Penang Cow $2.2K Bike Buy smacks of corruption

[Papsmearer]

It turns out that stupid penang Minister Cow believe what his Nparks staff tell him, hook line and sinker. He himself never verified the information they gave him. These bikes were purchased for the park connector staff to allow them to be more productive as they have to cover 40km a day. How were they accomplishing this before the bike purchase? Running? Jogging? Were the connector staff all former Kenyan long distance runners? The fact is only one of the park connector is 40 km long, the rest are mostly under 10km. e.g. Pasir ris park connector is only 2.4 km. Bedok connector is 8 km. There are also many bike kiosks around, specifically there for people to rent bikes to cycle the connectors.

WHY CAN'T NPARKS BUY NICE $200 BIKES AND STATION THEM AT THE KIOSKS? These bikes can be normal non foldable bikes, and They can leave them there locked for the night with the other rental bikes. When Nparks staff report to work, they just go to the kiosks and draw the bikes, and when they finish, they return the bikes there. Is this not possible? After all, the bike rental company is renting space from Nparks, such an agreement should be doable.

As well, if there is only one bid on the tender, shouldn't procedure be to cancel it and put it up again for tender? Trouble is that these people do not care that its the taxpayer's moneythat they are spending, and they have a duty to make sure that its used in the most cost effective manner. But of course, it starts from the top. When the top does not feel that it owes anything to the taxpayer and spends the tax payer's money like water, on expensive bikes, expensive office chairs, etc.the subordinates will follow his lead too. Just no respecting the public at all.

 

[Papsmearer]

Park visitors can rent and return their bicycles at any six kiosks along the Eastern Coastal PCN - First such bicycle rental service
09 Mar 2009


Six bicycle rental kiosks or 'PCN Pitstops' have been set up in four parks along the 42km Eastern Coastal Park Connector Network (PCN), allowing park visitors to rent bicycles from any pitstop and return them at the other five without having to backtrack. This new service will give park visitors the flexibility and convenience to return their bicycles in another park, any time of the day.

The service is provided by Lifestyle Recreation, a company offering rental of roller-blades and bicycles as well as food & beverage facilities. The six 'PCN Pitstops' are located in the following areas: (Please refer to Annex A for the location map)

East Coast Park Area C
East Coast Park Area G
Changi Beach Park Area Car Park 1
Sun Plaza Park
Changi Beach Park Car Park 7 (Operational in March 2009)
Telok Kurau Park (Operational in March 2009)
Prominent 'PCN Pitstop' signage (Annex B) have been set up to help park visitors locate these stations Depending on the popularity of this service, Lifestyle Recreation may set up two more PCN Pitstops at Bedok Town Park and Pasir Ris Town Park.

Mr Kong Yit San, Director of Parks, said, "The Eastern Coastal PCN is the longest of seven loops of park connectors which have been planned by NParks. It is also one of the most scenic, with long stretches that are conducive for uninterrupted cycling. We hope that this new service will help enhance recreational experience for users of our park connectors."

Bicycle rental rates range from $5 per hour for an adult bicycle to $10 for a double bicycle, which is comparable to rates offered by other rental kiosks. To provide an all-day service, Lifestyle Recreation is looking into implementing an online booking service where park visitors can unlock their rented bicycles from a pitstop using a pre-issued number. The same lock can be used to secure the bicycle back to any pitstop, thus allowing park visitors to return their bicycles at any time of the day, even after operational hours of 9.00am to 9.00pm.

The operator has arranged a special 'Ride and Wine' package during the upcoming March school holidays. On 14 March 2009 (Saturday), park visitors can purchase a ticket for $10, which includes bicycle rental for four hours, drinks and lunch at the PCN pitstop at Changi Beach Park. They can also stand to win a new bicycle, food and bicycle rental vouchers in a lucky draw. For more information on this promotion, they can visit (www.lifestylerecreation.com.sg) or call 6443 6675. Pre-registration is required.

Completed in 2007, the Eastern Coastal PCN connects several parks in eastern Singapore, allowing park visitors to walk, jog, cycle or roller-blade through idyllic coastal areas and popular parks in the east, such as East Coast Park, Changi Beach Park, Sun Plaza Park and Bedok Reservoir Park.

-- Ends --

Annex A - Map of PCN Pitstops

 

[Papsmearer]

National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan has stated via his blog that he supports the National Parks Board's (NParks) decision to purchase Brompton foldable bikes for its staff.

Some Singaporeans had questioned why the purchase for the 26 bicycles - each costing $2,200 - was approved.

Mr Khaw wrote in a blog post on Wednesday that he had asked NParks for the rationale for the purchase. He said NParks cited staff productivity as the main reason for the purchase: "Providing staff with bikes was thought to be a simple and effective way to raise staff productivity as it enables the officer to cover more ground and do more inspections within the same time."

NParks officers in the Park Connector Division cover between 30 to 40km in their daily rounds.

Mr Khaw added that a foldable bicycle was chosen because such bicycles "would eliminate the need for an office van to transport the bikes and the staff to the areas of their daily rounds". The NParks staff would also be able to carry them onto buses and trains where necessary.

He also said that Brompton was picked because only one vendor responded to the tender with a bid price lower than the listed retail price of the same bicycle.

While a Brompton bike costs more than foldable bicycles with similar specifications, Mr Khaw said cyclists told him the bike was durable and would require less maintenance after heavy usage.

He concluded: "It looks like NParks has bought the right equipment. However, it also looks like NParks might have gotten a better deal if there was greater participation in this quotation."

According to the Lianhe Zaobao report where the NParks purchase was first reported, a police officer's bicycle costs about $1,000 while Singapore Post's postmen use bicycles which cost about $500.

 

[presssomemore]

WHY CAN'T NPARKS BUY NICE $200 BIKES AND STATION THEM AT THE KIOSKS? These bikes can be normal non foldable bikes, and They can leave them there locked for the night with the other rental bikes. When Nparks staff report to work, they just go to the kiosks and draw the bikes, and when they finish, they return the bikes there. Is this not possible? After all, the bike rental company is renting space from Nparks, such an agreement should be doable.

Spot on. Brilliant!

 

[Confuseous]

As well, if there is only one bid on the tender, shouldn't procedure be to cancel it and put it up again for tender? Trouble is that these people do not care that its the taxpayer's moneythat they are spending, and they have a duty to make sure that its used in the most cost effective manner. But of course, it starts from the top. When the top does not feel that it owes anything to the taxpayer and spends the tax payer's money like water, on expensive bikes, expensive office chairs, etc.the subordinates will follow his lead too. Just no respecting the public at all.

And the approved tender was from a fcuking bicycle shop - not even from the authorised agent. The deal should certainly be investigated and see how far the stink smells. Recent examples show that the stink can reach quite high!

 

[Papsmearer]

And the approved tender was from a fcuking bicycle shop - not even from the authorised agent. The deal should certainly be investigated and see how far the stink smells. Recent examples show that the stink can reach quite high!

In another thread, I already suspect the bike shop owner is related to the the idiot civil serpent that put in the tender.