Just one day after it was confirmed that staff at all national schools will be charged season parking fees, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) announced in a statement yesterday that it will impose market rate season parking charges at 6 MINDEF and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) camps and bases from April this year.
MINDEF explained that it will be charging market rate season parking fees at 6 camps since they are close to public amenities. It is believed that the Ministry will charge S$120 per month for covered carparks and S$90 per month for open-air carparks. These rates are based on the market rates of HDB carparks that are in close proximity to the camps.
10 camps, bases and related areas currently impose season parking fees. While the Ministry did not reveal which 6 bases will be affected from April, reporters believe that Khatib Camp and Mowbray Camp in Choa Chu Kang are two of the six.
MINDEF confirmed that all permanent staff and contractors who will need to use the carpark lot regularly will be charges season parking fees. It added, “Operationally ready National Servicemen who are going for their in-camp training and other operationally ready National Service activities will continue not to be charged for parking their cars in all camp/bases.”
The announcement follows confirmation by teachers themselves that they will have to start paying hundreds of dollars for parking at school premises from 1 Aug this year. It is believed that teachers who drive cars will have to pay S$720 yearly for parking in uncovered lots and S$960 for parking in covered lots, while motorcyclists will be charged S$123 annually for parking in uncovered lots and S$135 for parking in covered lots.
The news came after the Auditor-General Office’s (AGO) last year flagged the Institute of Technical Education and two polytechnics for not imposing parking charges, or charging below market rate, for use of their car parks.
The Ministry has yet to comment on the implementation of the carpark policy review, which was initiated as park of a “clean wage policy” that is meant to make any hidden perks and subsidies for teachers transparent.
https://theindependent.sg.sg/over-one-year-of-speculation-later-teachers-confirm-they-will-have-to-pay-between-720-960-to-park-in-schools/