JURONG BIRD PARK (Reduction in admission and other charges)

Mr J. F. Conceicao asked the Minister for Finance if he will ascertain from the Jurong Town Corporation the number of paying visitors monthly to the Jurong Bird Park between 1st April, 1971, and 29th February, 1972; and if the Corporation will consider reducing the admission and other charges to the Bird Park so as to give opportunity to more people to visit the Park.

The Minister of State for Finance (Mr Tang See Chim) (for the Minister for Finance): Mr Speaker, Sir, I understand that the monthly figures for paying visitors to the Jurong Bird Park are: - 1971: April 71,398 May 40,942 June 26,566 July 32,752 August 49,562 September 22,242 October 38,390 November 59,198 December 47,234 1972: January 28,475 February 61,521 ------- Total 478,280 =======

The Jurong Bird Park is owned by the Jurong Bird Park (Pte) Ltd, and not by the Jurong Town Corporation. The Corporation has no control over its running. The Member's suggestion has, therefore, been forwarded to the Company for consideration. Since its opening, the Bird Park has reduced its admission charges to half the usual rates for groups organised through community centres. There are also concessionary rates for school children organised through schools. It is further noted that of the 478,280 paying visitors to the Bird Park during the period 1st April, 1971 to 29th February, 1972, only 12,707 took advantage of the community centres' concessionary rates, and 70,445 students were admitted under the schools' concessionary rates.