Ex-offender with rare neurological disease receives NEA award

Despite a physical disability which causes constant pain and weakness in his arms, Mr Ravi Rajasagaran worked his way up in the back-breaking cleaning industry - from being a cleaner to supervising dozens of others.

For his hard work, resilience and motivation to learn, he was one of 27 workers in the environmental services industry who received the Environmental Services (ES) Star Awards from the National Environment Agency (NEA) yesterday.

Mr Ravi, who had been in and out of prison 14 times until 2014, said the award is his biggest achievement to date.

"In the past, I would never have expected to achieve this. My dream is to be an NEA environmental control officer," said the 38-year-old.

He started as a cleaner in 2018. Over a two-year period, he took nine Workforce Skills Qualifications courses and now oversees 50 to 80 cleaners as an operations manager at Clear3 Environment.

When manpower is tight, he helps with the duties although the work takes a toll on his body.

He said: "I get tired very fast, so I need to rest for 10 minutes and drink water after every hour of work. I hang heavy garbage bags on my upper arm if I cannot lift them using my hands."

Mr Ravi was diagnosed in 2013 with Hirayama disease, a rare neurological condition which causes muscle wasting and weakness in the forearms and hands. As a result, he can carry only a 4kg load in his right hand and 2kg in his left hand, which has only three fingers that are mobile.

Due to his disability, he struggled to land a permanent job until Clear3 Environment hired him.

The annual ES Star Awards, which started last year, recognises the industry's exemplary employees across the cleaning services, waste management and pest management sectors.

Another 350 workers from 58 companies were given congratulatory certificates for their contributions and commitment to the industry.

Awardees received $100 worth of vouchers, while the 350 employees received $50 in vouchers.

Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu, who was the guest of honour at the awards ceremony, acknowledged that many companies and workers in the environmental services industry had to cope with additional demands for cleaning and disinfection services this year, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Despite these challenging circumstances, our front-line environmental services heroes stepped up to the challenge and continued to... maintain high standards of public hygiene," she said.

Ms Fu noted that beyond Covid-19, demand for quality and responsive environmental services will remain high, to maintain public health and hygiene. She added that the industry needs to leverage technology and employ a skilled workforce.

Other ES Star Awards recipients include Mr Azlam Shah Alias, 41, founder of AZantz Services, and Ms Quek Rui Ting, 29, an entomologist at Ikari Services. Both companies specialise in pest control.

Mr Azlam, who joined the pest control scene 15 years ago as a worker hunting mosquitoes and controlling dengue clusters, started his own company last year.

He believes there are opportunities to grow in the environmental services industry, and plans to send his staff for bird and reptile management courses.

Ms Quek, a life sciences graduate who studies insects, designs pest management programmes for clients and trains pest control technicians.