PUBLIC UTILITIES BOARD (Expansion of sub-collection centre at Lim Tua Tow Road Market)

Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister for Law and National Development if he will ascertain from the Public Utilities Board whether the Board plans to expand its sub-collection centre at the Lim Tua Tow Road Market, which is inadequate, or to set up additional such centres in the surrounding areas.

The Minister for Law and National Development (Mr E. W. Barker): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Public Utilities Board does not consider that the service provided by the existing sub-collection centre at the Lim Tua Tow Road Market is inadequate.

This sub-collection centre was set up by the Board to serve 24.877 consumers residing around that area. Payments are made at the sub-collection centre on eight working days per month following the despatch of the consolidated bills to the consumers in that area. The past experience has been that out of the eight days, the Board normally receives very few payments on the first two days of the opening and the last day. Over the past four months, only an average of about 4,440 or 19 per cent of the consumers have availed themselves of this service. It appears that neither extension of the number of working days for this sub-collection centre or the setting up of additional centres in the surrounding areas seems necessary at this stage.

Mr Ng Kah Ting (Punggol): Mr Speaker, Sir, will the Minister indicate whether the Public Utilities Board is continuously looking into the question of setting up more sub-collection centres?

Mr Barker: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Board is continuously looking into the question of setting up more collection centres to facilitate payments by consumers. This includes the review of the present sub-collection facilities with a view to improving service to the public. In 1967, there were 11 sub-collection centres and five mobile collecting centres. In 1968, these were increased to 12 and 7 respectively.

Mr Ng Kah Ting: Will the Minister give the House the location of these sub-collection centres and collection points of the mobile sub-collection centres?

Mr Barker: Mr Speaker, Sir, there are sub-collection centres at Rayman Market off Balestier Road, the old Kallang airport, Seng Poh Road Market, Joo Chiat Road Cleansing Depot, the Princess Estate Market (Queenstown), Queen's Crescent Market (Queensway), the Commonwealth Crescent Market, Serangoon District Office, Bukit Panjang District Office, Lim Tua Tow Road Market, and the junction of Aljunied and Geylang Roads at the electric showroom there.

The mobile collection centres stop for collection at the junction of Jalan Eunos and Jalan Kuda, at the junction of Cheong Chin Nam Road and Chun Tin Road, the Sembawang Post Office, the Bedok Post Office and the Housing Estate at Pesiaran Keliling. Three more were added in 1968 - the Selegie House Car Park, the junction of Pasir Panjang Road and South Buona Vista Road and the junction of Thong Aik and Sembawang Roads.