Jamus Lim Tackles Littering Issues and Changes in Cleaning Services in Sengkang

Singapore — Workers’ Party (WP) Member of Parliament (MP) Jamus Lim has taken to Facebook to address littering concerns in Sengkang.

Assoc Prof Lim reveals that a decision was made recently “not to renew the services of the conservancy company” in Anchorvale.

One of the four Workers’ Party MPs representing Sengkang GRC, he looks after the Anchorvale ward.

Residents commented that the estate was no longer as clean as it used to be, he said.

So the “difficult decision” was made to change the contractor.

The drop in cleanliness can be attributed to several factors, according to Assoc Prof Lim.

The Covid-19 measures put in place forced the majority of the population to have to work from their homes, resulting in higher volumes of rubbish and heavier workloads for cleaners.

While sourcing for a new contractor, Sengkang GRC prioritised the balance of price and quality of manpower.

Sengkang GRC also kept in mind the manpower-to-household ratio that was being offered since they believed it was a key factor in maintaining hygiene standards. While it was possible for companies to replace labour with capital, there was not much difference in the equipment offered by the top bidding firms.

A new team had to come in, learn the ins and outs of the job, and develop a routine. Their job has become more difficult due to the islandwide labour shortage which other town councils experienced as well.

Throughout the week, Sengkang GRC worked together with the contractors to discuss standards and point out current issues.

There will definitely be challenges lying ahead, says Assoc Prof Lim. However, things are already improving, though there is much more room for improvement. Assoc Prof Lim also hopes that the change will not only meet but exceed the expectations of the residents.

At the end of his post, he encourages residents to be patient and urges them to offer feedback about the new company so Sengkang GRC and the company can work together to seek out areas of improvement.