THIRD SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE - FOR FYI 1970/1971 - AND - SECOND SUPPLEMENTARY DEVELOPMENT ESTIMATES - OF EXPENDITURE - FOR FYI 1970/1971
Mr Speaker, Sir, may I first give the details of the projects for which this extra money was needed. An amount of $450,000 was provided in the previous estimate. In early 1970, what is called the "Garden City Action Committee" was established in the Ministry of Law and National Development to plan and co-ordinate a programme of work to spruce up Singapore, the immediate objective being to make Singapore more beautiful for the Heads of State Conference which was held here last January. A substantial number of projects were planned. This amount of money was found to be insufficient. Hence a supplementary provision of $914,900. The break-down is as follows: Development of park outside the Istana $118,000 Improvement to the Esplanade Parka at Connaught Drive $ 60,000 Improvement and extension to the food stalls at Elizabeth Walk $101,000 Bukit Timah Christian Cemetery-exhumation of graves and reinterment to convert the cemetery into a park $160,000 Some work in connection with the sun-dial garden at Botanic Gardens $ 50,000 Development of open spaces at Dunearn-Whitley Roads, Adam Road, Dunearn Road and in front of the Orchard Road Market $ 65,000 Aviary at Katong Park $ 10,000 Pagoda at River Valley Road $ 20,000 Nursery at Ulu Pandan $ 50,000 Nursery at Sembawang $ 67,000 Plant Sales Center at Floral Mile $ 6,000 Purcahse fo four pick-ups and two tankers $ 63,000 I am sure the Member for Telok Blangah has not failed to get his maintenance. Training of 200 gardeners $120,000 Purchase of four portable fountains for use at the Botanic Gardens $ 12,000 Landscaping and planting of shrubs, flowers and tress in open spaces, side-tables and traffic islands $250,000 Development of wooded areas $ 40,000 Construction of timber screens at various places $160,000 Whilst the Member for Telok Blangah complimented the Parks and Trees Division, he cautioned that we should not forget the maintenance. The answer is that we have not. Instructions have been given not to plant unless we can maintain. We would rather have no shrubs and flowers than have half-dead wilting shrubs. In fact, fleets of lorries with water go out when there is a dry spell. They do watering in most places, sometimes at least twice a day. As for planting along road sides, monsoon drains and sometimes along foot-paths, some mistakes have been made. I need not go into details, but whenever these are made they are rectified. For instance, along Orchard Road. As everyone knows, the angsana trees were planted too close to one another, but they were purposely planted that way to accelerate the programme of planting in making Singapore greener for January 197l. As a net result, Orchard Road looked much greener during that month. But the trees were not wasted. As soon as they grow too big, they will be pulled out and planted in other places. Mistakes have been made. Where you have a nice foot-path, the next day you find angsana trees in the middle of it. I myself have had cause to complain. Some of these trees have been pulled out, others left alone to take root in order that they may be planted elsewhere. Sometimes ridiculous mistakes have been made. For example, trees planted next to a flat, or next to a retaining wall. They have had to be pulled out, otherwise the retaining wall would come down. But these are mistakes which have been made and instructions have been given that there should be closer supervision of the work done. Most of the work is done by contractors. One of the contracts is to plant a tree on both sides of the road every 50 yards. Unless properly supervised, all they do is to measure 50 yards, dig a hole, fill it with fertilizer and then plant a tree in it. They do not care whether the spot at which they plant is next to a lamppost, a fire hydrant or under another tree! The net result was that we finally had to issue a series of do's and don'ts. "Do plant trees along unshaded areas." "Don't plant trees under lamp-post or under other trees." I think these mistakes will continue to be made, and perhaps other mistakes will have to be corrected. They have even planted trees along a rubber estate where the rubber trees are already in a row and are properly shaded! When I queried them, I was told that this was a nursery. Coming to the roundabouts, the one at Braddell Circus was planted with small trees and shrubs more than three years ago. At that time it was known that the roundabout would have to disappear, and traffic lights to control the left traffic lanes instituted. But instead of waiting three years and leaving the roundabout with just grass, it was decided to plant. Now that the roundabout has been converted into a traffic light junction, the shrubs and trees, wherever they can be recovered, have been planted elsewhere. As for the roundabout at Shenton Way, Shenton Way is an important place. Important people pass there. Instead of leaving it bare, we decided to plant, even if it was for a short while. If I can deal with the Member for Punggol who has suddenly become interested in Housing and Development Board flats -