ST Forum
March 22, 2006
Stop wasteful spending of public funds
AMID the cheer over the beneficence of the new Budget, I see a need
to prevent unnecessary wastage of public funds in certain areas. A
dollar saved is a dollar earned.
When the Brickworks Community Centre moved out of its premises at
the junction of Hoy Fatt Road and Jalan Bukit Merah in the late
1990s, the building was renovated extensively for use as a police
neighbourhood centre. But in little more than a couple of years,
this police centre moved to Commonwealth Avenue. Again, fairly
extensive renovations were done.
And late last year, this police centre moved yet again, this time
to a new building at Queensway. Meanwhile, the Corrupt Practices
Investigation Bureau moved into the vacated building at Brickworks.
Each move entailed substantial removal and renovation costs.
When the police moved out of their neighbourhood centre at
Commonwealth Avenue, the front doors were left open for about a
month. This could be seen from the road and from MRT trains passing
by. Was this a trap to catch the burglars and thieves of
Queenstown? Or has the low-crime situation in Queenstown improved
to no-crime status, unbeknown to the public?
Any cavalier attitude towards the expenditure of public funds and
the protection of public property needs to be curbed,
quickly.
Another example of wasteful expenditure occurred recently at the
children's play area beside Block 8, Farrer Road. There, the
perfectly good, beautiful blue tiles on the low parapet surrounding
the play area were inexplicably replaced by cheap-looking, drab
beige-grey ones.
At the same time, the old stairs leading to Farrer Court were
demolished and rebuilt. Residents rejoiced, for the old stairs had
steps of different heights, including a dangerously low 10cm step
which had caused many people to stumble. However, the new stairs
have become the laughing stock of the area, because they are
exactly like the old, including the 10cm step!
Mickey Chiang