GE2015: Workers' Party team, if elected, hopes to retain East Coast Town Council's managing agent, says Gerald Giam

Workers' Party East Coast GRC candidates (from left) Gerald Giam, Daniel Goh, Mohamed Fairoz and Leon Perera during a walkabout in Simei on Sept 8, 2015. ST PHOTO: AZIZ HUSSIN

SINGAPORE - The Workers' Party (WP) team contesting the East Coast GRC, if elected, would like to retain the East Coast Town Council's managing agent to ensure continuity in services to residents, says team leader Gerald Giam.

But if EM Services, the existing managing agent, decides not to continue with its current contract, the WP will consider other options like direct management to prevent any disruption in estate operations, he told The Straits Times on Wednesday (Sept 9) morning.

"We will seek to have a smooth handover," he said at a walkabout around Block 58, New Upper Changi Road in the four-member East Coast GRC, which is set to see the hottest GRC contest at the Sept 11 polls.

The WP team is competing against a People's Action Party slate led by Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say.

The WP has been under the spotlight since 2013 over financial lapses at the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) that runs the three constituencies as a town.

The WP has said the lapses arose because some paper work and information were not handed over by the PAP-run Aljunied Town Council and also a company linked to the People's Action Party terminated its computer services shortly after the opposition party won Aljunied GRC at the May 2011 polls.

Since July this year, the AHPETC has been in direct management after it did not receive a bid from any managing agent, including FM Solutions and Services, which had been running the town council since May 2011.

Another WP team contesting the Marine Parade GRC said at a rally on Monday for the Sept 11 polls that it would adopt direct management of the Marine Parade Town Council if elected.

kianbeng@sph.com.sg

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