COMMUNITY CENTRE IN BOUNA VISTA ROAD (Conversion into outdoor dispensary)

Mr Tee Kim Leng asked the Minister for Health and Law whether consideration will be given to the conversion of the former Community Centre in Bouna Vista Road into an outdoor dispensary.

The Minister for Health and Law (Mr K. M. Byrne): Mr Speaker, Sir, it is not the intention to convert the community centre in Bouna Vista Road into an outdoor dispensary, because there is already a Government outdoor dispensary, a quarter of a mile away at the 5� m.s Pasir Panjang Road, which is sufficient for the needs of the residents in the area.

Mr Tee Kim Leng: (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, has the Minister taken notice that at the said place the clinic at Pasir Panjang Road is affected by a strike? Why does the Government not want to turn it into a dispensary?

Mr Speaker: Will the hon. Member repeat the question slowly so that we can get another interpretation of it?

Mr Tee Kim Leng: (In Mandarin): Why is the community centre in Bouna Vista Road not used now, whereas there is a clinic at the 5� m.s. Pasir Panjang Road? Why is it not made use of?

Mr Byrne: Mr Speaker, Sir, there is a maternity and child welfare centre in the same compound of the Bouna Vista Road Community Centre. That serves a very useful purpose. It is in that maternity and child welfare clinic that the needs of mothers, babies, toddlers and so on who live in the area are attended to. Close by is this outdoor dispensary. It occupies a shophouse and serves the medical needs of the people who live in the area.

I agree, Mr Speaker, Sir, that the Bouna Vista Road Community Centre has never been successful as a community centre. I think it is situated too far away from the main road and the centre of population in that area, and consideration is being given to turn this community centre into an approved school. In fact, we have an international expert here looking into the whole question and in time I think we should get his report.