The Satellite Tracking System is not the only project that was
aborted at great cost.
The following are mistakes made by LTA which have incurred millions
of taxpayers' money as well as caused a lot of emotional havoc with
the people involved:
1. 1st phase of bus stop upgrading where the design included solar
powered fan, slanting seats blocked by glass billboards retrofitted
with lights that made the place like a furnance;
2. The Electronic Billboards on expressways giving estimated time
of journey which is now shut down;
3. The notorious Nicoll Highway incident;
4. The Circle Line construction which has led to cracks in
buildings and houses around the vicinity esp Beach Road - try going
to Plaza Hotel basement carpark and take a look;
5. The murder-suicide of the senior engineer and his son - the poor
chap was assigned to work on the circle line project and decided to
end his life because he couldn't take the stress and his supervisor
rejected request to transfer out repeatedly;
6. The aborted plan to build a $1.5 billion HQ when so much space
has gone to waste at former HDB building;
7. The decision to give NEL to SBS in the name of competition which
Transport MInister subsequent noted on the contrary this year that
having a single operator would have led to greater
efficiency;
8. The location of the NEL stations which has led to low usage and
compelled SBS to cancel bus services to force people to take the
train;
9. The refusal to budge on allowing private players to enter the
feeder bus market; the LTA subsequently reversed the decision
following public outcry but set very strict and ridiculous
requirements (like entrance and exit must be at a certain height
from the ground) resulting in private operators being unable to
comply;
10. Problems with the EZ-Link card system, problems which persist
till today including overcharing, false error signals etc. Besides
exposing the incompetence of LTA engineers, this shows a lack of
solid preparative research prior to implementation.
All these mistakes and the LTA is still collecting road tax to
spend on public relations exerise???????
And try writing to them. Chances are they will reject the
suggestion with their "we-know-best" attitude. To add insult to
injury, they will write at the last line, "Should the public have
any suggestions, they can call 1800-CALL-LTA". Load of
bullshit!!!
Is there accountability in the SIngapore Government? I think NOT.
If these goondos were in the private sector, they would have been
forced to resign en masse or sacked.
So it is left to the voters in Yeo CHeow Tong's district to vote
that useless fool out.
