(Part 3)
In the third part of a saga involving the time it took to build a Barrier-Free-Access (BFA) ramp in Aljunied GRC, Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh alleged on Saturday (19 October) – in a response to Grassroots adviser Chua Eng Leong – that the Citizens’ Consultative Committee (CCC) in the ward, which answers to the People’s Association (PA), consistently failed to communicate municipal projects to the WP in a timely fashion.
In his post, Pritam wrote, “I am delighted to see the CCC finally engage this issue, albeit only after things have to go public. Repeated emails, requests for answers have gone unanswered and ignored, over many years”.
Responding to another post by the Grassroots Adviser, the WP Chief added, “Mr Chua contends that the BFA ramp is a red herring. He is wrong. It is a metaphor – A very powerful metaphor for the double standards when it comes to CIPC funding in opposition wards”.
Chua brought up the ongoing Aljunied-Hougang Town Council trial in his post, and Pritam said, “I fully expected some reference in any reply to my original post to the ongoing Court case. As the matter remains before the courts, I am sure the public can understand why I will not be commenting on it. Our kawans have gone ahead to do so, but independent factcheckers have put some perspective to their views: https://blackdotresearch.sg/factcheck-were…….
To the comment about what the incumbent Aljunied-Hougang Town Council has done for residents in the last eight years, he added, “ I would invite Mr Chua to just walk around in Aljunied GRC, and update residents accordingly. He would have to concede is that it is no different living in any other constituency, and that is how it should be”.
In his concluding remarks, Pritam took the high road, asking, “Can I therefore propose that the Aljunied and Hougang CCCs and elected opposition MPs in the ward sit down together to develop a protocol on how CIPC proposals should be handled in opposition wards so as to ensure equity in disbursement of taxpayer dollars and efficient execution of CIPC projects? CCCs meet each month. Put it up as an agenda item. I will be happy to be a part of the solution”. /TISG
Read Part 1: Pritam Singh: “the PAP has adopted such political double standards”