Cynthia Phua promises proper handover
By Teo Wan Gek
ALJUNIED Town Council chairman Cynthia Phua yesterday said the People's Action Party (PAP) team will ensure there is ample time for the Workers' Party (WP) to take over the town council so there will be a smooth transition.
'We will do a proper handover. We will ensure that all the existing contracts that we have are handed over to the new management properly,' she said.
She is in the process of compiling a list of current contracts between the town council and service providers. She will ask them if they wish to continue the contracts with the new town council team, to be led by Mr Low Thia Khiang and the four other newly elected MPs.
Should contractors wish to terminate their contracts, she will alert the WP team at first notice, to give them sufficient time to find new contractors and ensure there is no lapse in the provision of services, she said.
'We will take care of residents' interests,' she added.
Madam Phua was an MP for Aljunied GRC from 2001 until the recent polls, and has chaired the town council since 2003.
Yesterday, she also rubbished a complaint that has surfaced online that the town council seems to have stopped removing rubbish, at least from a particular block in the estate.
'There has been no termination of contracts,' she said. 'The contracts are all existing and still under the current management. If the contractors are not performing, they should be reported to the town council staff.'
She added: 'It's only been four days since Polling Day. What changes could possibly have been made?
'Have faith in us. It's our responsibility to the residents of Aljunied GRC to ensure a smooth handover.'
On concerns the PAP may sabotage the incoming WP team, Madam Phua said: 'The PAP is not that way. It has always been a fair and responsible party. We are direct and transparent in our actions.'
Aljunied Town Council is now managed by CPG Facilities Management, with whom the town council signed a three-year contract last year.
CPG managing director Jeffrey Chua is the town council's general manager. As the town council managing agent, CPG engages the services of other companies for services such as cleaning, maintenance and lift rescue.
Most of the PAP town councils are managed by one of three companies: CPG, EM Services and Esmaco Township Management.
The Straits Times understands that the Hougang Town Council is managed by staff directly hired by the town council, which Mr Low has chaired since 1991.
The WP team could decide to merge the Aljunied and Hougang town councils, since the two constituencies are located next to each other.
Yesterday, Mr Low said in an e-mail reply that he and his team had met HDB's town council secretariat to discuss and seek advice on the handover.
Mr Low said they had not met the town council secretary, who is Mr Chua, the general manager.
Mr Low also confirmed that the WP team plans to ask for a renewal of the tenancy agreement with HDB for the three town council offices.
Meetings and talks with existing employees of the town council 'will be done in due course', he added.
Under the Town Councils Act, 'new Towns need to be gazetted after the 14th day from the publication of the General Election results'. The law requires a constituency's new management to take over a town council within 45 days.
By Teo Wan Gek
ALJUNIED Town Council chairman Cynthia Phua yesterday said the People's Action Party (PAP) team will ensure there is ample time for the Workers' Party (WP) to take over the town council so there will be a smooth transition.
'We will do a proper handover. We will ensure that all the existing contracts that we have are handed over to the new management properly,' she said.
She is in the process of compiling a list of current contracts between the town council and service providers. She will ask them if they wish to continue the contracts with the new town council team, to be led by Mr Low Thia Khiang and the four other newly elected MPs.
Should contractors wish to terminate their contracts, she will alert the WP team at first notice, to give them sufficient time to find new contractors and ensure there is no lapse in the provision of services, she said.
'We will take care of residents' interests,' she added.
Madam Phua was an MP for Aljunied GRC from 2001 until the recent polls, and has chaired the town council since 2003.
Yesterday, she also rubbished a complaint that has surfaced online that the town council seems to have stopped removing rubbish, at least from a particular block in the estate.
'There has been no termination of contracts,' she said. 'The contracts are all existing and still under the current management. If the contractors are not performing, they should be reported to the town council staff.'
She added: 'It's only been four days since Polling Day. What changes could possibly have been made?
'Have faith in us. It's our responsibility to the residents of Aljunied GRC to ensure a smooth handover.'
On concerns the PAP may sabotage the incoming WP team, Madam Phua said: 'The PAP is not that way. It has always been a fair and responsible party. We are direct and transparent in our actions.'
Aljunied Town Council is now managed by CPG Facilities Management, with whom the town council signed a three-year contract last year.
CPG managing director Jeffrey Chua is the town council's general manager. As the town council managing agent, CPG engages the services of other companies for services such as cleaning, maintenance and lift rescue.
Most of the PAP town councils are managed by one of three companies: CPG, EM Services and Esmaco Township Management.
The Straits Times understands that the Hougang Town Council is managed by staff directly hired by the town council, which Mr Low has chaired since 1991.
The WP team could decide to merge the Aljunied and Hougang town councils, since the two constituencies are located next to each other.
Yesterday, Mr Low said in an e-mail reply that he and his team had met HDB's town council secretariat to discuss and seek advice on the handover.
Mr Low said they had not met the town council secretary, who is Mr Chua, the general manager.
Mr Low also confirmed that the WP team plans to ask for a renewal of the tenancy agreement with HDB for the three town council offices.
Meetings and talks with existing employees of the town council 'will be done in due course', he added.
Under the Town Councils Act, 'new Towns need to be gazetted after the 14th day from the publication of the General Election results'. The law requires a constituency's new management to take over a town council within 45 days.
