http://therealsingapore.com/content/jurong-town-council-brushes-bug-plague-not-causing-sting
[h=1]JURONG TOWN COUNCIL BRUSHES OFF BUG PLAGUE AS NOT CAUSING A STING
Post date:[/h]24 Apr 2015 - 11:20pm
[photo credit: AsiaOne]
Are plagues swarming Singapore?
First, there were the rats. They started invading homes and shops, and then childcare centres.
The gnawed at the walls and created burrows and holes. The dogs were blamed and people were told to stop feeding the strays.
Then came the bugs, again at Bukit Batok.
It was reported that they came in swarms, like the rats. But this time, in swarms of black, coming in the thousands.
The rats came for months on end but just as it looked like it was about to end, the bugs have come as the second plague.
They come in every evening and create itches, residents say.
And then they drop dead, MyPaper reported.
They suddenly came in large numbers two weeks ago and this has shocked residents when they come at 7pm every evening.
A thousand of them even flew into the house of Candy Tan, who told MyPaper that it was her "worst" encounter. She lives at Block 170, on the 24th floor.
But when contacted, Ho Thian Poh, general manager at the Jurong Town Council told Channel NewsAsia, "Although our search was extensive, we did not detect any source or breeding ground in the areas under our management.
"They stated that the beetles do not possess a sting so they are not able to sting people and a large majority of beetles are not known to transmit or carry disease."
But haven't they caused itches? And why have they kept coming?
But Mr Ho did not answer. Yet, it was found that Mr Ho is not only the general manager of the Jurong Town Council, he is also the managing director of the contractor engaged by the Jurong Town Council.
The contractor is Esmaco Township Management Services, which is owned by UGL Premas Limited, of which Mr Ho is the managing director.
But that is still not all. Mr Ho is also the PAP branch secretary of Bukit Batok East.
But if the contractor has not done a good job managing the plague of the rats and now the plague of the bugs, and if Mr Ho who runs Esmaco also heads the Jurong Town Council, then who will take responsibility or will they both shed their responsibilities?
But this is not the first time that Jurong Town Council has been found suspect.
When the rats infestation occurred, the Jurong Town Council also said, "Jurong Town Council wishes to clarify that the land is State land, managed by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) as an agent for the Singapore Land Authority."
Yet, it is said that "Town Councils were formed in 1989 to empower local elected representatives and residents to run their own estates."
So, if the Jurong Town Council does not take responsibility, then who will?
Yet, if the man who runs the Jurong Town Council also heads the firm that that the town council contracts its services to, then who exactly will check on the maintenance of the estate?
And yet, where Mr Ho is also a PAP member, this has set tongues wagging, not least because when one of his staff at Esmaco, Geraldine Soh, was found to have supported the NSP, she was fired under the claim that her performance was poor even though Ms Soh believed that she was dismissed because she supported the opposition.
But Mr Ho only said, "This was purely a human resource management issue between Esmaco and the employee. Council members of Jurong Town Council are not involved in Esmaco's human resources decisions."
Yet, isn't Mr Ho not only the managing director of Esmaco and general manager of the Jurong Town Council?
Can the decisions then be separate?
Doesn't this remind you of how the when the government said that it "plays no role in decisions on individual investments that are made by GIC", and the GIC also said that "the government does ... neither direct nor interferes in the (GIC's) investment decisions" but when it was found that the prime minister, deputy prime ministers, several ministers and ex-ministers also sit on the board of directors of the GIC?
First, there was the plague of the rats. Then, there was the plague of the bugs. What other plagues will we be seeing in time to come?
Are these a sign of things to come?
[h=1]JURONG TOWN COUNCIL BRUSHES OFF BUG PLAGUE AS NOT CAUSING A STING
Post date:[/h]24 Apr 2015 - 11:20pm
[photo credit: AsiaOne]
Are plagues swarming Singapore?
First, there were the rats. They started invading homes and shops, and then childcare centres.
The gnawed at the walls and created burrows and holes. The dogs were blamed and people were told to stop feeding the strays.
Then came the bugs, again at Bukit Batok.
It was reported that they came in swarms, like the rats. But this time, in swarms of black, coming in the thousands.
The rats came for months on end but just as it looked like it was about to end, the bugs have come as the second plague.
They come in every evening and create itches, residents say.
And then they drop dead, MyPaper reported.
They suddenly came in large numbers two weeks ago and this has shocked residents when they come at 7pm every evening.
A thousand of them even flew into the house of Candy Tan, who told MyPaper that it was her "worst" encounter. She lives at Block 170, on the 24th floor.
But when contacted, Ho Thian Poh, general manager at the Jurong Town Council told Channel NewsAsia, "Although our search was extensive, we did not detect any source or breeding ground in the areas under our management.
"They stated that the beetles do not possess a sting so they are not able to sting people and a large majority of beetles are not known to transmit or carry disease."
But haven't they caused itches? And why have they kept coming?
But Mr Ho did not answer. Yet, it was found that Mr Ho is not only the general manager of the Jurong Town Council, he is also the managing director of the contractor engaged by the Jurong Town Council.
The contractor is Esmaco Township Management Services, which is owned by UGL Premas Limited, of which Mr Ho is the managing director.
But that is still not all. Mr Ho is also the PAP branch secretary of Bukit Batok East.
But if the contractor has not done a good job managing the plague of the rats and now the plague of the bugs, and if Mr Ho who runs Esmaco also heads the Jurong Town Council, then who will take responsibility or will they both shed their responsibilities?
But this is not the first time that Jurong Town Council has been found suspect.
When the rats infestation occurred, the Jurong Town Council also said, "Jurong Town Council wishes to clarify that the land is State land, managed by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) as an agent for the Singapore Land Authority."
Yet, it is said that "Town Councils were formed in 1989 to empower local elected representatives and residents to run their own estates."
So, if the Jurong Town Council does not take responsibility, then who will?
Yet, if the man who runs the Jurong Town Council also heads the firm that that the town council contracts its services to, then who exactly will check on the maintenance of the estate?
And yet, where Mr Ho is also a PAP member, this has set tongues wagging, not least because when one of his staff at Esmaco, Geraldine Soh, was found to have supported the NSP, she was fired under the claim that her performance was poor even though Ms Soh believed that she was dismissed because she supported the opposition.
But Mr Ho only said, "This was purely a human resource management issue between Esmaco and the employee. Council members of Jurong Town Council are not involved in Esmaco's human resources decisions."
Yet, isn't Mr Ho not only the managing director of Esmaco and general manager of the Jurong Town Council?
Can the decisions then be separate?
Doesn't this remind you of how the when the government said that it "plays no role in decisions on individual investments that are made by GIC", and the GIC also said that "the government does ... neither direct nor interferes in the (GIC's) investment decisions" but when it was found that the prime minister, deputy prime ministers, several ministers and ex-ministers also sit on the board of directors of the GIC?
First, there was the plague of the rats. Then, there was the plague of the bugs. What other plagues will we be seeing in time to come?
Are these a sign of things to come?
