Stallholders in row with Workers Party town council

[tomoko]

Workers Party's FMSS with $26 million contract won't clean the ceilings and exhaust ducts at hawker centre; demands stall holders to pay more money!

Stallholders in row with WP town council
Hawkers at two Bedok food centres say they never had to pay for scaffolding erected to wash ceilings

Hawkers at the food centre (above) at Block 511, Bedok North Street 3, said they have been told by AHPETC that they would have to pay extra for the contracted cleaners to clean the ceilings and exhaust ducts. -- ST PHOTOS: AZIZ HUSSIN

By Joyce Lim

Stallholders at two food centres in Bedok are locked in a dispute with their town council over the top-to-bottom cleaning of the centres.

The disagreement is about whether stallholders should have to foot any of the bill for power washing the ceilings and ceiling fixtures, an exercise that is done twice a year and requires them to vacate the premises for five days.

The two food centres are in blocks 511 and 538 of Bedok North Street 3, in the Kaki Bukit ward of Aljunied GRC. They are managed by the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) of the Workers' Party (WP).

Stallholders said they were informed they had to pay for the scaffolding that is erected for the washing, but said they never had to in the past.


Background story

There shouldn't be extra charges

"AHPETC is supposed to conduct regular spring cleaning including the ceilings, exhaust systems, fans, lights and other fixtures. There should not be any additional charges since the town council collects service and conservancy charges from the hawkers on a monthly basis." - A National Environment Agency spokesman

It's town council's responsibility

"We feel it is for the new town council to negotiate with the cleaners to include the cleaning of high areas." - MR CHAN, a stallholder representative

 

[kingrant]

I can hardly believe that the PAP TCs didnt have similar problems with stallholders over such cleaning projects and I wonder if they will be honest enough to reveal how they dealt with it, if they didnt charge more, and not exploit the issue. I am sure they carefully avoid them or plain didnt clean them. I have seen TP's food centre also worse. Hardly imagine they wont force the shutdown of the centre by using MND's authority. Of cos, now with WP's wards, they will say this is TCs problem and deal with it. Fucking Khaw again!

 

[tomoko]

I can hardly believe that the PAP TCs didnt have similar problems with stallholders over such cleaning projects and I wonder if they will be honest enough to reveal how they dealt with it, if they didnt charge more, and not exploit the issue.

I wonder how the PAP TC are dealing with the cleaning of high areas.

Keep in mind that this is not PAP bringing this issue up, it is the stall holders themselves that are bringing the issue up.

This could be an oversight on the WP side, think they will surely want to make stallholders happy.

 

[scroobal]

Quite ridiculous. These things should be part of the monthly rent in the first place. The same principle applies in every aspect of property management both retail and commercial all over the world as cleaning is part and parcel of regular maintenance. Part of the rent also goes to the sinking fund to handle painting and infrastructure maintenance every few years.

Bear in mind the hawkers are claiming that they were cleaned in the past with no additional chargesEither there is a communication breakdown or someone dropped the ball. This is very unlike WP.

 

[winnipegjets]

This is the PAP-controlled RC creating troubles for the WP. The WP TC should expect more of such fires fanned by the PAP cronies in the supposedly grassroot groups.

 

[tomoko]

Stallholders in row with WP town council
Hawkers at two Bedok food centres say they never had to pay for scaffolding erected to wash ceilings

Stallholders at two food centres in Bedok are locked in a dispute with their town council over the top-to-bottom cleaning of the centres.

The disagreement is about whether stallholders should have to foot any of the bill for power washing the ceilings and ceiling fixtures, an exercise that is done twice a year and requires them to vacate the premises for five days.

The two food centres are in blocks 511 and 538 of Bedok North Street 3, in the Kaki Bukit ward of Aljunied GRC. They are managed by the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) of the Workers' Party (WP).

Stallholders said they were informed they had to pay for the scaffolding that is erected for the washing, but said they never had to in the past.

A National Environment Agency (NEA) spokesman also told The Sunday Times that "pursuant to section 18(1) of the Town Councils Act, all town councils are responsible for maintaining and cleaning of all common areas, including hawker centres, in Housing Board towns".

"Consequently AHPETC is supposed to conduct regular spring cleaning including the ceilings, exhaust systems, fans, lights and other fixtures. There should not be any additional charges since the town council collects service and conservancy charges from the hawkers on a monthly basis," said the spokesman.

Each of the 42 cooked food stalls at Block 511 pays more than $120 for service and conservancy charges per month.

Some hawkers requested a meeting on the issue with town council officials on April 26 at which NEA officers were also present. The meeting ended in stalemate, said the stallholders.

The row comes just as the war of words between WP and the People's Action Party (PAP) in Parliament two weeks ago over managing agent rates seemed to have calmed last week. But even as netizens continue to discuss the showdown online, the debate could be given fresh fuel with these hawkers' concerns.

The latest dispute began after a scheduled cleaning of the market and food centre at Block 538. Ten stallholders said they had each paid $140 to their committee chairman in March for canvas covers to drape over their stalls during the clean-up.

But they returned after a five-day closure to find the ceiling and exhaust ducts had not been cleaned. "We were shocked when we returned to find the canvas covering our stalls still so clean, without dust and debris from the ceiling on it," said Madam Yong Heng Ran, 54, a carrot-cake hawker.

AHPETC acknowledged the ceilings were not washed during the exercise. "For Block 538 market, cleaning was carried out from March 4 to 7, with the individual stallholders doing their individual cleaning on March 8," said a spokesman.

"As for the cleaning of high areas, we were informed that scaffolding will be provided. However, on the day of cleaning, there was no scaffolding, hence our cleaners could only clean the reachable areas and not the ceiling and exhaust ducts."

A check with another food centre managed by the same town council, at Block 209, Hougang Street 21, found it is not standard practice for the town council's cleaners to wash those ceilings as well. But there will be a cleaning next month at the request of the hawkers there and each will have to pay $100 for canvas and scaffolding to facilitate the cleaning.

But the Bedok stallholders said scaffolding was always erected by the cleaning contractor, not the hawkers, in previous years.

"We were only told to cover our stalls with canvas and that the market would be closed for five days," said Miss Tan Siok Tiang, 48, who runs a clothes alteration stall at the market.

"I was told the actual cleaning took only one day. I think it's a joke played on us and we have to suffer loss of income for four extra days."

Further queries to the town council from The Sunday Times about why there was no scaffolding went unanswered as did an e-mail to WP chairman Sylvia Lim.

But with the cleaning for Block 511 scheduled for June 24 to 28, hawkers there said they have been told by AHPETC they would have to pay extra for the contracted cleaners to clean the ceilings and exhaust ducts.

A stallholder representative, who wanted to be known only as Mr Chan, said: "We were told by the town council that its contracted cleaners do not cover areas that are more than 2.5m from the ground, so they will not clean the ceilings and exhaust ducts."

The 55-year old drink stall owner, who was at the April 26 meeting, finds the extra charge "unreasonable" as he never had to pay it before. "We feel it is for the new town council to negotiate with the cleaners to include the cleaning of high areas."

Mr Chan said the hawkers' concerns had been raised with their MP Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap, at Meet-the-People Sessions earlier this month.

NEA told The Sunday Times that it has formally reminded AHPETC of its statutory duties.

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BACKGROUND STORY

There shouldn't be extra charges

"AHPETC is supposed to conduct regular spring cleaning including the ceilings, exhaust systems, fans, lights and other fixtures. There should not be any additional charges since the town council collects service and conservancy charges from the hawkers on a monthly basis." - A National Environment Agency spokesman

It's town council's responsibility

"We feel it is for the new town council to negotiate with the cleaners to include the cleaning of high areas." - MR CHAN, a stallholder representative

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

When you pay more to FMSS as MA, didn't manage the arrears but yet, lower your Conservancy charges, higher lift maintenance contract etc, money has to come from somewhere or something has to give.

Thus, in the end, the difference in the contract and value... cut corners. Now AHTC claims that they won't clean anything above 2.5m.

Goh Meng Seng

Quite ridiculous. These things should be part of the monthly rent in the first place. The same principle applies in every aspect of property management both retail and commercial all over the world as cleaning is part and parcel of regular maintenance. Part of the rent also goes to the sinking fund to handle painting and infrastructure maintenance every few years.

Bear in mind the hawkers are claiming that they were cleaned in the past with no additional chargesEither there is a communication breakdown or someone dropped the ball. This is very unlike WP.

 

[saratogas]

After each election win... first, is to reward voters, so reduce charges... These stallholders are not necessary voters of the ward so too bad!

 

[tanwahp]

It reinforces my point why opposition should not run town councils. PAP town councils have problems with residents everyday, but the opposition ones get into the news.

The bigger the responsibilities an MP has, the more the opposition MP will be disadvantaged, because only the opposition's downsides will be reported in the news.

 

[tioliaohuat]

knnbccb, These stallholders are from pap polumpar ward, come and creating troubles ( karjiao karjiao ) for the WP. remember 2016 hor! vote them go holland.

 

[sleaguepunter]

wp cannot use first time run town council with market & food centre, so cannot use dunno procedures as excuse because there was a market/Food centre in HG ave 7 till 2007/08. surely WP know that they have to clean the top level too during the twice a year cleaning.

but it now 2013, almost 2 years since wp took over the AHTC, surely those markets in dispute had at least washed 3 times since the 2011GE, why the complaints only start now?

 

[aurvandil]

Don't understannd the logic for why the S&C charges of those living in HDB flats should be used to subsidise hawkers at the hawkerr centre. This will be in effect subsidisng the rixh living in pte property eat at hawker centres.

 

[scroobal]

Agree. Every market / hawker association whether in opposition ward or not have representatives sitting in the PAP controlled CCC. No hope in hell.

It reinforces my point why opposition should not run town councils. PAP town councils have problems with residents everyday, but the opposition ones get into the news.

The bigger the responsibilities an MP has, the more the opposition MP will be disadvantaged, because only the opposition's downsides will be reported in the news.

 

[scroobal]

This has been long held principle as the residents need the hawkers rather than their other way around. Many hawkers can't make it if commercial rents are applied. Its a bit of give and take. Its political suicide if
hawker centre and markets are run along commercial lines. Since independence their representatives have been significant figures in CCC.

Don't understannd the logic for why the S&C charges of those living in HDB flats should be used to subsidise hawkers at the hawkerr centre. This will be in effect subsidisng the rixh living in pte property eat at hawker centres.

 

[scroobal]

Agree. ...

wp cannot use first time run town council with market & food centre, so cannot use dunno procedures as excuse because there was a market/Food centre in HG ave 7 till 2007/08. surely WP know that they have to clean the top level too during the twice a year cleaning.

but it now 2013, almost 2 years since wp took over the AHTC, surely those markets in dispute had at least washed 3 times since the 2011GE, why the complaints only start now?

 

[Goh Meng Seng]

What PAP and SPH are doing is to hit at the very core of WP's "credibility"... Town Council Management.

I guess they have figured out that WP is able to win Aljunied as well as the Punggol BE because the psychological barrier of Town management has been lowered due to the perception that WP is competent in managing TC. This is very clear in Punggol BE as WP won inspite of multi-corner fight... WP was chosen in the strategic voting because it is perceived as competent or experienced in TC management as compared to the other opposition parties.

Thus, TC management has suddenly become a liability to WP instead of asset...

Goh Meng Seng

 

[winnipegjets]

When you pay more to FMSS as MA, didn't manage the arrears but yet, lower your Conservancy charges, higher lift maintenance contract etc, money has to come from somewhere or something has to give.

Thus, in the end, the difference in the contract and value... cut corners. Now AHTC claims that they won't clean anything above 2.5m.

Goh Meng Seng

Harban, do you suggest that WPTC act like the PAP with regards to arrears? You are a disgrace to the Opposition community. Please wear your PAP association with pride.

 

[I_Hate_Pappies]

A National Environment Agency (NEA) spokesman also told The Sunday Times that "pursuant to section 18(1) of the Town Councils Act, all town councils are responsible for maintaining and cleaning of all common areas, including hawker centres, in Housing Board towns".

Hey! That's super fast response from NEA. I thought it takes like forever for them to come into the picture in the past..... Town Councils Act also come out. Does any of the Act says anything about losing Town Council funds? No?

 

[wwabbit]

...and the other opposition parties have even less chance.

 

[OverTheCounter]

...and the other opposition parties have even less chance.

Not necessarily. SDP also has TC management knowhow as some members have managed building facilities and planned weddings before. They also know a couple of good contractors.