‘No more picnics for domestic helpers’ — Netizens debate whether barricading City Plaza grass area is a good call

An online user shared a video in a Facebook online group, Singapore Incidents on City Plaza’s grass area being fenced. The area is known to be the gathering place of domestic helpers who find some free time on the weekends.

A few were in favour of the decision, with one even saying it’s “long overdue.” However, others advocated for the workers, saying that they deserve a space where they can get together on their free days.

“Foreign workers just want a place for relaxation,” wrote one. Another empathised, saying, “After working hard on the weekdays, they want to spend some time in the open space with their friends. You must give them something to drain out their pain and let them feel relaxed. (They) must have something for entertainment.”

A few others saw the action as a “waste of time and resources.” One even went so far as to ask “Do you think that this will solve the problem?” and calling out the government, saying it “(has) got no solution to solve the root cause.”

One comment suggested an alternative gathering place–Changi airport, saying “(It’s) got airconditioning.”