HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD FLATS (Employment of lift attendants)

Mr Ch'ng Jit Koon asked the Minister for National Development and Communications whether the Housing and Development Board will consider engaging lift attendants to man the lifts in HDB flats.

Mr Lim Kim San: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Board has considered manning lifts in HDB estates but found the practice to be both costly and impractical. Based on present requirements, a total of 6,500 attendants costing $23 million a year would be required if each of the 3,230 lifts were to be manned for two shifts. Not only are the costs prohibitive, but it may also be difficult to recruit the manpower in view of the tight labour situation. However, there is nothing like helping yourselves. "God will help those who help themselves." In some estates such as Sims Drive, Toa Payoh East and Farrer Road, residents have on their own initiative engaged lift attendants and have obtained HDB's assistance in training them. The Board is always willing to provide training to lift attendants employed by residents of other estates.