RELIEF FOR FISHERMEN AFFECTED BY NIGHT CURFEW

The following Question stood in the name of Mr Chia Thye Poh :-

Mr Chia Thye Poh: To ask the Minister for Culture and Social Affairs (a) what is the total value of relief in money or in kind given to fishermen affected by the night curfew at sea each month from January 1965, up to a latest convenient month: and (b) how many fishermen have received such relief from the Government.

Mr Speaker: Mr Chia Thye Poh.

Mr P. Govindaswamy (Anson): (In Tamil): Mr Speaker, Sir, as Mr Chia Thye Poh is not here, I am asking this question on his behalf.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Affairs (Mr Chan Chee Seng) (for the Minister for Culture and Social Affairs): Mr Speaker, Sir, I am instructed by my Minister to answer.

In January and February food parcels consisting of rice, sugar, milk and flour of a total value of $2,967.97 were distributed to 224 fishermen families comprising 1,249 persons in the Southern Islands.

Special assistance grants have been paid to fishermen both on the mainland and in the Southern Islands, with effect from May 1965, as follows:- Month No. of fishermen families Amount $ May 154 (comprising 809 persons) 3,495 June 185 (comprising 989 persons) 4,289 July 204 (comprising 1,103 persons) 4,805 August 229 (comprising 1,244 persons) 5,445 Month No. of fishermen families Amount $ Sept. 240 (comprising 1,285 persons) 5,655 Oct. 247 (comprising 1,331 persons) 5,875 Nov. 249 (comprising 1,345 persons) 5,945

In addition, there are 140 fishermen families, both on the mainland and in the Southern Islands (comprising a total of 696 persons), who had been receiving Public Assistance from the Social Welfare Department before the curfew, and are still doing so. After further investigation following upon the imposition of the curfew, a certain number of these families was given increases in the P.A. payments with effect from June; the total P.A. payments, including the increases, average $4,700 per month.