More than meets the eye behind NEA’s reluctance to take action against Geylang Serai market’s management committee

More than meets the eye behind NEA’s reluctance to take action against Geylang Serai market’s management committee

Based on the media reports so far, one can easily conclude that the Geylang Serai market’s management committee have neglected its duties on at least two counts:

1. Failure to call for spring-cleaning of the premises only until last week in the aftermath of the mass food poisoning.

2. Failure to maintain basic standards of environmental hygiene at the premises which were infested with rats.

NEA has long insisted that it is in charge for the hygiene of permanent markets only.

In the case of temporary markets, ensuring cleanliness and tackling vermin infestations are the responsibility of the centre’s management committee.

Since the management committee of Geylang Serai temporary market has obviously flouted the rules, why are they not taken to task yet now that both MOH and NEA claimed they have “completed their investigations”?

Up to now, we are still kept in the dark over the identities of the members from the management committee.

The state media could have gotten hold of the information easily. Why are their identities being protected?

However, we do know that the Geylang Serai temporary market was a “project” by the Kampong Ubi Citizens Consultative Committee.

According to unverified sources, the CCC was in charge of setting up the market together with the stallholders.

The funds for building and maintaining the market are split between the hawkers themselves and the CCC.

Whether there are any CCC members on board the management committee remains a mystery though it is not inconceivable that the CCC is directly responsible for the maintenance of the market which brings us to the next question: why has NEA been reluctant to take action against the committee?

If the committee is composed entirely of the stallholders themselves, we can be pretty sure their names will be published and its Chairman will probably be charged in court for negligence together with the Indian rojak man.

We can’t expect the management committee to function on its own autonomously without having to answer to any higher authority.

Which organization retains the ultimate control of the temporary market? Is it the CCC itself or some external agencies?

Judging from the response of NEA so far, it is quite obvious that they are afraid of implicating members of the management committee who may have intimate links with PAP MPs in Marine Parade GRC.

Will prosecuting the management committee open up a can of worms with widespread political ramifications for the ruling party?

Does NEA have any power to take action against management committees of temporary markets for failure to maintain an acceptable level of food and environment hygiene at their premises?

We hope to hear from NEA soon on the fate of the Geylang Serai market management committee. Its members have clearly neglected their duties and they must not be let off the hook so easily.

NEA needs to send a strong message to all committees in charge of these temporary markets that dereliction of duty will not be tolerated regardless of their political affliations or positions.

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