PRIORITY FOR HAWKER LICENCES FOR APPLICANTS COMPELLED TO SURRENDER HDB SHOPHOUSE TENANCIES

Mr Ho See Beng asked the Minister for the Environment and Minister for Communications if he will consider granting priority for hawker licences to those applicants who have been compelled to give up their Housing and Development Board shophouses because they cannot afford to pay the increased rentals.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and the Minister for Social Affairs (Mr Teo Chong Tee) (for the Minister for the Environment and Minister for Communications): Mr Speaker, Sir, I am replying on behalf of my Minister.

My Ministry is not in a position to provide assistance to shopkeepers who could not pay their rentals to HDB. Markets or food centres are built primarily for the resiting of street hawkers. There is already a shortage of stalls to cater for the remaining street hawkers, especially those selling cooked food and piece and sundry goods. It is, therefore, not possible to consider allocating hawker stalls to those shopkeepers who could not afford to pay the increased rentals. If they have the skills to take up hawking, they can always rent space in coffeeshops and other food establishments.

Mr Ho See Beng (Khe Bong): Sir, I would like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary whether his Hawkers Department has guidelines for those applicants who deserve priority or are given hawker licences if they are hardship cases.

Mr Teo Chong Tee: Mr Speaker, Sir, yes, we do consider cases which are justified hardship cases.