[Chiam vs SLA] Election or no election, may the best man win
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In the matter of dispute between Potong Pasir Town Council vs MHA (SLA) over the erection of usual 3' X 2' signboards demarcating state land. [SG parliament, 3/2011]
Re: 'Chiam calls attention to upkeep of state land': [ST, 10Mar2011][alt link1(picts)][alt link2]
It is a shame on Singapore politics and syndromic of systemic inefficiency that an issue over the placement of a 3' X 2' signboard should snowball into a parliamentary debate over its provision.
The former lamenting about the added responsibilities put on his Town Council cleaners, the latter defending blatant systemic double standards, ostensibly created to disadvantage opposition politicians.
My suggestion would be for the SLA to stop such low brow practices and prejudice against opposition constituents. The usual practice as I understand would be the erection of the 3' X 2' signboard, an example of which is annexed below.
The wise way forward would probably be for Mr Chiam to take 'ownership'/ custody for the piece of state land (by way of a prolonged rent free lease), and innovate useful purposes for it. The triangular "piece of land behind the Hindu temple along Potong Pasir Avenue 3" [pict] measures only 100 X 50m (an odd shaped quarter hector); and lying 100m SW of Potong Pasir Police Post and 400m south of the P.Pasir Town Council (PPTC); directly across the road from St Andrews village.
My recommendation would be for the field to be taken over by PPTC and turned into a fruit garden/ partitioned into a vegetable garden. These uses would serve the residents well as the town council could ban casual picking of fruit and instead devise a system whereby all harvest could be channeled in cash or kind to the constituency's needy residents. Surrounding residents, paroling police and even the friendly SAJC security guards could be engaged to enforce such PPTC policies by calling the police should 'poachers' be sighted/ present.
SLA on receiving this high noble request from the MP concerned ought to, but for any better purpose, grant free lease of the land for this/ proximate purpose to PPTC. (I really cannot accept the inefficiency of SLA workers going down to PP to clean up/ cut grass on the 1/4 hectare area at every beck and call).
Only by such charity and innovation can the citizens of Singapore live happily and harmoniously together.
Potong Pasir community would be happier, more robust and the SLA eased.
Election or no election, may the best man win.
Majulah Singapura.
End-notes:
An alternative use for the land (triangular shaped, boarded by roads and HDB) would be for TaiChi/ other light sports/ fun fairs/ performances; the use of which might generate monies that PPTC could re-channel towards maintenance of the land. A less robust but likewise possible use for the vacant piece of land then I originally suggested. If PPTC could afford it, a flower/ herb garden would be a nice addition too.
Example of a signboard such as the one in contention [pict]:
~ "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"-- Matthew 25:40 (NIV)
Rgds, Love and may God bless,
B.C.
