment on equal basis.
Strangely, the government did not mention that the TCMR cannot be used as a comparative basis across all the town councils due to their different conditions. Yet, they are still carrying out this futile exercise to rank the different towns, which I find absurd!
Although the Government can come out with any sort of report to blemish the opposition wards, in this case the TCMR is used but I believe that Singaporeans know better the reasons and intention behind such reports. They are now trying hard to stop the rising tide of the opposition.
In my opinion, it is not possible for HDB inspectors (being civil servants working for the government) to be fair and transparent in their evaluation, being in a biased position. The body assessing the town councils should be independent of the government setting out clear guidelines and principals in assessing the multiple facades of managing a town council and according to budget and other factors.
Having said this, I shall still try to clarify how the Potong Pasir Town Council addresses some specific questions which were raised by the pressas a response to the TCMR:
Cleanliness & Maintenance
As mentioned earlier, Potong Pasir is a mature estate with blocks of flats ranging from 25 to 35 years old which naturally would require more maintenance and care in comparison with the newer estates.
To start with, there were never an equal disbursement of funds granted between the PAP Town Councils and the oppositions’ even though our residents paid income tax similar to residents of other towns. Without transparency in fund allocation and the type and value of various improvement works to be initiated by the Government in different towns, it is difficult and takes a longer time to organize necessary improvement works for our estate. Furthermore, some of the problems are due to shortcomings in the initial design and planning of the flats and the construction method employed by the HDB when they were first built years ago. Now many years later, the town council and residents will have to fork out their own funds to overcome these lack of foresight like for example; lifts not stopping at every floor to cater to the old and disabled?
In managing Potong Pasir, it is our intention to balance between strict enforcement of guideline and trying to accommodate the interests of residents who have been living in our estate since 1974. (For example – permission to keep bulky items at the front of the owners’ units so long as safety is ensured)
Maintaining cleanliness is also a constant and continuous process. While we ensure our contractors carry out the job professionally and efficiently, we also educate residents to cooperate and be considerate to others.
Regarding graffiti- our policy is to ensure police clearance is obtained before carrying out any painting rectification works which would usually take around a week or more. Hence, it depends on the timing.
With the influx of foreign workers assimilating into our housing estate, many public areas and void decks has been used as their meeting and gathering points in our estate. With different cultural practices and backgrounds, conditional behavioural pattern like not littering and spitting had also partly contribute to more litter and dirt in our vicinity. Even with limited resources and funds as compared to the other Town Councils, our management team are vigilant in keeping these areas clean and will take action as and when is necessary.
ARREARS MANAGEMENT
We are confident that we have done better over the years in our arrears management. (Please refer to our annual report published in our website)
Again, we cannot compare the performance of the different Town Councils with different accounting policies. However, it is not our practice to write off arrears due without good and valid reasons just for the sake of making our report book look good and for fairness to our residents.
We would like to highlight that due to the ongoing unfavourable economic condition, we do come across residents who are going through financial hardship and where possible we would allow them to pay the arrears via instalments based on compassionate grounds.
Overall, we are satisfied and are doing well in our arrears management for all these years.
ARD & LIFT MAINTENANCE
It comes as no surprise that for the first TCMR we should have rightfully been ranked as Level 1 but if not for the ARD replacement being in progress during the reporting period.
We would like to assure all that we do not compromise on the safety of our residents.
Chiam See Tong
Chairman
Potong Pasir Town Council</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
