<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Hawker's woe: $200 to drill a hole and red tape
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><DIV class=story_text><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I WOULD like to complain against the National Environment Agency's (NEA) management of the new Geylang Serai market where I am a stallholder.
First, we were required to pay $200 to drill a simple hole in the wall, and another $200 to install a ceiling fan. We also had to wait two weeks to get approval to drill the hole in the wall without any explanation given to us.
Second, the management implemented a rule that shops were not allowed to display merchandise outside. The reason given was that the extension of merchandise display might hinder passers-by and threaten fire safety. That was reasonable, so we agreed to abide by the rule.
However, soon after, this rule was amended. According to the management, shop owners were allowed to extend their merchandise display to 11/2 tiles. But hanging of merchandise on the wall was no longer allowed. What happened to the fire and safety hazard it was so concerned about?
No reason was given for amending the rule. When asked, NEA officers answered, 'I'm just doing my job' or 'It's the rule'. Are shop owners not entitled to an answer to this simple question? It is important for us to know why the rule was amended, as it will have an adverse effect on our business.
Do not get me wrong. I am not implying that I am not willing to abide by the rules. But it is not acceptable that the management is not even willing to give reasons for its inconsistent rules.
I have to add that, if NEA's main concern is public health and safety, why has a large pile of rubbish at the carpark entrance been left uncleared for some time? Is rubbish not meant to be cleared before the start of the business day?
Angelica Reyes (Ms)
<!-- end of for each --><!-- Current Ratings : start --><!-- Current Ratings : end --><!-- vbbintegration : start --><DIV class=vclear><!---vbbTime (Thread ID: 22874) - Start : Sat, 1 Aug 2009 02:01:45:458---><SCRIPT language=javascript>function readCookieVbb() { var errorString = getURLParam("error"); user=getCookie("HTTP_user_id") luser="" if (user!=null) { luser=user.toLowerCase() if (luser == "anonymous" || luser == "anonymous|anonymous") { window.location= p_logoutLink; } } if(user != null && user !=0 && luser!=null && luser != "anonymous" && luser != "anonymous|anonymous") { document.writeln("<table border='0' width='100%' cellspacing='0' id='story_comments' style='display:none'>") document.writeln("<tr id='comments_body' style='display:none'><td colspan='2'>") document.writeln("<table border='0' width='100%' cellspacing='0'>") document.writeln(" <tr ><td class='heading'>Latest comments</td></tr>") document.writeln(" <tr><td id='messageDisplayRegion' width='100%'></td></tr>") document.writeln(" <tr><td align='right'>» Offensive? Unsuitable? Report comment
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</TD></TR><TR><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: top" align=left>Posted by: ageless at Sat Aug 01 08:49:37 SGT 2009
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><DIV class=story_text><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I WOULD like to complain against the National Environment Agency's (NEA) management of the new Geylang Serai market where I am a stallholder.
First, we were required to pay $200 to drill a simple hole in the wall, and another $200 to install a ceiling fan. We also had to wait two weeks to get approval to drill the hole in the wall without any explanation given to us.
Second, the management implemented a rule that shops were not allowed to display merchandise outside. The reason given was that the extension of merchandise display might hinder passers-by and threaten fire safety. That was reasonable, so we agreed to abide by the rule.
However, soon after, this rule was amended. According to the management, shop owners were allowed to extend their merchandise display to 11/2 tiles. But hanging of merchandise on the wall was no longer allowed. What happened to the fire and safety hazard it was so concerned about?
No reason was given for amending the rule. When asked, NEA officers answered, 'I'm just doing my job' or 'It's the rule'. Are shop owners not entitled to an answer to this simple question? It is important for us to know why the rule was amended, as it will have an adverse effect on our business.
Do not get me wrong. I am not implying that I am not willing to abide by the rules. But it is not acceptable that the management is not even willing to give reasons for its inconsistent rules.
I have to add that, if NEA's main concern is public health and safety, why has a large pile of rubbish at the carpark entrance been left uncleared for some time? Is rubbish not meant to be cleared before the start of the business day?
Angelica Reyes (Ms)
<!-- end of for each --><!-- Current Ratings : start --><!-- Current Ratings : end --><!-- vbbintegration : start --><DIV class=vclear><!---vbbTime (Thread ID: 22874) - Start : Sat, 1 Aug 2009 02:01:45:458---><SCRIPT language=javascript>function readCookieVbb() { var errorString = getURLParam("error"); user=getCookie("HTTP_user_id") luser="" if (user!=null) { luser=user.toLowerCase() if (luser == "anonymous" || luser == "anonymous|anonymous") { window.location= p_logoutLink; } } if(user != null && user !=0 && luser!=null && luser != "anonymous" && luser != "anonymous|anonymous") { document.writeln("<table border='0' width='100%' cellspacing='0' id='story_comments' style='display:none'>") document.writeln("<tr id='comments_body' style='display:none'><td colspan='2'>") document.writeln("<table border='0' width='100%' cellspacing='0'>") document.writeln(" <tr ><td class='heading'>Latest comments</td></tr>") document.writeln(" <tr><td id='messageDisplayRegion' width='100%'></td></tr>") document.writeln(" <tr><td align='right'>» Offensive? Unsuitable? Report comment
</td></tr>") document.writeln("</table>") document.writeln("</td></tr>") document.writeln("<tr><td width='100%' colspan='2'>Leave a comment
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</TD></TR><TR><TD style="VERTICAL-ALIGN: top" align=left>Posted by: ageless at Sat Aug 01 08:49:37 SGT 2009
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