Bangla sweepers are now replaced by Singaporeans according to Aljunied Town Council
I got this newsletter from Aljunied Town Council. Service and Conservancy fees are going up from next month. Timing couldn’t have been much worse. I thought with the impending election, fee hikes should be on hold. I guess the PAP is going bolder and they are so confidence they would get a ‘convincing’ mandate again this time round.
After reading the newsletter and trying to understand the rationale put forth, I have more questions in my mind.
1) Electricity tariff going up is cited as one of the reasons for the service fee hike. However, I am still puzzled at why electricity prices are pegged to oil price when Singapore uses natural gas for electricity generation.
2) Singaporeans replace bangla as sweepers, hence the need to pay higher wages. I haven’t seen this happening. Have you?
3) How much money is lost by the town council to minibonds?
4) How much of the fee hike is due to paying bonus and pay rise to civil servants?
5) How much is the fee hike for non Singaporeans?
6) The town council has a huge sinking fund. Can’t they defer the fee hike till later?
7) Who approves the fee hike?
8) Are there any Government or grassroots leaders sitting on the board in those companies contracted for maintenance work?
The town council needs to justify the fee hike and the reasons cited in the newsletter are not convincing.
