Interim market set up to help stallholders affected by
AMK fire
SINGAPORE : Help is on hand for hawkers and stallholders who are
affected by the fire at Ang Mo Kio market and hawker centre on
Tuesday night.
For a start, an interim market will be set up by Monday morning, so
that those selling market produce can continue doing
business.
At 4pm on Wednesday, the hawkers and stallholders had a meeting
with the representatives from the relevant agencies such as the
town council, Community Development Council (CDC), Citizens
Consultative Committee (CCC) as well as MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC, Wee
Siew Khim, who stood in for MP Seng Han Tong who was away.
At the end of the meeting, stallholders were given the following
few options.
Give up their business and opt for a cash grant of $16,000 (for
market stallholders) or $23,000 (for cooked food stallholders),
or
continue at an interim market which will be set up for one and a
half month. They may then move to a temporary market that will be
set up for between 18 months and 2 years or they can opt for an
alternative stall in other markets and hawker centres.
But for those opting for the temporary market, they will have to
pay at least a few thousand dollars to help build it.
Wee Siew Khim, MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC said: "As we have practised in
all the other market fires in the past, all stallholders will pull
together and share the cost of building that market which they are
going to use for the next 1824 months.
"We took note of their concerns and those who have any constraints
or financial problems, we will probably structure it for them to
pay by instalments. Or they could come to us and well treat each
case on a customised basis."
Because of that, many stallholders are thinking twice about taking
the offer to operate their business at the temporary market.
"Ill try to take it but if the rent is very expensive, like $8,000
to $10,000, then I think I cant afford it. If I dont take, I
dont know what I can do," said Peh Thiam Hock, a
stallholder.
Some have decided to take a break till the market is rebuilt in
about two years time, while others have decided to throw in the
towel.
"Some of them, up to 40% of them, are firstgeneration
stallholders, so they have the option of taking an exgratia
payment and not operate anymore," said MP Wee.
The stallholders have till Friday to make their decision.
The fire on Tuesday night was one of the worst market fires in
recent years.
More than 100 people were at the food centre having their meals
when the fire broke out at about 9.30pm on Tuesday. They made a
quick dash for safety when they saw the fire spreading
quickly.
The SCDF said investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of
the fire. CNA /ls
