MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS

The Ministry of Communications will continue to expand and improve the communications infrastructure for Singapore to discharge its role as a major centre for international communications.

Road Transportation

The Ministry will introduce traffic management measures such as the Park and Ride and City Shuttle Bus and Area Licensing schemes. Voluntary schemes like staggered work hours and formation of Car Pools will be stepped up. The prime objective is to relieve traffic congestion.

More than 100 Government and Singapore Armed Forces personnel were seconded to Singapore Bus Service Ltd. (SBS) since August last year. A determined effort is now in progress to improve the management and raise the standard and quality of the public bus service. SBS is to be converted into a public limited company with Government having a shareholding when it is firmly established.

Mass Rapid Transit

The First Phase Study of mass transit systems was completed in 1974. The Second Phase Study, involving more detailed feasibility evaluations including the engineering and financial aspects, is underway. This Study is expected to be completed this year.

Maritime and Port Services

Ships on the Singapore Registry totalled more than three million tons in May 1974. Within the first quarter of this year, they should exceed four million tons.

In 1974, the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) handled nearly 14.3 million tonnes of cargo (excluding bunker fuel), an increase of 4% over the previous year. Unless trends are reversed, the growth rate is expected to level off in 1975. Retraining schemes will be introduced for the excess manpower resulting from this.

The PSA is undertaking various development projects. These include warehouses at Pasir Panjang, Alexandra and other areas in the Western Corridor. Additional berths and related facilities for container ships, as well as slop reception facilities at Pulau Sebarok are also being constructed.

As PSA needs to dredge navigation channels and anchorages, the dredged material will be used to reclaim a number of offshore islands. These reclaimed islands are to be used for industry and public recreation.

Civil Aviation

Aircraft and passenger movements, freight and mail handled at Paya Lebar and Seletar Airports continued to increase in 1974. Commercial aircraft movements for Paya Lebar Airport increased by 0.8%, passenger traffic by 9%, freight by 38%, mail handled by 15.4%, in 1974 as compared to 1973. Further development of Paya Lebar and Seletar Airports to cater to the demand is planned at an estimated cost of $460 million.

Meteorological Services

Meteorological observations of the upper atmosphere, including the monsoons affecting Singapore, will be carried out for a regional research programme sponsored by the World Meteorological Organisation. The Meteorological Department will install electronic aids to observe weather for aviation purposes and to speed up interchange of meteorological data.

Telecommunications

New telephone exchanges are being constructed, and installation of telephone switching and transmission equipment is being speeded up. To improve the service to the public, the Telecommunication Authority of Singapore (TAS) will be running more training courses for its staff, with the assistance of various overseas experts, at its new telecommunication training centre. Postal Services

Under the Five-Year Development Programme for thirty new post offices from 1973 to 1978, twelve post offices have been completed. Four more are nearing completion. A new Postal Headquarters complex is to be built. This will incorporate a mechanised mail sorting system