THIRD SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR FYI 1970/1971 AND SECOND SUPPLEMENTARY DEVELOPMENT ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR FYI 1970/1971

2.47 p.m.

Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [Allotted Day].

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

The Chairman: Third Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st April, 1970, to 31st March, 1971, contained in Paper Cmd. 5 of 1971. The summary is on page 2 of the Paper.

Head 0107 -

Mr J. F. Conceicao: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head 0107 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 2001*. (*The same amendment also stood in the names of Mr N Govindasamy and Mr Ng Kah Ting.)

Mr Speaker, Sir, at the last budget session, I raised a query regarding this same subhead. I suggested that drivers of Government vehicles should take every care to exercise their responsibility on the road, and that we should make every effort to ensure that Government vehicles set an example of social discipline on the road. The Minister for Law gave an assurance that circulars would be sent out to Government departments to make sure that drivers make every effort to follow road regulations. The Minister agreed that drivers of Government vehicles should set an example in Singapore.

We find now that there is a supplementary request being made for $70,000 to be used as compensation for damage caused by Government vehicles which were involved in accidents. It would be interesting for the House to know in what manner the $20,000 originally earmarked under this subhead and this $73,000 is being spent. Does this indicate that, for the past year since the last budget, there has been an increase in the number of accidents involving Government vehicles, the fault for which accidents must be attributed to the drivers of these vehicles? Or does it mean that much more is being spent this year on compensation for accidents than for any other equal length of time in previous years? If one or both of these contentions are correct, one has to renew the appeal to the Minister to take stronger measures to see that drivers of Government vehicles exercise greater care and responsibility on the road. Perhaps the sending out of circulars is not enough.

I would like to take this opportunity of commending the Ministry of Defence on the action taken to see that its own drivers exercise greater responsibility. But from my own experience, I personally have found no discernible improvement in the driving standard of drivers of Government vehicles since the time the Minister for Law gave us the assurance that he believed that Government vehicles should set a good example in Singapore. Incidentally, it would be interesting to know to what extent compensation has to be paid for damage caused in accidents involving police vehicles. Once I had the experience of seeing a police vehicle being driven in a most irresponsible way. The driver concerned was attempting to write certain notes in his notebook while driving the vehicle at the same time.

Finally, Sir, if the amount of compensation in respect of accident claims is rising, how is it that only $25,000 has been earmarked for this same subhead in the coming financial year?

Mr N. Govindasamy (Telok Blangah): Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to ask the Minister for some information and clarification on the sudden increase in the provision for payment of claims against the Government arising out of accidents involving Government vehicles.

The estimate for 1969 - 70, a period of 15 months, was $20,000; for 1970 - 71, a period of 12 months, $20,000 was earmarked: and this year, as the Member for Katong has pointed out, $25,000 has been asked for. Therefore, iii normal circumstances, an estimate of $20,000 per year would have been deemed sufficient to meet accident claims. The year 1970 - 71 has actually cost the Government, including the request for Supplementary Estimates, about $90,000 to meet accident claims involving Government vehicles. This sum, in my opinion, is abnormally high. I would therefore like to seek from the Minister the following details:

(1) The total number of accidents involving Government vehicles for the period under review;

(2) The breakdown of the above-mentioned total, Government department by department;

(3) The number of successful claims against the Government and the total amount of money paid out in relation thereto;

(4) The number of unsuccessful claims against the Government;

(5) What steps, as the Member for Katong has asked, are being taken by the Government to minimise the accident rate of Government vehicles involved in accidents?

Mr Ng Kah Ting: Mr Speaker, Sir, with all the points raised by my two colleagues, the Members for Katong and Telok Blangah, I do not think I have any ground left to cover. Anyway, would the Minister for Law and National Development care to give further information to my questions?

The Member for Telok Blangah has just now sought clarification on the number of accident claims, successful or otherwise, and also the breakdown figures of the various Government departments involved. I would, however, like to raise some further questions:

(1) How much was paid to each of the successful claims?

(2) What was the number of accidents in which each of the various Government departments was involved?

(3) Are there still any outstanding claims to be settled?

(4) If there are, how many are there and what amount of compensation has been asked for?

Lastly, Sir, I too share the sentiments expressed by my two colleagues in hoping that Government would take immediate steps to ensure that all Government drivers take extra caution when they are on the road. As the Member for Katong has just mentioned, they should set an example in ensuring public road safety when they are on the road.

Mr E. W. Barker: Mr Speaker, Sir, first, let me put the record right. The Ministry of Law or the Ministry of National Development is not in charge of all Government drivers or all Government vehicles. It is when a Government vehicle is involved in an accident and there is a claim for damage that the Attorney-General steps in as the lawyer representing the Government. So whilst I agree with the Members that perhaps the standard of driving of Government vehicles can be improved, what the Attorney-General can do to help is to see that circulars are sent round. These circulars have been sent round. Drivers of Government vehicles have also been educated on road safety and have been instructed to be more careful in their driving.

As for prosecution, there is provision for the Permanent Secretary of the respective Ministry to consider, on the advice of the Attorney-General, whether disciplinary action is called for against the driver of the Government vehicle involved in an accident. It is, however, the function of the Police to determine whether the driver has committed a traffic offence. Where the Attorney-General is satisfied that the accident is due to the negligence or recklessness of the driver, he will instruct the Police to prosecute the driver concerned. There may, however, be instances where prosecution is not justified but other instructions have been contravened, in which case disciplinary action is instituted by the Permanent Secretary concerned on the advice of the Attorney-General.

Members will agree that the expenditure that would be involved in any accident under this vote is not easily predictable. The greater the number of accidents involved, the larger will be the amount of expenditure. In the 1970 - 71 financial year, the sum of $20,000 provided has clearly proved inadequate, and another $70,000 is needed to meet expenditure of $88,475.24. To compare other years, in 1967, $13,200 was incurred; in 1968, $19,360.

3.00 p.m.

In 1969 - 70 549,739.75 - nearly $50,000 - but still not near $90,000. For the financial year 1971 - 72, two Members have pointed out that only $25,000 has been approved. I would like to inform them that we have asked for much more, but that is all we have been given, so that in the coming year they will have to hear me again.

The number of vehicles in Singapore is increasing every year; so also are the traffic jams. In consequence, the number of accidents has increased; so has the number of accidents involving Government vehicles. The Member for Katong is not satisfied with the assurance I gave him last year. He seems to be more satisfied with what has been done in the Ministry of Defence. Am I correct?

Mr Conceicao: Sir, I am satisfied with what the Ministry has done since the time the Minister of Defence answered my question in Parliament regarding the care that military drivers should exercise. May I make that correction, please.

Mr Barker: I am glad to hear from the Member for Katong that he has been reassured by what has been happening in the Ministry of Defence. But now that Singapore has taken over control of the military establishments, vehicles of the Army come into the fold of the Attorney-General's Chambers in regard to expenditure on accidents. I have mentioned just now that it is the Attorney-General who acts as paymaster in respect of these claims.

The number of accidents for the financial year 1970-71 was 875 as compared with 618 for the previous financial year. So there has definitely been an increase. The break-down of these 875 accidents is interesting: Ministry of Defence 605 Public Health Division 111 Ministry of Health 30 Public Works Department 19 Prisons Department 16 Police (in which the Member of Katong is interested) 16 Postmaster-General 11 Social Welfare Department 4 Primary Production Department 5 Prime Minister's Office 4 I can go on, but the rest do not exceed half a dozen accidents - Car Parks, Chief Surveyor's Department, or even the Fire Brigade which had two accidents. All in all, there were 875 accidents.

I am not saying that the Ministry of Defence drivers are careless, but the figures are there. As the British pull out, we have to have more and more vehicles, more and more drivers; and therefore more and more accidents occur. Hence, we are asking for this supplementary vote.

Of the number of persons involved in these 875 accidents, 10 were killed and 119 injured. Of these 875 claims, 224 were successfully settled out of court. A total of 615 cases, including 15 police cases, were unsuccessful, involving a total sum of $88,475.24. The police cases cost $7,584.54. A total of 36 cases, involving claims amounting to about $35,000, are still pending.

I have no further information for Members, but I understand that the Member for Katong is a member of the National Safety First Council!

Mr Conceicao: The Member for Katong is not a member of the National Safety First Council. He is only an adviser!

Mr Ng Kah Ting: Sir, arising out of the answers given, I just want further clarification if the Minister would care to answer me.

Mr Barker: If I have the information.

Mr Ng Kah Ting: Mr Speaker, Sir, it would appear that the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Health, in particular, have the highest number of accidents. In view of this, are these two Ministries taking steps to ensure that their drivers undergo a road safety course?

Sir, I also wonder whether the Minister for Law and National Development will consider insuring all Government vehicles against accidents, and whether any feasibility study has been made in this respect. I believe that this will take some load off the Attorney-General's Chambers.

The Minister for Education (Mr Lim Kim San): $1 million insurance!

Mr Barker: Sir, I cannot speak for either the Minister for Health or the Minister of Defence, but I am sure they will take into consideration the Member's suggestion. Speaking for myself, my Ministry will take his suggestion into consideration.

Mr Ng Kah Ting: What about insurance?

Mr Barker: We will consider it.

Mr Conceicao: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The sum of $70,000 for Head 0107 ordered to stand part of the Third Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st April, 1970, to 31st March, 1971.

Head 0701 -

Mr N. Govindasamy: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head 0701 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 1*.

(* The same amendment also stood in the name of Mr Ng Kah Ting.)

Sir, I am pleased to learn that the Ministry of Education has been able to fill a greater number of its vacant posts than was anticipated by the Ministry. This amendment is moved in order to seek further clarification on the posts that the Ministry has been able to fill.

Sir, in my opinion, the Ministry should fill not only the vacancies in the promotion grades but also the many vacancies in the lower grades of the teaching service. Last year the estimate for Substitute Relief Teachers alone was $1.3 million in the General Education Department. In answering a supplementary question on relief teachers last week, the Minister of State for Education said that the phenomenon of relief teachers will continue to exist so long as teachers continue to take maternity leave.

Sir, I have been a teacher for many years, and maternity leave is not a new concept. It has been there all along. The reason for the employment of relief teachers now is due to the shortage of teachers and not that teachers take maternity leave. The position obtaining then was that every school had a quota of teachers over and above the number that would be needed for all the classrooms. If any teacher went on long leave or maternity leave, there would be sufficient qualified teachers to stand in. Because of this quota of teachers in each school, I deem this number to be vacancies in the school as well. The question is: will the Ministry attempt to fill not only the vacant posts in the promotion grades, but also the shortage of teachers in schools?

Mr Ng Kah Ting: Mr Speaker, Sir, I too seek information similar to that asked for by the Member for Telok Blangah.

Parliament is being asked to approve a sum of slightly over half a million dollars for the payment of personal emoluments. I find that the explanatory note in the Command Paper on these supplementary estimates is not clear. Therefore, I will be grateful if the Minister for Education will indicate the number of vacant posts in the last financial year, i.e., ending this month; how many have been filled, and what are the categories of vacancies that have been filled. Further, are there still vacancies to be filled? If so, what are they, and in what categories?

Sir, the Member for Telok Blangah is of the opinion that not only the vacant posts in the higher categories should be filled, but also those in the lower categories should be filled as well. I take it that he means the administrative service as well as the teaching service. On that note, Sir, I reserve some further questions, pending the answers from the Minister for Education.

Mr Lim Kim San: Mr Speaker, Sir, I heartily agree with the Member for Telok Blangah that maternity leave is not a new phenomenon. But I would like to remind him that in the clarification given by the Minister of State for Education to the supplementary question as to when the system of relief teachers was instituted, I think the Minister of State replied, "Ever since maternity leave was granted." There is nothing wrong with that.

Sir, I am not able to give in detail the categories of vacancies which have been filled. But, generally speaking, we have vacancies right through the service - from principals to teachers, to specialists, to specialist teachers, to administrative officers, to inspectors of schools, to inspectors, and even higher clerical officers. We have been trying our best to fill them with persons with the requisite qualifications.

3.15 p.m.

As indicated in the reply by the Minister of State at the sitting on the 8th of March, there were, in the teaching service alone, 1,116 vacancies, because we then had 1,116 relief teachers. The shortage is of such a magnitude not because no attempt has been made by either the Public Service Commission or the Ministry of Education to fill these vacancies wherever it can, but simply because we do not have the people with the requisite qualifications. I will be very glad indeed if either Member can indicate where we will be able to get the type of people we want to fill these vacancies, not only in the higher grades but also in the lower grades in the teaching service.

The clarification requested by the Member for Punggol on the request for an additional $524,000 for the Ministry of Education in respect of personal emoluments can be given very simply by repeating what is stated here. I do not think it can be explained in a simpler form. The explanation is that we were able to recruit more teachers, more administrative officers, more specialist inspectors than we first expected when the budget was formulated.

I hope I have clarified some of the doubts that have existed in the minds of Members.

Mr N. Govindasamy: Mr Speaker, Sir, I think the Minister and I agree that there is a considerable number of vacancies in the teaching service. But the question I am posing now is that, as far as I know, this shortage has been in existence for the last three years. Year after year the Ministry of Education has been coming here and asking for a vote for relief teachers. Sir, my quarrel is not with the relief teachers but with the unqualified relief teachers - people who go into the classrooms and later come out. I would like to know from the Minister what attempts the Ministry has made to recruit teachers for the teaching service in the last three years - the number of times recruitment took place and the number of teachers in the last three years who went through a regular teacher training course to fill the vacancies that we have had in the last three years.

Mr Lim Kim San: Sir, the Member and I have the same point of view. But he is probably holding one end of the stick and I am holding the other end. What I am trying to say here is that we know there are large numbers of vacancies and attempts have been made and are being made to fill these vacancies with people with the requisite qualifications. We have been advertising these vacancies at the beginning of every year. However, only two-thirds of those who were offered jobs in the Ministry of Education accepted them. The number of people who apply for vacancies in the Ministry of Education is not equal to the number of vacant posts. So there you are. People with the requisite qualifications are not there. Members should concede that the Ministry of Education is not so stupid as not to fill up the establishment completely. We have the desire to fill these vacancies; we are given the money voted by Members to fill these posts. But because there are not enough persons to fill them, that is why we are left with a shortage of teachers. As a result, we have to resort to the method of recruiting relief teachers who have probably not had the same kind of training that we would wish them to have.

Mr Ng Kah Ting: Mr Speaker, Sir, first of all, I must say well done to the Ministry of Education for being able to fill most of its vacant posts. However, the Minister did ask Members to suggest ways and means of assisting the Ministry in the recruitment of the various categories of officers, whether they be relief teachers, teachers, specialist inspectors and others.

Sir, I would imagine that when these vacancies arise the Ministry would make representation - I stand to be corrected - to the Public Service Commission which, I believe, is the body that appoints such officers into the Government service after a due process of interviews. In that respect, surely the Ministry of Education will be able to get more of such officers.

With regard to relief teachers, I understand that at one time the Teachers' Training College used to conduct part-time courses for trainee teachers but that some years later this scheme was shelved with the introduction of a full-time teacher training scheme. I have lately heard that the T.T.C, might probably revive the part-time teacher training scheme.

With regard to the recruitment of relief teachers, will the Ministry of Education not look into the possibility of organising teaching courses for the relief teachers or teachers-to-be at the T.T.C, so that in the next few years the Ministry of Education will have a larger complement of staff?

Mr Sia Khoon Seong (Moulmein): Mr Speaker, Sir, can I just make an observation on the reply by the Minister for Education to the Member for Telok Blangah on the plight of the Ministry of Education in attracting a sufficient number of applicants for recruitment into the education service? I wonder whether the Minister, his Minister of State and others are now more than convinced that the salary scales for teachers are not so attractive as to attract enough applicants. Would they not think that in order to solve this problem the Government should seriously consider revising the salary scales for teachers immediately?

Mr Lim Kim San: Mr Speaker, Sir, I would hate to think that teachers in the service are attracted only by the salary scales and that there are no other incentives. I would like to believe that a large proportion of the teachers are there because they feel that they have the skill, the ability and the interest in imparting knowledge to young people.

Coming to the question raised by the Member for Moulmein, I think he is not unaware that the Teachers Union has been holding discussions with officials of the Ministry of Education on the restructuring - I would like to emphasise the word "restructuring" -of the salary scales and not an increase of salary. I think there was some misunderstanding when, on the eve of his departure, my predecessor made some mention about the revision of salary scales. What he actually meant was that the Ministry was taking up the suggestion by the Harvey Commission when it mentioned that the salary structure in the Ministry of Education is of a very complex nature and that there are a lot of anomalies in the salary structure of teachers. What was particularly in my predecessor's mind was the reference to post allowances for teachers who are promoted. What he meant was that all these anomalies should be ironed out. We can easily iron out these anomalies and incorporate the post allowance or part of the post allowance into a higher scale for principals and those who are promoted to a higher grade. On going through the representations from the Teachers Union, the Ministry is in agreement with them. It has come to the conclusion that the 16 different salary scales for the teachers and, I believe, about nine different scales for the principals should be thoroughly considered and a less complicated salary structure substituted. Moreover, in considering the restructuring of the salary scales proposed by the Teachers Union, the Ministry must also take into consideration that any adjustment upward is going to cost the taxpayers a lot of money. A rough calculation was made that if each teacher were to be given a $10 increment, it would cost the taxpayers more than $2 million. Before we make any recommendation for the spending of such a large sum of money, the problem must be thoroughly studied to see that what we are doing is correct. I hope that answers the question raised by the Member for Moulmein.

To come to the Member for Punggol again, the number of vacancies is known to the Ministry of Education and the Public Service Commission. Advertisements are put out at the appropriate time and applications are received and processed.

3.30 p.m.

As I have said, the number of applications for posts in the Ministry of Education is not equal to the number of vacancies. Even if you take everyone who applies, you will still be short of teachers. That is why we must have relief teachers. I think, as an ex-teacher, the Member for Punggol would prefer to have fully qualified teachers in three years from now rather than teachers who have received only part-time teacher training. But we are reconsidering the question whether, in view of the prevailing circumstances, it would not be better for us to take half a loaf than to expect a full loaf when it is not forthcoming, because we do not have enough people interested in teaching to join the service. This is not because of the pay. As I say, a good teacher does not have to depend on his pay for his incentive. He has other things which induce him to join the teaching service. We will consider again carefully whether it is worth our while, in view of the grave shortage of teachers, to reintroduce part-time teacher training. This shortage is not only in the teaching service and in every Government department, but also in industry.

Mr Sia Khoon Seong: Mr Speaker, Sir, I crave your indulgence to interrupt again because the Minister for Education, in his reply to my observation, has mentioned the Teachers Unions' pay negotiations. I thought I might take this opportunity to mention also one or two matters which I wanted to say in the Committee of Supply when I move the amendment to reduce the Minister for Education's pay by $10. Since he has already dealt with many aspects of the matter that I originally intended to raise later, perhaps I will take this opportunity to add one or two points on the question of the Teachers Unions' pay negotiations. I am glad to hear from the Minister that his Ministry intends to go one step further than its original intention to remove the post allowance of the promotion posts and substitute it with promotion scales, and that it intends also to look into the question of grievances, the 16 pay scales of teachers and so forth. I do appreciate that it requires time to do an exercise like this. But I think sufficient time has been given to the Ministry and to the Treasury to consider this matter. I can only express the hope, Mr Speaker, Sir, that the matter be considered without any further delay as too much time has been taken on this matter, in fact, the then Minister for Education made an announcement on 1st September, 1970, that he was going to invite the Teachers Unions to discuss pay negotiations. Some time in October last year, the Ministry of Education invited the Teachers Unions to put forward their proposals. Today is the 16th of March. It is about six months since we put forward our proposals and the Ministry is still studying them. It is fair enough that it needs some time to study the proposals, but there seems to be no end to the time required for it. The teachers are beginning to lose confidence in the whole exercise. They are wondering what it is all about. Is this a kind of joke? Their expectations have been raised as a result of the then Education Minister's announcement about pay negotiations. Since then, nearly seven months have elapsed and there is not even a squeak from the Ministry to indicate what their reactions are to our proposals. Some of our proposals were put forward ten years ago. Surely the Ministry does not require so much time to study them. Perhaps it is not possible for the Ministry at this juncture to give its answers or reactions to all of them. That is fair enough. But surely the Ministry should be in a position to say something on some of the proposals. What is the cause for this delay? This situation is causing unhappiness in the teaching profession. The Ministry has given them the hope that negotiations are forthcoming, but if it has to take more than six months to study the proposals, and there does not seem to be an indication when this period of study is going to end, I think you can quite fully appreciate the kind of frustration that is felt by the teachers.

I appreciate the Minister's reply that time is required to study the very complex problems and I agree that there are very complex problems. But six months should be more than sufficient for this and I hope we should be hearing soon from the Ministry regarding what its counter proposals are.

Mr Ng Kah Ting: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister for Education has mentioned just now that he will not consider the reintroduction of part-time training courses at the Teachers' Training College. Perhaps I would like to draw his attention to the fact that out of so many thousands of teachers in the teaching service today, I can safely say that a very high percentage of them somehow or other did undergo part-time training. For that matter, you have got the normal trained and the certificate trained teachers, and also graduates who, on their recruitment into the teaching service, also have to undergo a training course of not less than a year to get a diploma known as the Diploma in Education. I am still of the view that the Ministry of Education should seriously look into the question of reintroducing the part-time teacher training courses with a view to obtaining the maximum benefit that we are going to pay for, because the Minister has just now mentioned that in three years' time we will probably be able to get a full complement of trained teachers. I do not see eye to eye with his projections. I think three years is still insufficient time. I have seen relief teachers coming in between to take classes on a daily-paid basis. I have seen many schools affected by it. What do the school children get out of it? This is a problem that has been posed and we should not just wave it aside and say, "Look, for the time being, let us carry on with the relief teachers until such time as we can have better qualified teachers from the Teachers' Training College or other teacher-training institutions. The present status quo must be maintained."

Mr Lim Kim San: Mr Speaker, Sir, I think the Member for Punggol has completely misunderstood what I said just now. I was just thinking aloud when I debated whether we should have a full loaf or make full use of half a loaf. He is under the impression that the Ministry of Education is not considering part-time teacher training. Towards the end of my reply, I said that we are seriously considering whether it is worth our while to reintroduce part-time teacher training so that the half-loaf that we have will be fully utilised.

Mr Ng Kah Ting: I say that it is worth our while to reintroduce part-time teacher training.

Mr Lim Kim San: I am seriously considering it. The Member's impression was that the Ministry of Education was not considering it. That is totally false.

The Member for Moulmein, knowing the workings of government, should consider himself very fortunate indeed, because I can say now that within a six-month period - the six months have not expired - we have already made our recommendations to the Ministry of Finance for restructuring the salary scales and not a revision of salaries. Sir, the restructuring of salary scales is a complicated piece of work and we have done it within six months. The Member for Moulmein should consider himself lucky because, knowing the workings of government, he should know that there are some instances where even in six years' time nothing is heard, not even a squeak!

As regards the recommendations that the Ministry of Education has made to the Ministry of Finance, I am afraid they are confidential.

Mr N. Govindasamy: Mr Speaker, Sir, in view of the fact that we will be debating with the Minister for Education again in a couple of days, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The sum of $524,000 for Head 0701 ordered to stand part of the Third Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st April, 1970, to 31st March, 1971.

The Chairman: I shall now deal with the remaining Head 0401 - Ministry of Finance.

Question, "That the sum of $30,000,000 for Head 0401 stand part of the Third Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st April, 1970, to 31st March, 1971," put, and agreed to.

Question, "That the sum of $30,594,000 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure for the public services shown in the Third Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st April, 1970, to 31st March, 1971, contained in Paper Cmd. 5 of 1971," put, and agreed to.

Resolution to be reported.

3.41 p.m.

The Chairman: Second Supplementary Development Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st April, 1970, to 31st March, 1971, contained in Paper Cmd. 6 of 1971. The summary is on page 2 of the Paper.

Two separate sums are set down in the summary for Head 94 - Public Works (General). I propose to amalgamate the two sums into one total, namely, $1,239,600 and to treat this sum as the required supplementary provision for Head 94.

Head 94 -

Mr N. Govindasamy: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move,

That the sum to be allocated for Head 94 be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead 212*. (*The same amendment also stood in the name of Mr Ng Kah Ting.)

Sir, I would like to compliment the Parks and Trees Division on their contribution in making Singapore a garden city. However, may I hasten to add a word of caution. While the planting of shrubs, trees and greenery along the major roads is important, the routine work of maintaining and preserving existing greenery is also just as important. I have noticed some areas where the shrubs need trimming and the grass needs cutting. I am beginning to wonder if the Department have sufficient manpower to maintain the increased number of parks and gardens that they have to look after as a result of the recent campaign to make Singapore a garden city.

Let me now say a few words about the instant trees that the Parks and Trees Division planted recently all over the city. Sir, the angsana trees planted even around Parliament House are very hardy and take root fast and we had good green trees overnight. In their enthusiasm, the Parks and Trees Division planted trees along roadsides, monsoon drains and pedestrian paths and sometimes too close to one another for people to walk through. Sir, I am told these angsana trees are not only hardy, but they also grow to be very large trees and will soon damage the footpaths and drains, thereby causing additional expenditure.

Sir, I can understand the need for road-widening and removal of some roundabouts, but what I cannot understand is why the Parks and Trees Division beautify roundabouts and road-dividers which are scheduled to be removed soon by the Public Works Department of the Ministry of Law and National Development. I know of two places where this has happened, e.g.. Braddell Circus and Shenton Way Circus. Shortly after they were converted into good gardens, the Roads Division came and dug them up and made them into traffic-light junctions.

3.45 p.m.

Mr Ng Kah Ting: Mr Speaker, Sir,I understand that this sum is required to enable the Parks and Trees Division to undertake a more rapid development of parks and open spaces. Sir, I would be grateful if the Minister could enlighten this House on the number of parks and open spaces that were created in the last financial year.

Sir, I should like to make this observation. In the housing estates that I visited, I noticed that there were some trees and shrubs and children's playgrounds in some of the open spaces. But there is still room for development in a lot of housing estates with regard to open spaces and parks. For example, a huge circus in the Toa Payoh Housing Estate is just simply bare. A lot of money has been spent in planting some grass, but I see only one or two small parks for children in between blocks of flats. If the Parks and Trees Division would care to look into the possibility of turning such open spaces into parks, the residents in the Housing Board Estates would be able to have some recreational facilities in the evenings or weekends and not, as someone has pointed out, have to contend with blocks and blocks of concrete, like a concrete jungle. People do not know their neighbours. As a result of having little or no contact, their relationship is not strengthened. This is probably the price we have to pay for not looking into this aspect of public housing. There is no doubt that the provision of open spaces and parks is being looked into, but there should be co-ordination in this matter between the Urban Renewal Development Division and the Housing and Development Board. Whenever a housing estate is put up, they should look into the question of providing such amenities for the residents.

Mr E. W. Barker: Mr Speaker, Sir, may I first give the details of the projects for which this extra money was needed. An amount of $450,000 was provided in the previous estimate. In early 1970, what is called the "Garden City Action Committee" was established in the Ministry of Law and National Development to plan and co-ordinate a programme of work to spruce up Singapore, the immediate objective being to make Singapore more beautiful for the Heads of State Conference which was held here last January. A substantial number of projects were planned. This amount of money was found to be insufficient. Hence a supplementary provision of $914,900. The break-down is as follows: Development of park outside the Istana $118,000 Improvement to the Esplanade Parka at Connaught Drive $ 60,000 Improvement and extension to the food stalls at Elizabeth Walk $101,000 Bukit Timah Christian Cemetery-exhumation of graves and reinterment to convert the cemetery into a park $160,000 Some work in connection with the sun-dial garden at Botanic Gardens $ 50,000 Development of open spaces at Dunearn-Whitley Roads, Adam Road, Dunearn Road and in front of the Orchard Road Market $ 65,000 Aviary at Katong Park $ 10,000 Pagoda at River Valley Road $ 20,000 Nursery at Ulu Pandan $ 50,000 Nursery at Sembawang $ 67,000 Plant Sales Center at Floral Mile $ 6,000 Purcahse fo four pick-ups and two tankers $ 63,000 I am sure the Member for Telok Blangah has not failed to get his maintenance. Training of 200 gardeners $120,000 Purchase of four portable fountains for use at the Botanic Gardens $ 12,000 Landscaping and planting of shrubs, flowers and tress in open spaces, side-tables and traffic islands $250,000 Development of wooded areas $ 40,000 Construction of timber screens at various places $160,000

Whilst the Member for Telok Blangah complimented the Parks and Trees Division, he cautioned that we should not forget the maintenance. The answer is that we have not. Instructions have been given not to plant unless we can maintain. We would rather have no shrubs and flowers than have half-dead wilting shrubs. In fact, fleets of lorries with water go out when there is a dry spell. They do watering in most places, sometimes at least twice a day. As for planting along road sides, monsoon drains and sometimes along foot-paths, some mistakes have been made. I need not go into details, but whenever these are made they are rectified. For instance, along Orchard Road. As everyone knows, the angsana trees were planted too close to one another, but they were purposely planted that way to accelerate the programme of planting in making Singapore greener for January 197l. As a net result, Orchard Road looked much greener during that month. But the trees were not wasted. As soon as they grow too big, they will be pulled out and planted in other places. Mistakes have been made. Where you have a nice foot-path, the next day you find angsana trees in the middle of it. I myself have had cause to complain. Some of these trees have been pulled out, others left alone to take root in order that they may be planted elsewhere. Sometimes ridiculous mistakes have been made. For example, trees planted next to a flat, or next to a retaining wall. They have had to be pulled out, otherwise the retaining wall would come down. But these are mistakes which have been made and instructions have been given that there should be closer supervision of the work done. Most of the work is done by contractors. One of the contracts is to plant a tree on both sides of the road every 50 yards. Unless properly supervised, all they do is to measure 50 yards, dig a hole, fill it with fertilizer and then plant a tree in it. They do not care whether the spot at which they plant is next to a lamppost, a fire hydrant or under another tree! The net result was that we finally had to issue a series of do's and don'ts. "Do plant trees along unshaded areas." "Don't plant trees under lamp-post or under other trees." I think these mistakes will continue to be made, and perhaps other mistakes will have to be corrected. They have even planted trees along a rubber estate where the rubber trees are already in a row and are properly shaded! When I queried them, I was told that this was a nursery.

Coming to the roundabouts, the one at Braddell Circus was planted with small trees and shrubs more than three years ago. At that time it was known that the roundabout would have to disappear, and traffic lights to control the left traffic lanes instituted. But instead of waiting three years and leaving the roundabout with just grass, it was decided to plant. Now that the roundabout has been converted into a traffic light junction, the shrubs and trees, wherever they can be recovered, have been planted elsewhere.

As for the roundabout at Shenton Way, Shenton Way is an important place. Important people pass there. Instead of leaving it bare, we decided to plant, even if it was for a short while.

If I can deal with the Member for Punggol who has suddenly become interested in Housing and Development Board flats -

Mr Ng Kah Ting: I am interested in parks!

Mr Barker: I assume there are some in Punggol.

Mr Ng Kah Ting: Private ones.

Mr Barker: Private housing estates.

4.00 p.m.

I think Members' complaints, in general, are that there is not enough grass and greenery. Ten years ago we were not looking for parks and trees and playgrounds: we were then looking for houses. Now that the houses have come, the demand for amenities has increased. Members of Parliament now move around in cars, whereas before they moved around on bicycles! But they should not blame the Parks and Trees Division for any lack of amenities in Housing Board estates. Blame the Housing and Development Board if they like, but let me say that a special effort has been mounted in Toa Payoh to plant more and more trees and shrubs. In fact, quite a bit of ground has been reserved for a park. There are some concrete floors laid between various blocks of flats, and these will be broken up and trees planted, as in the case of recreation parks where cars are parked. I think that in the course of this year Toa Payoh will be a better place to live in.

To sum up, Sir, my Ministry is aware of the problems brought up by both Members. We are aware of our mistakes, and we hope to correct them. We will do our best to satisfy the demands of Members and their constituents.

Mr N. Govindasamy: Sir, I beg leave to withdraw.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

The sum of $1,239,600 for Head 94 ordered to stand part of the Second Supplementary Development Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st April, 1970, to 31st March, 1971.

The sum of $1,860,000 for Head 101 ordered to stand part of the Second Supplementary Development Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st April, 1970, to 31st March. 1971.

Question, "That the sum of $3,099,600 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads of expenditure for the public services shown in the Second Supplementary Development Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st April. 1970, to 31st March. 1971, contained in Paper Cmd. 6 of 1971." put, and agreed to.

Resolution to be reported.

Thereupon Mr Speaker left the Chair of the Committee and took the Chair of the House.

The Minister for Finance (Mr Hon Sui Sen): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply have come to certain resolutions.

Resolutions reported -

"That the sum of 530,594,000 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads al expenditure for the public services shown in the Third Supplementary Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st April, l970, to 31st March, 1971, contained in Paper Cmd. 5 of 1971."

"That the sum of 53,099,600 shall be supplied to the Government under the heads, of expenditure for the public services shown in the Second Supplementary Development Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st April, 1970, to 31st March, 1971, contained in Paper Cmd. 6 of 1971."

Mr Hon Sui Sen: Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move. "That Parliament doth agree with the Committee on the said resolutions."

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolutions accordingly agreed to.