[h=2]NEA now staggers the cleaning fee increase for hawkers[/h]
October 21st, 2012 |
Author: Editorial
Recently, National Environment Agency (NEA) announced that cleaning fees at 9 hawker centres will have to be increased, upsetting many hawkers at these centres (‘Hawkers upset at cleaning fee hikes by NEA‘).
The affected hawker centres include Holland Village Market and Food Centre, Commonwealth Crescent Market, Tanglin Halt Market, Adam Food Centre, Geylang Serai Market, Newton Food Centre, Maxwell Food Centre, Market Street Food Centre and Amoy Street Food Centre.
The fee increase can range from 79% in Tanglin Halt Market to 156% in Holland Village Market and Food Centre. At the Holland Village Market and Food Centre, for example, stall holders will have to pay the new fee of $614 a month, up from $240.
Several groups of hawkers have spoken out against the move by NEA and have also seen their MPs. At Tanglin Halt, owners of all the stalls also signed a petition asking the NEA to reconsider the new rates.
After much outcry from the hawkers, NEA now said that 6 of the 9 hawker centres will have their fee increase staggered. Stallholders will pay half of the planned increase per month from Oct to next Jan, and thereafter, the full increase until May when the cleaning contract is up for renewal.
NEA, which engages cleaners to clean tables, floors and other common areas for the hawker centres, said that the new cleaning charges “reflect current market conditions for best-sourced contracts”.
It was later revealed that the 9 affected hawker centres all come under a single contract with cleaning contractor, Clean Solutions.
Hawkers at other centres with different cleaning contracts are said to be paying only between $200 and $300 a month.
A quick check on the Internet reveals that the executive director of Clean Solutions is a person by the name of Tan Hang Kian [Link]. Subsequent checks reveal that there is also a person called Tan Hang Kian who is a grassroots leader and Vice-Chairman of the Siglap Citizens’ Consultative Committee [Link]. It is unclear if they are the same person.
With regard to the new rates charged by Clean Solutions, NEA has earlier said that the increased costs were “fair and representative of market rates for such services”. However, NEA acknowledged that the hawkers were not consulted over the new fees.
Holland Village drinks stall owner Michael Shee, 64, said it was “a bit frightening” that there was no guarantee fees will not rise further when the contracts are renewed in May next year.
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The affected hawker centres include Holland Village Market and Food Centre, Commonwealth Crescent Market, Tanglin Halt Market, Adam Food Centre, Geylang Serai Market, Newton Food Centre, Maxwell Food Centre, Market Street Food Centre and Amoy Street Food Centre.
The fee increase can range from 79% in Tanglin Halt Market to 156% in Holland Village Market and Food Centre. At the Holland Village Market and Food Centre, for example, stall holders will have to pay the new fee of $614 a month, up from $240.
Several groups of hawkers have spoken out against the move by NEA and have also seen their MPs. At Tanglin Halt, owners of all the stalls also signed a petition asking the NEA to reconsider the new rates.
After much outcry from the hawkers, NEA now said that 6 of the 9 hawker centres will have their fee increase staggered. Stallholders will pay half of the planned increase per month from Oct to next Jan, and thereafter, the full increase until May when the cleaning contract is up for renewal.
NEA, which engages cleaners to clean tables, floors and other common areas for the hawker centres, said that the new cleaning charges “reflect current market conditions for best-sourced contracts”.
It was later revealed that the 9 affected hawker centres all come under a single contract with cleaning contractor, Clean Solutions.
Hawkers at other centres with different cleaning contracts are said to be paying only between $200 and $300 a month.
A quick check on the Internet reveals that the executive director of Clean Solutions is a person by the name of Tan Hang Kian [Link]. Subsequent checks reveal that there is also a person called Tan Hang Kian who is a grassroots leader and Vice-Chairman of the Siglap Citizens’ Consultative Committee [Link]. It is unclear if they are the same person.
With regard to the new rates charged by Clean Solutions, NEA has earlier said that the increased costs were “fair and representative of market rates for such services”. However, NEA acknowledged that the hawkers were not consulted over the new fees.
Holland Village drinks stall owner Michael Shee, 64, said it was “a bit frightening” that there was no guarantee fees will not rise further when the contracts are renewed in May next year.
.
Join our TRE facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/TREmeritus
.
Their livelihood is being threatened!
