GOVERNMENT GAZETTE (Earlier publication)

Mr Lim Soo Peng asked the Minister for Culture (a) whether he is aware that the Government Gazette, which is published on every Friday, reaches the public only on the following Monday, and what steps he proposes to take to make the Gazette available to the public earlier; and (b) whether he will consider publishing the Gazette on Mondays instead of on Fridays.

Mr Wee Toon Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Government Gazette is published on Friday and is posted on the same day. Recipients should, therefore, receive the Gazette by Saturday or, at the latest, by Monday since there is no delivery on Sunday. There have been occasions when the Gazette was ready only very late on Friday afternoons owing to last-minute notifications and changes. It has, therefore, happened that sometimes the Gazette was received on Mondays instead of Saturdays.

Steps have been taken to ensure that material for the Gazette is received, as normally required, two days before the date of publication so that printing can be completed on Friday mornings to enable postal deliveries by Saturday.

The publication of the Gazette on Fridays has been traditional and is also convenient to the Government Printer as well as to various Ministries using the Gazette.

A second shift has now been introduced with the purpose of enhancing the output of the Government Printer as well as to expedite printing efforts. When the second shift is properly run in, a third shift will be introduced.

It is expected that a much improved service may be expected from the Government Printer when he operates on three shifts.