SEA SPORTS IN PUNGGOL (Development)

Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Acting Minister for Community Development (a) whether the Government has any plans to develop sea sport facilities in the Punggol Constituency; and (b) whether those affected by the development, especially the boatels, will be relocated, and, if so, where.

The Acting Minister for Community Development (Mr Wong Kan Seng): Mr Speaker, Sir, there are no immediate plans to develop sea sport facilities in the Punggol constituency because, as the Member for Punggol is aware, the seafront land at Punggol will be reclaimed. The reclamation is expected to be completed only in the 1990s. After the completion of the reclamation, Punggol will be one of the sites to be considered for the development of sea sport facilities.

The boatels in Punggol are affected by development. Seafront land suitable for the development of sea sport facilities is presently very limited in Singapore. It is therefore not possible for the Government, as a matter of policy, to provide alternative facilities for the relocation of boatels affected by development. However, arising from the appeal made by the Member for Punggol, I am glad to say that the Minister for National Development has decided to allow nine out of the 10 boatels to remain in Punggol for another five years up to 1991.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Mr Speaker, Sir, supplementary questions for the Acting Minister. May I tell him that I am referring to the Ministry's statement for Marina Centre that appeared in the Straits Times sometime ago. May I ask him, arising out of that, whether it is the Government's intention to retain Punggol as a marina centre? Because, according to this report, only Pasir Ris, Sembawang and West Coast are the three areas.

Secondly, would he assure this House that the views of the local users of these facilities will be taken into account in locating sites for marina centres?

Thirdly, would he also assure the House that these centres or sites will not be offered out on a commercial basis but that the needs of the clubs which are already offering these facilities will be taken into account?

Mr Wong Kan Seng: Mr Speaker, Sir, my Ministry was not responsible for releasing the press statement or the information in the newspaper. I do not know where he got the information from. In any case, the allocation of sites is the responsbility of the National Development Ministry. I can assure him that the views of the people who are affected will be taken into account by my Ministry. We will take up the case with the relevant Ministry. As far as land allocation is concerned, it must fall within the land allocation policy of the Government.