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Coffeeshop Chit Chat - 800 wet market stall holders kaput!</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right>
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</NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>4:07 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 3) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>22488.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD>Oct 9, 2009
WET MARKET CLOSURES
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- headline one : start --></TD></TR><TR><TD>Not just about money
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I REFER to the slew of impending closures of neighbourhood wet markets, which will be largely taken over by the Sheng Siong supermarket chain and converted into a string of its air-conditioned outlets.
It is disheartening that the livelihood of the wet market stallholders was not a consideration in approving the conversion of wet markets into air-conditioned supermarkets.
Assuming that each wet market houses an average of 50 stallholders, one can safely assume an impending loss of 100 jobs per market.
Based on yesterday's report, 'Two more wet markets to go', eight wet markets will close down to make way for six Sheng Siong outlets, and a FairPrice and Shop N Save supermarket each.
So at a conservative estimate, the businesses and jobs of at least 800 people are at stake.
One can expect that low-wage foreign labour will be employed in these converted markets to maximise profits as well as cover the higher investment outlay.
There is no lack of supermarkets in any residential part of Singapore.
Although shopping in air-conditioned comfort is a pleasure, it should not be at the expense of wet markets, which provide a business and job avenue for Singaporeans.
With continual upgrading and stricter hygiene standards imposed by the National Environment Agency, wet markets today are cleaner than their predecessors.
The Circuit Road wet market and hawker centre is an example of a clean, modern and hygienic wet market-cum- hawker centre.
Furthermore, wet markets are more environmentally friendly as they do not require the far higher energy consumption of supermarkets.
Dollars and cents should not be the overriding consideration with institutions that are distinctly Singaporean like wet markets, which are a popular and valuable part of our identity.
Harrison Goh
[email protected]
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WET MARKET CLOSURES
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- headline one : start --></TD></TR><TR><TD>Not just about money
</TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- headline one : end --></TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- show image if available --></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I REFER to the slew of impending closures of neighbourhood wet markets, which will be largely taken over by the Sheng Siong supermarket chain and converted into a string of its air-conditioned outlets.
It is disheartening that the livelihood of the wet market stallholders was not a consideration in approving the conversion of wet markets into air-conditioned supermarkets.
Assuming that each wet market houses an average of 50 stallholders, one can safely assume an impending loss of 100 jobs per market.
Based on yesterday's report, 'Two more wet markets to go', eight wet markets will close down to make way for six Sheng Siong outlets, and a FairPrice and Shop N Save supermarket each.
So at a conservative estimate, the businesses and jobs of at least 800 people are at stake.
One can expect that low-wage foreign labour will be employed in these converted markets to maximise profits as well as cover the higher investment outlay.
There is no lack of supermarkets in any residential part of Singapore.
Although shopping in air-conditioned comfort is a pleasure, it should not be at the expense of wet markets, which provide a business and job avenue for Singaporeans.
With continual upgrading and stricter hygiene standards imposed by the National Environment Agency, wet markets today are cleaner than their predecessors.
The Circuit Road wet market and hawker centre is an example of a clean, modern and hygienic wet market-cum- hawker centre.
Furthermore, wet markets are more environmentally friendly as they do not require the far higher energy consumption of supermarkets.
Dollars and cents should not be the overriding consideration with institutions that are distinctly Singaporean like wet markets, which are a popular and valuable part of our identity.
Harrison Goh
[email protected]
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