STAFF TRAINING INSTITUTE

Mr J. F. Conceicao asked the Minister for Finance what portions of the sums voted for the Staff Training Institute in respect of manpower for Financial Years 73 and 74 were spent, and what were the items in respect of which expenditure was not incurred in each of these Financial Years 73 and 74.

Mr Hon Sui Sen: The Expenditure on Manpower provisions voted for the Staff Training Institute for Financial Years 73 and 74 and the portions spent were as follows: FY 73: Voted $216,970.00 Spent $198,535.71 FY 74: Voted $492,760.00 Spent $321,400.00 (up to 28th February, 1975) $350,390.00 (estimated up to end of FY) $18,434.29 for FY 73 was not spent because the two new posts for 1 HEO and 1 Despatch Rider were not filled. For FY 74, $142,370 was not spent because suitable staff including Training and Senior Training Officers and Language Education Officers were not recruited despite several attempts to do so through circulars and advertisements. One of the Senior Training Officer posts is being filled by a Lecturer on secondment from the University of Singapore. The vacancies of Language Education Officer will all be filled in the new financial year when three Language Education Officers assume duty. The other posts comprising 1 Language Laboratory Technician, 2 Clerical Assistants, 1 Assistant Technician and 8 Division IV staff have not been filled because the new premises for the Staff Training Institute at Heng Mui Keng Terrace off Pasir Panjang has not been completed.