KAMPONG BUONA VISTA (Installation of electricity supplies)

Mr Tee Kim Leng asked the the Prime Minister when is it intended to complete the installation of electricity supplies to Kampong Buona Vista.

The Prime Minister: The Urban and Rural Services Consultative Committee is assessing the priorities for electricity supplies to all kampongs in Singapore. Kampong Buona Vista is amongst those under consideration for next year. Priority depends upon two things: the density of the population in that area and the easy availability of electricity supplies. So far since February 1960, 30 Kampongs have been provided with electricity under the Government's kampong lighting plan.

Mr Tee Kim Leng: (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, why is the electricity supply to Kampong Buona Vista only halved?

The Prime Minister: Sir, may I re-interpret the question? The question was: why has the lighting done for Kampong Buona Vista been only up to half?

The reason is that the vote has run out. If we can find a transfer vote, virement - what they call in Establishment expertise - you transfer from one Head to the other, then we will do it this year. It not, we will do it from next year's vote. The programme has been so accelerated that the money which we provided for at the end of last year was insufficient. I hope, however, that with some ingenuity on the part of the Treasury, and perhaps assistance from officials of the City Council, we might be able to find some savings.