LEVELLING OFF ROAD SIDE-TABLES AND PLANTING OF ROADSIDE TREES

Mr Lim Cheng Lock asked the Minister for Law and National Development how much money was spent in each constituency during the period 1st January, 1967 to 31st July, 1967 for (i) labour and (ii) materials for levelling off road side-tables and planting of roadside trees; how much money the Ministry has spent or proposes to spend for these two items in each constituency during the period from 1st August, 1967 to 31st December, 1967; and what further steps is he taking to implement the Prime Minister's call to make Singapore a garden city.

Mr Barker: Mr Speaker, Sir, tree planting and improvements of road side-tables are not planned on the basis of the requirements of each constituency but on a pan-island basis. However, for the benefit of the hon. Member for River Valley, my Ministry has prepared the breakdown figures of expenditure for the period 1st January to 31st July this year in respect of trees planted and improvements of road side-tables in each constituency as shown in this table*(Appendix, cols. 247-50.). Appendix to Oral Answer to Question No. 32, cols. 210-11 (Cols 247-50)

[Copies of table handed in and distributed to Members.]

For the period from 1st January to 31st July this year, the total expenditure for all constituencies was $100,000 for labour and $79,000 for materials. It is expected that from 1st August, 1967, to the end of this year, $90,000 will be spent for works on levelling off road side-tables and $85,000 for planting of shrubs and trees.

A Trees and Parks Executive Committee and a Trees and Parks Unit was formed in May this year. The main function of the Committee is to advise the Government on tree planting and park planning. The main function of the Trees and Parks Unit is to implement all schemes and projects formulated by the Executive Committee.

After a series of meetings and site investigations carried out by the Committee and Unit, various projects for beautifying Singapore Island have been proposed. I do not propose at this stage to give particulars of these projects, but suffice it to say that since May this year up to August, the Trees and Parks Unit of the Public Works Department has already planted 7,000 trees all over the island. More trees will be planted in the next few months, and it is expected that not less than 12,000 trees will have been planted by the end of this year.