yet no 1 ever ask who should pay ?? SMRT shareholders... ????
the following is a letter from CAN! to the Chairman of Public Transport Council, Gerard Ee:
–
Mr Gerard Ee
Chairman
Public Transport Council
Dear Mr Ee
I refer to this report here (https://www.facebook.com/notes/lim-...the-issue-of-polytechnic-tr/10150496848434074) which states that you have met with member of Young PAP campaigning for parity in public transportation for polytechnic students.
The article states that 2012 will be the year in which the formula for fare adjustment for public transportation will be re-looked and so next year would be a good year to ‘push for fare revisions for polytechnic students’.
We are gladdened that you have chosen to meet with the young Party members to personally hear their grouses about the unfair public transport fare. In September 2009, we requested to meet the then-Transport Minister Raymond Lim to deliver a petition signed by 377 people who are mostly from the disabled community (but also includes some caregivers and a few sympathisers to our cause). A staff from the Ministry responded to us that “public transport fare concessions are granted by the public transport operators based on their commercial and social considerations. They will decide which group of commuters to give concessionary travel to. Therefore, we would suggest you contact the public transport operators directly to present your petition. The two operators can then work together to look at your petition accordingly.”
We have written in to the Public Transport Council in the past and you had responded that there are schemes like the National Council of Social Services administered ‘LTA Cares Fund’, Handicap Welfare Association’s ‘Dial-a-Cab’ scheme, LTA administered ‘Scheme for waiver of ARF’ and other assorted constituency-based financial help schemes to defray the transportation costs of people with disabilities.
While we appreciate these help schemes, they do not go the distance in helping us, the more vulnerable in society, live more useful, active and engaged lives.
Although the people with disabilities are not precluded from the existing concession granted to children, students and senior citizens, many of us do not fall within these groups of people who are granted such concessions. Most people with disabilities who are employed earn a meager amount and usually spend more than a third of our income on transportation. The burden of transportation for those that are unemployable is even more a cause for concern.
The article states that after meeting with them you mentioned, “I would rather focus on getting the Poly Fare lower than any other things next year (2012)”. This underscores the reason why we wanted to meet with the Transport Minister in 2009. We felt that nothing can convince someone of a cause better than a face-to-face meeting.
In view of the fact that the formula for fare adjustment for public transportation will be re-looked next year, my friends and I write this email to request a meeting with your good-self so that you may hear and understand why we are asking for parity in public transportation; that the same level of transport subsidy that is given to our senior citizens be extended to us as well. This is the norm all over the world.
We hope to convince you (if we get to meet you in person) why parity in public transportation for people with disabilities is important; so that we may live our lives with dignity.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely
Reena Rajesvari
CAN! Coordinator
Citizen of Singapore with Disability
Subsidising transport for people with disabilities will not turn Singapore into a welfare state
we publish here a letter sent to Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports and Ministry of Transport by a parent of a person with disability (PWD):
–
I am writing to appeal to the government to be more considerate in subsidizing transport for the disabled. By “transport”, I refer to both public (bus, MRT,taxi), and private (family car, private buses for disabled, etc.) transportation. The category of disable should include all disabilities such as physical, mental and other learning disabilities (e.g. autism, GDD, etc).
Perhaps, the following can be considered for “Enabling Masterplan 2012-2016″:
Public transportation (bus, MRT, taxi) should be heavily subsidized at all hours (not just off peak hours) because people with disabilities (PWD) generally cannot secure high income jobs, or cannot operate own private cars.
COEs should granted at minimal cost to each family with PWD because parents or family members often find it a struggle to ferry PWD to various therapy centres, hospitals, schools, or just about anywhere in public transport. Other autistic children with sensory processing disorder may find the noise and crowd in public transport too traumatizing. For such families, having private car is a necessity and not a luxury.
* as a suggestion, COE can be priced at minimal $500 or less to cover administrative costs only(as oppose to revenue for the government)
* to prevent abuse, each family with PWD can be granted only 1 such subsidized COE. Subsequent COEs can be bought at open market.
(Aside to the topic, but relating to COE
Why allow taxi operators to bid for the same pool of COEs as private owners? Taxi operators can always pass COE costs to commuters as evidenced in the past, but private owners absorb full COE cost.
There should also be a different pool of COEs for first car per family from another pool of COEs for second and subsequent cars in the family.
Extract from http://singaporemind.blogspot.com/2011/12/mrt-breakdown-and-what-is-wrong-with.html
“A lower middle class father with a real need for a car, say someone with children and parents with medical conditions (difficulty walking cannot take bus), is priced out by the teenage son of a millionaire who doesn’t really need the car.”)
COEs should also be granted at minimal cost to VWOs and private bus operators ferrying PWDs. This ensures affordability and business viability to offer such services to families with PWDs.
For private car owners (family with PWD) and bus operators ferrying PWDs, ERP charges should also be waived. As an example: If a father needs to send his autistic son toa special school via an ERP route, he just has to do it regardless of ERP charges. So, why does the government has to add to the burden of this parent? Besides, there aren’t many just vehicles (carrying PWDs)that will add to the traffic congestion.
In conclusion, this article really appeals to this government to be more humane and considerate towards PWDs. It is, without doubt, the responsibility of the State to take care of its people who cannot fully take care of themselves. Subsidizing these transport costs will also not turn the country into a “welfare state” – a term that has been so unjustly demonized bythe PAP government (see Ref A).
Ref A -http://singaporemind.blogspot.com/2011/12/sim-ann-tackling-inequalitycharting-our.html
Ref B – Enabling Masterplan 2012-2016:Maximising Potential, Embracing Differences(http://app1.mcys.gov.sg/Policies/DisabilitiesPeoplewithDisabilities/EnablingMasterplan20122016.aspx)
For your kind consideration and response please.
Regards,
Jo (parent of PWD)
Meeting with PTC Chairman, Mr Gerard on the issue of Polytechnic Transportation FareReflection on Meeting with PTC Chairman, Mr Gerard on the issue of Polytechnic Transportation Fare – by Lim Kun Yun Edison
It was indeed an honour to meet up with Mr Gerard Ee affectionately known by many as ”Charity Santa” last evening. Abner Koh, Deputy Organising Secretary from the Young PAP had arranged this meeting as follow up to the YP’s support to our students’ recent effort at Hong Lim. I take this opportunity to submit a proposal that consist of feedbacks and suggestions that i have gathered during the one month after the hong lim call to Mr Ee, whom i sincerely hope he can look thru and asist this segment of the future generation, the future talent of our society to achieve current student fare rate for them (Polytechnic Students).
I had the privilege to discuss with Mr Ee the issue of Polytechnic Transportation Fares. He described the formulae to be “Maximum Fare Adjustment = 0.5 CPI + 0.5 WI – 1.5%“ which will be valid from 2008 to 2012. This means 2012 will be the year where they re-look the formulae, considering the changes that will give the maximum allowable fare adjustment. This is good news because we can take this opportune time next year, to push for fare revisions for Polytechnic Students.
Secondly, recent service quality disasters of public transport in Singapore prompted me to ask Mr Ee if a formal engagement with PTC would be possible to discuss justifications of service quality vis a vis fare increases that we, Singaporeans had been paying. My personal opinion is to involve student representatives from various Polys, JCs at this engagement platform to highlight in context, the issue of fare revisions.
Thirdly, from my conversation with Mr Ee, I have come to realize that PTC has worked very hard over the years to fight for all day elderly fares and subsidies for the needy groups. After years of persistence, PTC had recently succeeded in pushing for the extension of senior citizen concession hours to full-day. This must be recognized and I sincerely applause them for their contribution to the society.
When I asked Mr Ee further on his next priority, he only mention “I would rather focus on getting the Poly Fare lower than any other things next year (2012)“. For this, I have to thank all those who advocated this cause since 1977 till now, especially Mr Benard Chen (2009), and Young PAP (2011) for supporting.
Lastly, I would like to mention even thou the meeting with PTC sounds okay, We must not celebrate yet as the end result is still unclear. We should continue to feedback to PTC, LTA, PTOs on alternative solutions that can bring about getting student fare for polytechnic instead of waiting for the fare formulae revision. This is because I believe that everyone should play a part in having your voice and opinions combined to form a gigantic constructive solution that can benefit us as Singaporeans in the longrun.
Lets hope that the polytechnic student can get the current student fare rate before i graduated in 2013 Apr. =D
Cheers!
the following is a letter from CAN! to the Chairman of Public Transport Council, Gerard Ee:
–
Mr Gerard Ee
Chairman
Public Transport Council
Dear Mr Ee
I refer to this report here (https://www.facebook.com/notes/lim-...the-issue-of-polytechnic-tr/10150496848434074) which states that you have met with member of Young PAP campaigning for parity in public transportation for polytechnic students.
The article states that 2012 will be the year in which the formula for fare adjustment for public transportation will be re-looked and so next year would be a good year to ‘push for fare revisions for polytechnic students’.
We are gladdened that you have chosen to meet with the young Party members to personally hear their grouses about the unfair public transport fare. In September 2009, we requested to meet the then-Transport Minister Raymond Lim to deliver a petition signed by 377 people who are mostly from the disabled community (but also includes some caregivers and a few sympathisers to our cause). A staff from the Ministry responded to us that “public transport fare concessions are granted by the public transport operators based on their commercial and social considerations. They will decide which group of commuters to give concessionary travel to. Therefore, we would suggest you contact the public transport operators directly to present your petition. The two operators can then work together to look at your petition accordingly.”
We have written in to the Public Transport Council in the past and you had responded that there are schemes like the National Council of Social Services administered ‘LTA Cares Fund’, Handicap Welfare Association’s ‘Dial-a-Cab’ scheme, LTA administered ‘Scheme for waiver of ARF’ and other assorted constituency-based financial help schemes to defray the transportation costs of people with disabilities.
While we appreciate these help schemes, they do not go the distance in helping us, the more vulnerable in society, live more useful, active and engaged lives.
Although the people with disabilities are not precluded from the existing concession granted to children, students and senior citizens, many of us do not fall within these groups of people who are granted such concessions. Most people with disabilities who are employed earn a meager amount and usually spend more than a third of our income on transportation. The burden of transportation for those that are unemployable is even more a cause for concern.
The article states that after meeting with them you mentioned, “I would rather focus on getting the Poly Fare lower than any other things next year (2012)”. This underscores the reason why we wanted to meet with the Transport Minister in 2009. We felt that nothing can convince someone of a cause better than a face-to-face meeting.
In view of the fact that the formula for fare adjustment for public transportation will be re-looked next year, my friends and I write this email to request a meeting with your good-self so that you may hear and understand why we are asking for parity in public transportation; that the same level of transport subsidy that is given to our senior citizens be extended to us as well. This is the norm all over the world.
We hope to convince you (if we get to meet you in person) why parity in public transportation for people with disabilities is important; so that we may live our lives with dignity.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely
Reena Rajesvari
CAN! Coordinator
Citizen of Singapore with Disability
Subsidising transport for people with disabilities will not turn Singapore into a welfare state
we publish here a letter sent to Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports and Ministry of Transport by a parent of a person with disability (PWD):
–
I am writing to appeal to the government to be more considerate in subsidizing transport for the disabled. By “transport”, I refer to both public (bus, MRT,taxi), and private (family car, private buses for disabled, etc.) transportation. The category of disable should include all disabilities such as physical, mental and other learning disabilities (e.g. autism, GDD, etc).
Perhaps, the following can be considered for “Enabling Masterplan 2012-2016″:
Public transportation (bus, MRT, taxi) should be heavily subsidized at all hours (not just off peak hours) because people with disabilities (PWD) generally cannot secure high income jobs, or cannot operate own private cars.
COEs should granted at minimal cost to each family with PWD because parents or family members often find it a struggle to ferry PWD to various therapy centres, hospitals, schools, or just about anywhere in public transport. Other autistic children with sensory processing disorder may find the noise and crowd in public transport too traumatizing. For such families, having private car is a necessity and not a luxury.
* as a suggestion, COE can be priced at minimal $500 or less to cover administrative costs only(as oppose to revenue for the government)
* to prevent abuse, each family with PWD can be granted only 1 such subsidized COE. Subsequent COEs can be bought at open market.
(Aside to the topic, but relating to COE
Why allow taxi operators to bid for the same pool of COEs as private owners? Taxi operators can always pass COE costs to commuters as evidenced in the past, but private owners absorb full COE cost.
There should also be a different pool of COEs for first car per family from another pool of COEs for second and subsequent cars in the family.
Extract from http://singaporemind.blogspot.com/2011/12/mrt-breakdown-and-what-is-wrong-with.html
“A lower middle class father with a real need for a car, say someone with children and parents with medical conditions (difficulty walking cannot take bus), is priced out by the teenage son of a millionaire who doesn’t really need the car.”)
COEs should also be granted at minimal cost to VWOs and private bus operators ferrying PWDs. This ensures affordability and business viability to offer such services to families with PWDs.
For private car owners (family with PWD) and bus operators ferrying PWDs, ERP charges should also be waived. As an example: If a father needs to send his autistic son toa special school via an ERP route, he just has to do it regardless of ERP charges. So, why does the government has to add to the burden of this parent? Besides, there aren’t many just vehicles (carrying PWDs)that will add to the traffic congestion.
In conclusion, this article really appeals to this government to be more humane and considerate towards PWDs. It is, without doubt, the responsibility of the State to take care of its people who cannot fully take care of themselves. Subsidizing these transport costs will also not turn the country into a “welfare state” – a term that has been so unjustly demonized bythe PAP government (see Ref A).
Ref A -http://singaporemind.blogspot.com/2011/12/sim-ann-tackling-inequalitycharting-our.html
Ref B – Enabling Masterplan 2012-2016:Maximising Potential, Embracing Differences(http://app1.mcys.gov.sg/Policies/DisabilitiesPeoplewithDisabilities/EnablingMasterplan20122016.aspx)
For your kind consideration and response please.
Regards,
Jo (parent of PWD)
Meeting with PTC Chairman, Mr Gerard on the issue of Polytechnic Transportation FareReflection on Meeting with PTC Chairman, Mr Gerard on the issue of Polytechnic Transportation Fare – by Lim Kun Yun Edison
It was indeed an honour to meet up with Mr Gerard Ee affectionately known by many as ”Charity Santa” last evening. Abner Koh, Deputy Organising Secretary from the Young PAP had arranged this meeting as follow up to the YP’s support to our students’ recent effort at Hong Lim. I take this opportunity to submit a proposal that consist of feedbacks and suggestions that i have gathered during the one month after the hong lim call to Mr Ee, whom i sincerely hope he can look thru and asist this segment of the future generation, the future talent of our society to achieve current student fare rate for them (Polytechnic Students).
I had the privilege to discuss with Mr Ee the issue of Polytechnic Transportation Fares. He described the formulae to be “Maximum Fare Adjustment = 0.5 CPI + 0.5 WI – 1.5%“ which will be valid from 2008 to 2012. This means 2012 will be the year where they re-look the formulae, considering the changes that will give the maximum allowable fare adjustment. This is good news because we can take this opportune time next year, to push for fare revisions for Polytechnic Students.
Secondly, recent service quality disasters of public transport in Singapore prompted me to ask Mr Ee if a formal engagement with PTC would be possible to discuss justifications of service quality vis a vis fare increases that we, Singaporeans had been paying. My personal opinion is to involve student representatives from various Polys, JCs at this engagement platform to highlight in context, the issue of fare revisions.
Thirdly, from my conversation with Mr Ee, I have come to realize that PTC has worked very hard over the years to fight for all day elderly fares and subsidies for the needy groups. After years of persistence, PTC had recently succeeded in pushing for the extension of senior citizen concession hours to full-day. This must be recognized and I sincerely applause them for their contribution to the society.
When I asked Mr Ee further on his next priority, he only mention “I would rather focus on getting the Poly Fare lower than any other things next year (2012)“. For this, I have to thank all those who advocated this cause since 1977 till now, especially Mr Benard Chen (2009), and Young PAP (2011) for supporting.
Lastly, I would like to mention even thou the meeting with PTC sounds okay, We must not celebrate yet as the end result is still unclear. We should continue to feedback to PTC, LTA, PTOs on alternative solutions that can bring about getting student fare for polytechnic instead of waiting for the fare formulae revision. This is because I believe that everyone should play a part in having your voice and opinions combined to form a gigantic constructive solution that can benefit us as Singaporeans in the longrun.
Lets hope that the polytechnic student can get the current student fare rate before i graduated in 2013 Apr. =D
Cheers!
Last edited:
