PEOPLE'S ASSOCIATION (Staff shortage)

Mr Teo Chong Tee asked the Minister for Community Development (a) whether the People's Association is continuously facing a general shortage of staff, particularly in the posts of Organising Secretary and Assistant Organising Secretary; and (b) whether the present unattractive salary scales and unpleasant working hours are the major reasons and, if so, what is being done to improve the salary structure and to provide better incentives for the PA staff.

The Minister for Labour (Mr Lee Yock Suan): Mr Speaker, Sir, I am answering in my capacity as the Deputy Chairman of the People's Association.

The People's Association is no longer facing any shortage of Organising Secretaries (OSs), Assistant Organising Secretaries (AOSs) or any other category of staff. It was true that in the past, the PA had difficulty in recruiting and retaining OSs and AOSs because of three main factors:

(1) Low salary scales.

(2) Long and difficult working hours affecting the social life of the staff, especially the young singles.

(3) More attractive employment offers from the private sector and other Government agencies.

In June 1982, the Government approved an upward revision of the salary scales of the staff, including OSs and AOSs. Since then, more incentives for the staff have been introduced such as loan schemes for housing, renovation, microcomputer and vehicles, medical care, training schemes and other benefits. The salary scales and conditions of service of the PA are now comparable with those in the Civil Service.

Since September 1987, the modern community centres are open from 8.30 am to 10.30 pm to better serve the public, particularly the senior citizens, housewives, students and shift workers. This has also allowed more OSs and AOSs to work in flexible shifts. These new working hours are more convenient than working from 2.30 pm to 10.30 pm all the time.