DEPARTMENTAL TITLES

12.44 pm

The Minister for National Development (Mr Teh Cheang Wan): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move the Motion*

*The Motion reads as follows:

That this Parliament, pursuant to section 3 of the Departmental Titles (Alteration) Act (Chapter 53), resolves that the Schedule to the said Act be amended by the addition under the headings of "Old Title or Name of Office" and "New Title or Name of Office" respectively of the following: Old Title or Name of Office New Title or Name of Office Assistant Director of ) Deputy Director of Primary Production ) Primary Production (Veterinary) ) Senior Primary Production ) Officer ) (Veterinary) ) Senior Primary ) Production Officer Senior Primary Production ) Officer ) (Agriculture) ) standing in my name as it appears on the Order Paper.

Currently, in the Animals and Birds Act, reference is made to the Assistant Director of Primary Production (Veterinary) and Senior Primary Production Officer (Veterinary). Similarly, in the Agricultural Pests Act and the Controlled Plants Act, reference is made to the Senior Primary Production Officer (Agriculture). These posts are now redesignated as Deputy Director of Primary Production and Senior Primary Production Officer respectively. The change in the titles is necessary to reflect the correct designations of these appointments.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question proposed. 12.45 pm

Mr Jeyaretnam: May I just ask the Minister a clarification? I see from his motion that there are two posts - Senior Primary Production Officer (Veterinary) and Senior Primary Production Officer (Agriculture). The new title for both those posts is Senior Primary Production Officer. How are you going to show their distinct functions? I take it that they have got separate functions - one is veterinary and the other is agriculture.

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: These are officers appointed on the same grade and they perform their respective functions. The change is to comply with the present designation of these posts.

Mr Jeyaretnam: My question is: how is the public to know which is the Senior Primary Production Officer in charge of veterinary matters, ie, who he should go and see or who he should address? And who is the Senior Primary Production Officer (Agriculture)?

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, these are departmental functions. For example, in the Public Works Department, we have senior architects. But some of the senior architects are in charge of building schools, some are in charge of building hospitals, and some are in charge of building libraries. But we do not call them Senior Architect (Hospitals), Senior Architect (Libraries) and Senior Architect (School Buildings). So those people who have dealings with the Senior Architect know who to approach. It is just like the legal officers. The legal officers are in charge of various functions. But we do not attach a title to every legal officer on the function that he is performing.

Dr Augustine Tan: The relevant question, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, is whether someone trained in agriculture, who bears one of these new titles, can now treat a dog or a cat which is sick?

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, he will not.

Ouestion put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this Parliament, pursuant to section 3 of the Departmental Titles (Alteration) Act (Chapter 53), resolves that the Schedule to the said Act be amended by the addition under the headings of "Old Title or Name of Office" and "New Title or Name of Office" respectively of the following: Old Title or New Title or Name of Office Name of Office Assistant Director of ) Deputy Director of Primary Production ) Primary Production (Veterinary) ) Senior Primary ) Production Officer ) (Veterinary) ) Senior Primary ) Production Officer Senior Primary ) Production Officer ) (Agriculture) )