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SINGAPORE – The five Community Development Councils (CDC) implemented more than 70 initiatives between February and June to help Singaporeans cope with Covid-19, including a student meal plan and a $ 20 million voucher program. for 400,000 families.
The CDC Voucher Program eased the cost of living for middle-income families, and the vouchers are meant to be spent on heart businesses, giving street vendors and small businesses a boost, Prime Minister Lee Hsien said. Loong.
He said: “CDC often takes a low profile, working quietly but steadily to fulfill its mission. But in times of crisis, its contributions are vital and become more apparent.”
Prime Minister Lee spoke on Wednesday (September 23) at the swearing-in ceremony of five mayors at the headquarters of the People’s Association (PA) in Jalan Besar. Commerce and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing, who is also vice president of the People’s Association, also attended the ceremony.
CDC’s student meal plan helps children in needy households continue to receive their meals and focus on their education. Another initiative, SkillsFuture @ CDC 2020, was an online event to help residents learn more about job search strategies and the skills needed to be successful in the economy of the future.
PM Lee said, “The CDC illustrates how we have structured our social support system in a thoughtful and creative way.” They are a bridge between residents and the government, and they function not only as hands and legs to implement the programs, but also as eyes and ears to identify emerging needs and gaps in social support, he added.
When a resident needs it and doesn’t know where to get help, they can turn to the CDC, which can help or redirect them to the right agencies and ease some of the burden of navigating red tape, he said.
“Most importantly, you can provide services with a human touch in a way that government agencies operating nationwide try hard to do, but will find it more difficult,” Lee added.
The Government, he said, fully supports the mission of the CDC and that is why in this year’s Budget, the Government awarded the CDC an additional grant of $ 75 million.
On Wednesday, three mayors were reappointed: Ms. Denise Phua, Ms. Low Yen Ling, and Mr. Desmond Choo. Ms. Low continues to serve as chair of the Mayors Committee, with a focus on coordinating the work of the CDC.
The newly elected GRC Marine Parade MP, Fahmi Aliman, will be mayor of the southeast district, replacing Dr. Maliki Osman, who has been promoted to Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister and Second Minister of Education and Foreign Affairs.
For North West CDC, Mr. Alex Yam, a Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC MP, replaces Dr. Teo Ho Pin, who served for 19 years and is Singapore’s longest-serving mayor. He retired from politics in the general elections on July 10.
The new appointments were first announced in late July by the Prime Minister’s Office and came into effect on July 27.
PM Lee thanked the two former mayors for their contributions, highlighting Dr. Teo’s efforts to make the Northwest a vibrant, active and green district, and Dr. Maliki’s work to strengthen community spirit and support active aging.
The new mayors are equally passionate, he added.
Yam has worked on the grassroots for many years and was previously a district councilor in the Northwest, while Fahmi has been involved in public service for a long time and now works in the National Trade Union Congress, Lee said.
Referring to Mr. Fahmi, Prime Minister Lee said: “Everyone who knows him describes him as a gentle soul with a big heart. These are precisely the qualities that he will need and that all of our mayors will need.”
The mayors are run by five CDCs, which lead and coordinate grassroots organizations. They also play a key role in helping to implement government policies.
The CDC was started in 1997 to involve more Singaporeans in the community. Over time, they have also become a point of contact for Singaporeans to access social and community assistance.
Lee, who is also president of the Palestinian Authority, said: “To fulfill its duties well, CDC must be led by strong leaders who are familiar with the local community and can mobilize and motivate their councilors, volunteers and partners.”
He added that he was confident that mayors could build on the work of his predecessors and his own work in previous terms and increase Singapore’s social capital.
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