CONSTRUCTION BRIGADE (Progress)

Encik Saidi Haji Shariff asked the Minister for Home Affairs how successful has been the Construction Brigade in achieving its objectives.

The Minister for Home Affairs (Mr Chua Sian Chin): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Construction Brigade was formed in 1981 to build up a local construction workforce and civil defence capability by using more effectively National Service (NS) manpower resources normally channelled to the now disbanded pan-time Vigilante Corps. There is an essential need in civil defence of skills in the -construction trades for activities like excavation, damage containment, building repairs and reconstruction. This need is best achieved by training NS men in construction skills and involving them in actual construction work. It will, at the same time, enable the unskilled NS men to acquire a vocational skill for their career development after NS.

As construction skills required for civil defence need to be practised continuously to retain familiarity, the best indication of whether the Construction Brigade has succeeded in its objectives is in the number of ex-Construction Brigade men who will continue working in the construction industry after NS. The first intake of 92 Construction Brigade men will complete their NS liability in April this year and go into civil defence reserves. Only then can we know for certain whether the Construction Brigade scheme has succeeded in encouraging local citizens to take up construction as a trade.

Meanwhile, the progress of the Construction Brigade is as follows. Since the scheme started, 10 intakes of 2,937 Construction Brigade men have been enlisted, i.e. an average of about 290 each quarter. 320 Construction Brigade men are presently undergoing basic paramilitary-cum-trade training at the Civil Defence School and the Ponggol Vocational Institute. Besides being trained in the basic civil defence skills of first aid, rescue and fire fighting, Construction Brigade men are also given construction trade training in a wide variety of trades such as barbending, bricklaying, plastering, tiling, pipe-fitting, building carpentry, painting, electrical wiring and prefabrication skills. On the average, more than 90% of Construction Brigade men have successfully completed the basic paramilitary-cum-trade training.

Mr Speaker, Sir, three intakes of 976 Construction Brigade men are now doing on-the-job training at the Housing and Development Board's worksites, having completed basic training. The performance of Construction Brigade men during on-the-job training is good, with more than 75% of Construction Brigade men completing the on-the-job training successfully. The poorer performers are given remedial on-the-job training before proceeding to free market employment with HDB's contractors. Construction Brigade men who have completed their on-the-job training successfully have $1,260 credited to their CPF account as an incentive. This CPF bonus can be used later as down payment to purchase HDB flats.

On completion of on-the-job training, Construction Brigade men can upgrade themselves and sit for the Certificate of Competency test conducted by the Vocational and Industrial Training Board. Holders of this certificate can sit for the National Trade Certificate Grade 3 after two more years of working experience. The performance of Construction Brigade men in the Certificate of Competency has been comparable to that of candidates from the general public who would have had at least two years of certified working experience. Thus far, about 213 Construction Brigade men have obtained the Certificate of Competency. Some contractors have also encouraged Construction Brigade men to upgrade themselves and have sponsored Construction Brigade men for the Certificate of Competency.

The first six intakes of 1,641 Construction Brigade men, on completion of their on-the-job training, have been disrupted from NS and are now on free market employment with HDB's contractors. They are being paid market wages which can vary from $15 to $40 per day. More than 50% of the Construction Brigade men earn more than $20 per day. Some of the better ones, about 1%, are in fact earning as much as $40 per day. This is about $1000 per month which compares very favourably with the average national monthly wage of $925 per month. More than 50% of Construction Brigade men have regular attendance while on free market employment. Those with irregular attendance or poor performance are liable to be dismissed by the contractors. Such Construction Brigade men will be recalled for full-time NS.

Construction Brigade men are deployed to work in about 160 HDB worksites. HDB's core contractors and major foreign contractors take in about 40% of the Construction Brigade men. Construction Brigade men working with these contractors are exposed to modern construction methods such as the use of prefabrication technology and mechanized methods of construction. This exposure will benefit them greatly should they decide to be construction workers after NS.

From the progress reports of the first few batches of Construction Brigade NS men, the indications are quite encouraging.

Encik Saidi Haji Shariff (Kaki Bukit): A supplementary question, Sir. May I ask the Minister if he will just give an elaboration of what are the problems or difficulties faced by the Construction Brigade? And can I come to the conclusion that those who join the Construction Brigade have benefited very much from their whole experience in the Construction Brigade?

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Mr Speaker, Sir, in as far as the problems are concerned, there are not many. They are only confined to the minority of the NS men who for various reasons may not like to do the job of construction work. As a result, some of them do not work everyday. They work one or two days and then they commit AWOL or away from work without leave. So these are some of the minor problems that we face. But as I said, those who absented themselves from work, in other words, they do not discharge their national service commitment, they would be enlisted to do full-time national service.

Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam (Anson): Mr Speaker, Sir, two supplementary questions for the Minister. Would he say whether they are all employed at HDB sites or are they also employed on private construction sites? Secondly, do these workers come under the supervision and control of the contractor, or do they come under the supervision and control of the army or unit to which they are attached?

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Mr Speaker, Sir, as far as the first question is concerned, they are not confined to working in the HDB construction sites. Although the majority of them are working in the HDB construction sites, they also work for the PWD and other contractors as well. But most of them work with Government or HDB contractors.

With regard to the second question as to whether they are supervised by the contractors or the civil defence officers, as far as the period where they are working under contractors, it is natural that they should be supervised by the contractors because the contractors are their employers.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Mr Speaker, Sir, another supplementary question. The Minister has spoken of some of them having problems with their contractors. Would the Minister say how are these problems dealt with by whoever is responsible for dealing with them in the army?

Mr Chua Sian Chin: They will have to deal with the problems in accordance with the nature of the problem if it is a question of discipline, as I told the Member for Kaki Bukit, that they have been on leave without permission, then they will be dealt with by the civil defence authorities as a disciplinary problem.