WP whacks NEA back again

[winnipegjets]

There should be outcry directed at NEA. Instead of dedicating resources to combat dengue, it is using its resources to attack WP TC.

By Tessa Wong
Singapolitics
Friday, Jun 07, 2013

SINGAPORE - The chairman of the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) Sylvia Lim has accused the National Environment Council (NEA) of being "politically motivated to tarnish the image" of her council.

In the latest salvo fired in the long-running dispute between the Workers' Party-run council and the NEA over the cleaning of hawker centres in Bedok, Ms Lim said she found the agency's latest claims "puzzling and unprofessional as a government agency".

The NEA on Thursday accused the council of trying to get hawkers to pay extra for cleaning, and attempting to "deflect blame" when that failed.

She maintained that AHPETC staff never approached stallholders to pay extra charges for cleaning.

"Has any stallholder been approached by AHPETC staff or its contractors for the extra charges? If so, please make it public," she said on Friday.

The NEA last weekend released a letter from hawkers at Block 511 Bedok North Street 3 stating that AHPETC's property manager Mr Tai Vie Shun had told them they would need to pay extra for scaffolding for high area cleaning.

The NEA has also said the council's cleaning contractor, ATL Maintenance had a quotation for the cleaning of the entire premises of Block 538, including scaffolding, implying that AHPETC was aware of the full scope of works its contractor was supposed to do but yet tried to "deflect costs of $7,200 to the hawkers" instead of paying for the bill.

Ms Lim reiterated that ATL's quotation was in response to a "separate request by the hawker association", and that all cleaning contractors under AHPETC are "well aware" of their obligation to clean high areas.

She questioned if NEA was "playing politics", given that AHPETC had "positively responded" and "welcomed" an earlier NEA advisory reminding the council of its legal duties, which are to clean common areas and bearing all costs.

"Therefore, it is regrettable that our attempts to resolve the issue amicably have not been reciprocated, with the government taking the opportunity to point fingers at AHPETC, alleging that it was AHPETC which was "deflecting blame". Who is really the party deflecting blame? I set out the facts above and I believe that the public can judge for itself," she said.

 

[scroobal]

1. The WP controlled TC has met all mandatory and obligatory requirements for springing the hawkers centres.

2. This is not the first that they have done the TC.

3. NEA sent an email that a normal person including anyone who has done PSLE equipment anywhere in the World would have come to the same conclusion - that the hawkers are prepared to pay for scaffoldings for the extra cleaning

4. That NEA and the Hawkers Association which sit on the CCC have been mischievous.

5. PM, please do not apologise in 2016 again. We will make sure that this not forgotten.

 

[winnipegjets]

What right does NEA have to bully elected MPs?

If the government has a problem with the opposition wards, have it debated in parliament.

The NEA tried to create troubles in the opposition wards by meddling with the cleaning operations. Why? Did the WP TC failed to comply with existing regulations? No. So, why was the NEA negotiating with the hawkers?

Clean food centre this month, NEA orders

Singapore, June 7, 2013

A long-drawn-out dispute between a Workers' Party-run town council and the National Environment Agency (NEA) over the cleaning of hawker centres continued on Tuesday, with the debate moving from who should pay for cleaning to when the cleaning should take place.

The shift follows a morning visit made by Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan to two Bedok hawker centres at the heart of the row to listen to the food sellers' concerns.

They are in blocks 511 and 538 in Bedok North Street 3.

Shortly after the visit, the NEA issued a statement calling on Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) not to delay an annual spring cleaning of the hawker centre in Block 511.

The AHPETC had said on Monday the cleaning would be done in the last week of November.

But the NEA, in its statement, notes that the major clean-up, including the centre's high areas and ceiling, is due on June 24 and "this cannot be postponed".

Citing hygiene reasons, it said: "As a public service agency, NEA's main priority is to ensure that the standards of public hygiene are not compromised and the hawker centres well maintained. NEA imposes the same standards on all town councils and expects all stakeholders to act in good faith."

The NEA added that it would meet AHPETC and affected hawkers on Thursday "to ensure a fair and safe outcome for the hawkers and members of the public".

Responding to the NEA laon Tueday night, AHPETC vice-chairman Pritam Singh said "all outstanding issues will be discussed at that meeting". He did not comment, however, on the call not to postpone the cleaning.

The controversy over who should pay for the annual spring cleaning has been on the boil since March.

It came to light last month, when The Sunday Times reported that hawkers in blocks 511 and 538 were unhappy that they had been asked to pay for scaffolding needed to clean the ceilings of their hawker centres.

A war of words ensued between NEA and AHPETC, which claims an NEA e-mail dated Feb7 suggested the hawkers would set up the scaffolding.

In his statement on Tuesday night, Mr Singh noted that the NEA did not dispute AHPETC's point that its Feb7 e-mail had led to the confusion.

On Tuesday, the NEA reiterated its position that all town councils are obligated to do the major clean-up without imposing extra fees on hawkers.

The practice has been in place for more than a decade, it said.

But it is "gratified the AHPETC has belatedly acknowledged its responsibilities to bear all costs".

"This is precisely the point NEA has been trying to convey to AHPETC all along," it added.

Meanwhile, 32 hawkers of Block 511 have sent a petition to AHPETC asking for the cleaning to be done as planned, in June.

Similarly, 36 hawkers at Block 538 have sent AHPETC a petition asking for compensation for loss of income from a cleaning exercise in
March, during which the ceiling was supposed to be cleaned but was not. They, however, did not stipulate the amount.

Said carrot-cake seller Yong Heng Ran, 54: "We still had to pay our workers when the centre was closed (in March). A day's closure can easily cost us up to $1,000. Now, we are told we need to close for another five days in October.

"Have they spared a thought for the livelihood of hawkers?"

 

[Debonerman]

Re: What right does NEA have to bully elected MPs?

These hawkers who petitioned the AHPETC are doing on the instigation of the Merchants Association Chairman and committee who are at the same directed by the PAP Mafia family. Merchant Associations in all constituency wards are under the mafiaship of the standing MP. The individual Chairman of these Merchant Associations is usually the figure head top dog who acts for the most powerful and richest guy whose business in the area is smooth out of all harassment by government agencies like NEA. You can bet this saga will never ever be born in Lee Hsien Loong's ward.

Check out Tampines GRC. See whose businesses is allowed to have stalls laid outside the HDB shophouse premises 24 hours a day without consequences in breach of rules laid out by Town Councils after the fatal Hougang fires?

Who do you think the standing MPs will turn to for sponsorships(money) to conduct social activities like carnivals, festive celebration dinners to draw the loyalty and votes from constituents?

This of course is perfectly LEEGAL under the PAP's rule. Lee Kuan Yew once termed his political doctrine as Gentleman Politics. Fucking oxymoronic fart!

 

[Debonerman]

These hawkers who petitioned the AHPETC are doing on the instigation of the Merchants Association Chairman and committee who are at the same directed by the PAP Mafia family. Merchant Associations in all constituency wards are under the mafiaship of the standing MP. The individual Chairman of these Merchant Associations is usually the figure head top dog who acts for the most powerful and richest guy whose business in the area is smooth out of all harassment by government agencies like NEA. You can bet this saga will never ever be born in Lee Hsien Loong's ward.

Check out Tampines GRC. See whose businesses is allowed to have stalls laid outside the HDB shophouse premises 24 hours a day without consequences in breach of rules laid out by Town Councils after the fatal Hougang fires?

Who do you think the standing MPs will turn to for sponsorships(money) to conduct social activities like carnivals, festive celebration dinners to draw the loyalty and votes from constituents?

This of course is perfectly LEEGAL under the PAP's rule. Lee Kuan Yew once termed his political doctrine as Gentleman Politics. Fucking oxymoronic fart!

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

Imagine if this were to happen in those days without the internet. No SBF, no facebook, no blogs. The entire discussion thread in the Politics Folder would not have existed. ST will publish scathing articles from NEA daily blatantly distorting the facts. Goh Meng Seng will be writing 800-word letters to the forum page and they will be published in full - chief editor himself will edit for grammar and syntax to make it sound professional. There will be op-ed after op-ed about crucial role of town councils in ensuring the survival of Singaporeans, and then to top it all off, the Chua sisters will write blistering pieces on how this episode shows the importance of treasuring your vote and voting with your eyes open.

Any reply from WP will be lucky to be published as a small footnote amidst the maelstrom.

 

[winnipegjets]

Imagine if this were to happen in those days without the internet. No SBF, no facebook, no blogs. The entire discussion thread in the Politics Folder would not have existed. ST will publish scathing articles from NEA daily blatantly distorting the facts. Goh Meng Seng will be writing 800-word letters to the forum page and they will be published in full - chief editor himself will edit for grammar and syntax to make it sound professional. There will be op-ed after op-ed about crucial role of town councils in ensuring the survival of Singaporeans, and then to top it all off, the Chua sisters will write blistering pieces on how this episode shows the importance of treasuring your vote and voting with your eyes open.

Any reply from WP will be lucky to be published as a small footnote amidst the maelstrom.

That's why Yakult wants to score points with LHL by trying to control the news. Let's see how Yakult's brilliant idea pans out. Anyone with info on Yakult's sons dual citizenship should post it online. Time to embarrass Yakult.

 

[steffychun]

That's why Yakult wants to score points with LHL by trying to control the news. Let's see how Yakult's brilliant idea pans out. Anyone with info on Yakult's sons dual citizenship should post it online. Time to embarrass Yakult.

Have to hack into American Embassy portal. They know since sons are US citizens

 

[mei mei]

Don't worry, a super reply from Sylvia Lim.. NEA run hiding now

http://www.ahpetc.sg/media-release-7-june-2013/

AHPETC: NEA is Politically Motivated to Tarnish the Image of AHPETC

I find the conclusion of the NEA on 6 June 2013 that “AHPETC tried to get hawkers to pay extra cleaning costs, and when that failed it deflected the blame” puzzling and unprofessional as a government agency.

Has AHPETC Tried to Get Hawkers to Pay Extra?

The whole episode started with a Sunday Times report dated 26 May 2013 alluding that Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) is collecting money from stallholders for the cleaning of the market & hawker centre. Has any stallholder been approached by AHPETC staff or its contractors for the extra charges? If so, please make it public. AHPETC has investigated the claim and found the claim published in the press report to be baseless.

The latest attempt to substantiate this baseless claim was to show a quotation by the cleaning contractor ATL Maintenance Pte Ltd, who has clarified that it was in response to a separate request by the hawker association and not pursuant to its contractual obligation with the Town Council to do annual cleaning of the high areas at markets / hawker centres.

All cleaning contractors employed by AHPETC are well aware of its obligation under the contract to clean the high areas of all the markets under AHPETC management at least once a year. Anyone who is interested is welcome to inspect the contracts.

Why Town Council cleaning contactor did not clean the high areas of the market at Blk 538 Bedok North Street 3 in March 2013

NEA in its email dated 7 February 2013 categorically stated that “the Hawker Association will make the necessary arrangements with its contractors on the scaffold erection / dismantling during the spring cleaning from 4 – 8 March 2013”. It is ludicrous that a government agency would claim that its statement means anything else than what it says, and to change its position repeatedly.

AHPETC took the statement in good faith that NEA had arranged with the hawker association for the same. The scaffolding was not provided as indicated; hence the AHPETC cleaners were unable to carry out the work of the high areas.

AHPETC did not ask or impose any additional charges for cleaning.

The Scheduled Dates of Market Annual Cleaning

Based on the past experience of staff of our Managing Agent in managing the market in Hougang Constituency, annual cleaning of the market including ceiling and the high areas could be done without additional closure of the market and disruption of business to hawkers and customers. This can be done by taking advantage of the weekly one-day closures for markets and the hours when hawker stalls are closed.

AHPETC will set the date of annual cleaning and will inform stallholders nearer to the scheduled date and coordinate with the stallholders. AHPETC is prepared to consider any stallholders’ request on cleaning arrangements to ensure smooth operations and to minimize disruption to their business and inconvenience to customers.

Is NEA Playing Politics?

Being a responsible Town Council with the interest of residents and stallholders at heart, AHPETC is always prepared to work with the relevant government agencies for the benefit of the residents it serves. Even in cases where we may have disagreed with the approach of the agency, we are always prepared to compromise and to work together for common good, so long as the interest of residents is not jeopardised.

AHPETC positively responded to NEA’s advisory dated 31 May 2013 which was published by the press on 1 June 2013. AHPETC welcomed NEA’s clarification on the issue of hawker centre cleaning, and stated that “AHPETC is mindful of its responsibilities for the maintenance and cleanliness of common properties, including HDB-owned markets and hawker centres to safeguard public hygiene and safety. We will use our best endeavors to work with all stakeholders to bring any outstanding issues to an amicable resolution.”

NEA’s stance regrettable

Therefore, it is regrettable that our attempts to resolve the issue amicably have not been reciprocated, with the government taking the opportunity to point fingers at AHPETC, alleging that it was AHPETC which was “deflecting blame”. Who is really the party deflecting blame? I set out the facts above and I believe that the public can judge for itself.

SYLVIA LIM
CHAIRMAN
ALJUNIED-HOUGANG-PUNGGOL EAST TOWN COUNCIL

7 June 2013

 

[Leepotism]

NEA is indeed shameless. They forgot to carry out their duties without fear or favor. Why they become a political agency?

 

[halsey02]

NEA is indeed shameless. They forgot to carry out their duties without fear or favor. Why they become a political agency?

They are proficient all right, they does their job in accordance to the set rules & carry out with the procedures to a "T", you can not fault them. But they are just doing their jobs, collecting their increments & bonuses all paid by the public & they are not working for YOU. They will not think "out of the box", if it is not in the manuals, training or procedure, they will not do, even if it will solve the problem.

The best part of this is, you are paying for them, to tell you, that it is always YOUR FAULT, that is NEA. That is why they came out with the slogan, "THEY BREED, you BLEED".

Which so-called public agency is not a political agency? let start the ball rolling:

1. P.A.
2. N.E.A.

 

[wendychan]

Re: What right does NEA have to bully elected MPs?

a similar question :
what right do MPs have to bully citizens

 

[Force 136]

Re: What right does NEA have to bully elected MPs?

NEA should serve the elected representatives of the people even if they come from the Opposition.

NEA is disrespectful and impertinent in its public behaviour.

Boss of NEA should be taken to task in Parliament !!!!!!

 

[Satyr]

1. The WP controlled TC has met all mandatory and obligatory requirements for springing the hawkers centres.

2. This is not the first that they have done the TC.

3. NEA sent an email that a normal person including anyone who has done PSLE equipment anywhere in the World would have come to the same conclusion - that the hawkers are prepared to pay for scaffoldings for the extra cleaning

4. That NEA and the Hawkers Association which sit on the CCC have been mischievous.

5. PM, please do not apologise in 2016 again. We will make sure that this not forgotten.

The apparent malice is discouraging. Their sheer incompetence is amazing. Imagine an organization stuffed to the ceiling with scholars cannot decide on an effective strategy. There are less publicized events we witness every day of a similar nature. The PAP should spend some time studying history. Stand on the side of right principles or YOU will go down ingloriously.

 

[zhihau]

PM, please do not apologise in 2016 again. We will make sure that this not forgotten.

a quick chat recently over kopi with an ardent fence sitter soon yield this line: once bitten, twice shy. third time bitten, better to die. hope to hear more of that

 

[zhihau]

The PAP should spend some time studying history. Stand on the side of right principles or YOU will go down ingloriously.

it's time for spring cleaning

 

[enterprise2]

There should be outcry directed at NEA. Instead of dedicating resources to combat dengue, it is using its resources to attack WP TC.

NEA is hopeless. dengue at all time epidemic level. Expect more deaths to follow in the coming months. How many cleaniness of our environment??? I see more littering everywhere. How about the recycling compaigns??? A lot of the public recycling bins are stuffed with all kinds of rubbish making them impossible to recycle. They tried to get people to return their trays to the tray counter....well they have been trying for years now with no success. Look at HK, Japan and Korea.....they are light years ahead of us!!!
I think they better roll up their sleeves and work on these National problems than waste time picking a fight with the WP. If I were the PM, I would put the top officers in NEA on work performance notice (meaning they don't buck up, they get fired)!

 

[scroobal]

Agree.

Really puzzled how a govt stat board can be embroiled in politics to such extent besides showing a lack of competence. And the overseeing Minister and Ministry allowed this to carry on.

Losing brownie points with citizens is one thing but over a stupid tiff over scaffoldings and hawkers.

The apparent malice is discouraging. Their sheer incompetence is amazing. Imagine an organization stuffed to the ceiling with scholars cannot decide on an effective strategy. There are less publicized events we witness every day of a similar nature. The PAP should spend some time studying history. Stand on the side of right principles or YOU will go down ingloriously.

 

[Confuseous]

NEA should focus on Dengue and not playing town council/PAP politics

Here we are in the midst of the highest level of danger of dengue and we have these NEA incompetents playing politics.

We pay million-dollar salaries to the CEOs of the likes of NEA and they want to play politics? Why not just resign, and offer themselves for tea sessions with Bargain Hen and company?

 

[winnipegjets]

The apparent malice is discouraging. Their sheer incompetence is amazing. Imagine an organization stuffed to the ceiling with scholars cannot decide on an effective strategy. There are less publicized events we witness every day of a similar nature. The PAP should spend some time studying history. Stand on the side of right principles or YOU will go down ingloriously.

The CEO will cost taxpayers $68 million over his lifetime (from undergraduate to retirement). And what value does he add? Stirring up troubles.