Forum: Dirty public toilets: People need to clean up their act first

A cleaner refilling the liquid soap outside the toilet on Feb 22, 2020. PHOTO: ST FILE

Unless people change their mindset and get rid of bad habits when it comes to keeping public toilets clean, it's a waste of taxpayers' money co-funding toilet improvement work (Funding to improve toilets at coffee shops, hawker centres, Oct 4).

Getting coffee shop operators to remove smoking areas is a zero-sum game. They receive 90 per cent funding but stand to lose customers who smoke and, over time, the loss will add up to a substantial amount of turnover losses.

Why would they remove the smoking corners when they still get 60 per cent co-funding if they choose not to do it? The difference in funding can easily be recovered from regular patrons who smoke.

Having a co-funding scheme for toilet improvement works must be accompanied by a spirit of social responsibility and civic consciousness. No amount of taxpayers' money to co-fund improvement works will be enough if people continue to dirty the toilets.

The National Environment Agency should replace the posters pasted all over the toilet walls to remind people to keep the toilets clean with digital display screens, which will do a better job at attracting attention - like the panels installed at HDB lift lobbies.

It's time for us to clean up our act. We cannot depend on the Government to pump in money to improve public toilets without cooperation from the community.

Cheng Choon Fei

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 06, 2020, with the headline Forum: Dirty public toilets: People need to clean up their act first. Subscribe