extracted from ST forum.
When is ComCare ready to give speedy aid to the needy?
I refer to the article 'Faster aid to needy, thanks to data bank'
by Yap Su-Yin (ST, Nov 25).
The ComCare database currently has records of 74,000 households
that have approached the Community Development Councils, the
Islamic Religious Council of Singapore and 18 family service
centres that disburse the School Pocket Money Fund.
If each needy household has on average four family members, the
number of needy Singaporeans in the database todate may be around
300,000 (74,000 x 4 family members).
There are plans to rope in more partners for the database, such as
the Citizens' Consultative Committees, voluntary welfare
organisations and government agencies.
Presumably when the database of these organisations are
incorporated into the ComCare database, the total number of needy
Singaporeans on record may increase even more.
Although the setting up of the database is timely, it begs the
question why this was not done earlier? After all, the cost was
only $350,000.
With 240,000 Singaporeans earning less than $1,000 a month, are
there any statistics or estimates of how many Singaporeans are in
financial distress?
An example of the plight of needy Singaporeans was recently
reported in the media. In one primary school, there were about 10
Primary Six students who were in difficulty paying their school fee
arrears, resulting in the PSLE result slip of one student being
withheld.
With about 39,000 HDB households in arrears for their service and
conservancy fees, if in one primary school alone about 10 students
in just one level (Primary Six) can't pay, how many students in
schools at all levels are in arrears for their fees?
The ComCare Fund has given out $8.7 million to 13,700 low-income
households in nationwide assistance programmes in the first three
months of operation.
Separately, some $660,000 out of the $4 million set aside under the
CCC ComCare Fund has been disbursed to 5,400 needy Singaporeans.
This works out to an average of about $212 per month given to each
of the 13,700 low-income households and $122 given to each of the
5,400 needy Singaporeans.
Does this mean that the rest of the 60,300 needy households which
have been given or are currently receiving assistance have yet to
receive any assistance under ComCare?
Or does it mean that only about 19 per cent of those who have been
given or are currently receiving assistance are eligible for
ComCare assitance?
Or does it mean that most of these households do not need
assistance anymore?
The number of households (5,400) which have received assistance
under the CCC ComCare Fund also seems to be quite small. The above
represents about 81 per cent of the 74,000 needy households in the
database.
If we add the databases of the other organisations to ComCare's, it
may appear that assistance is taking a long time to reach needy
Singaporeans. Why is this so?
I would like to suggest that the process be expedited if possible
because any delay can only prolong the sufferings of those in need.
To echo the questions tabled by several MPs on the plight of needy
Singaporeans, is there any estimate or timeline as to when ComCare
will be able to assess and deliver assistance to all the
needy?
The recently announced $500 million East Coast Park upgrading,
which has attracted some debate in the media as to its necessity,
raises the question of the need to reconsider our national
expenditure for needy Singaporeans.
Leong Sze Hian
